We’ve had a lot of questions lately about installing a set of hood vents on your Jeep XJ Cherokee or MJ Comanche. We sell a lot of the Lebaron/New Yorker hood vents and it seems like customers are always wanting install directions sent to them. So with that said, we’ve decided to put together a Hood Vent Install FAQ.
Install can be done with the hood on the Jeep still, or with the hood removed. We’ve done it both ways, and each have their pros/cons. For the majority of this install we’ll refer to doing it with the hood off. This procedure is done on a XJ/MJ Hood; however the basic practice can be done on your YJ/TJ/ZJ/WJ/JK etc. We’ve had great luck using them on many different models!
I stripped the hood of the material on the inside, and removed my engine light.
I than placed some tape in the area I was going to be working in. I did not want to scratch the hood (yes it’s the inside but still…). This would also allow me to draw my lines where I needed to cut.
I than placed the vents where I thought they looked and fit best.
I than placed the vent on the hood, and traced it with a pen.
Now, you’ll NOT want to cut on these lines, as if I did I would of cut to big of a hole. I measered aprox 3/8″ inside of this line and drew another line.
I also decided that since I was going to be cutting from the backside, I probally should place some tape on the other side to help prevent chipping.
We have found that a jigsaw with a nice metal blade works the best.
And both sides cutout
I had to make up some brackets. I ended up using 1/2 x 3/4 angle, and aprox 1.5″ long. I than drilled a hole in the center of the 3/4 side for the bolt. I used stainless hardware, to prevent rusting in the future.
One side installed.
Both installed, a view from the top.
And than re-installed the hood.
As stated prior we’ve also done the install on the Jeep without removing the hood. Very similar procedure;
Results? We’ve been very happy with the results. It helps keep the under-hood temperatures down quite a bit. This is especially helpful on those hot days your out wheeling and not a lot of air is going past your radiator due to a slow crawl. One of the biggest questions we get is what do you do about water? We’re happy to report that after 5+ years of running the vents we’ve had no damage to our motor/wiring due to any water. Many of our Jeep here at Motion are to “big” to fit into our garages and sit outside 365 days a year. No issues to report to date.
Interested in getting a set of hood vents? We sell there HERE.
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