TJ Hood Louver '97-'02 - Bare | Jeep Wrangler Exterior Accessories

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TJ Hood Louver '97-'02 - Bare

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PN: 14-53-011

Many of the problems Jeeps and slow-moving rockcrawlers encounter on the trail are due to overheating. At slow speeds there simply isn't enough airflow through the engine compartment to keep things cool. Worse, engine compartments on most vehicles are poorly vented, with no way for hot air (which rises) to escape from the upper areas of the engine bay. Poison Spyder's Hood Louvers solve that problem by promoting proper airflow through and out of the engine compartment, while adding great looks to your Jeep.

IMPORTANT: This part number is for a hood louver designed to fit TJ hoods with two windshield washer squirters. These are typically '97-'02 model years, but we've seen some discrpencies in the model year application so please visually check your hood prior to ordering. TJ's with a single windshield washer squirter are typically '03-'06. If yours has a single squirter, CLICK HERE to order the correct item. Also please note that this item has the full Poison Spyder logo cut into it, as shown in the main photo at the top of this page (most of the images in the galleries below depict the single squirter version, which has just the Spyder symbol without the full Poison Spyder logo.

Product Description

Cool That Engine!
The Poison Spyder Hood Louver helps keep your engine running cool by promoting airflow through the engine compartment. Many factors can contribute to high under-hood temperatures, which can translate to higher engine coolant temperatures and overheating. Headers, slow speeds, flex fans, and the cramped spaces of the engine compartment can all contribute to increased heat and reduced airflow. This Hood Louver kit frees up airflow through the engine compartment, allowing hot air to escape and cooler air to be drawn in through the radiator, improving cooling of both the engine coolant and under-hood air. Rock-crawlers and slow-moving vehicles are especially susceptible, as slower speeds naturally result in reduced airflow.

Great Looks
In addition to improved cooling performance, Poison Spyder Hood Louvers add great looks to your Jeep! The Poison Spyder Hood Louver looks great on any Jeep, whether it is painted to match the body color or powder coated a contrasting color. For convenience, it is available either bare or powder coated black. Adding to the great looks are the stainless steel button head cap screws used to fasten the louver to the hood.

Good Value For the Price
A Poison Spyder Hood Louver is one of the best bang-for-your-buck improvements you can do for your Jeep. Compare it to the cost of a complete replacement hood with vents, such as those from AEV, and its easy to see what a great value the Poison Spyder product is.

Quality Construction
Poison Spyder Hood Louvers are crafted from quality, thick gauge aluminum sheet. They are CNC laser-cut and precision die-stamped. Aluminum makes the hood louver both light weight and corrosion resistant. But its thick enough to add some rigidity to the Jeep's notoriously thin sheetmetal hood, helping to reduce "hood wobble" at speeds.

Easy Installation
Hood Louvers are fairly easy to install but do require some drilling and cutting of your hood. Stainless steel fasteners are supplied, as well as a full-size template with instructions for cutting the airflow holes in the hood. Because it is a one-piece design, specific for each model Jeep, installation is a quick and easy. Competitors' hood louver products may include multiple pieces that are painstaking to properly align and install, while others provide no cut template, leaving you to figure out how best to place the louver and cut the holes underneath.

Superior Packaging
We've put almost as much engineering into the packaging as we did for the louver itself! As a rather large, unwieldy piece, it is imperative that the Hood Louver be properly packaged to ensure against shipping damage. Our custom box and CAD designed foam blocking are your best insurance against the hassles of possible shipping damage.

Image Galleries

Here is our entire collection of images for this product. We're constantly adding more photos so check back often if you don't see a shot with a specific angle or installation you are looking for. Do you own this item already? We'd love to have your photos to add to our collection. Just send the hi-res images via email to [email protected].

Features & Benefits

At Poison Spyder we strive to build superior features into every aspect of each product we make. Every feature has a reason for being included in the design. Here are a list of the most important of these features, along with an explanation of the benefits of each. Consider these important factors when shopping for products, and compare the competition to Poison Spyder's features and benefits!

Feature	Benefit
Louvers	Allow hot air to escape the engine compartment, keeping under-hood temperatures cooler. Improved airflow out of the engine bay also helps improve airflow into the engine bay, including through the radiator, helping your radiator and fan operate more efficiently.
One-Piece Construction	Easier to install than kits that consist of several separate pieces. Helps add rigidity to the flimsy stock sheetmetal of the hood, helping to reduce "hood wobble".
Heavy Gauge Aluminum	Lightweight and corrosion resistant. Helps add rigidity to the flimsy stock sheetmetal of the hood, helping to reduce "hood wobble".
Separate Hardware	Some competing products use a pressed-in threaded stud rather than the through-bolt hardware we use. The metal studs can be easily damaged in shipping, are prone to dislodging, and can be very difficult to lign up with bolt holes that may be slightly off due to drill wander. They are also made of normal steel rather than the great looking, corrosion resistant stainless steel fasteners we use.
Superior Packaging	Poison Spyder's engineered, well-thought-out packaging for the Hood Louver ensures the product will arrive undamaged, with less chance of the hassle of filing shipping damage claims.

Frequently Asked Questions

Got a question about this product? We've tried to cover the most frequently asked ones below. Don't see an answer to your question? Ask our sales department by email at [email protected], and we'll get back to you as soon as possible with the information you need.

Q: Does the Hood Louver allow water to get into my engine compartment?

A: This is a very common question that we get asked all the time. The simple answer is yes, some water can trickle down through the louvers during wet weather, but this hasn't caused any significant problems for the hundreds of people who have installed our Hood Louvers. It is important to remember that the engine bay is not a sealed compartment—it is common and expected that water can splash up into there even with a stock, uncut hood. That's why all of the engine components and electrical connections under the hood are weatherproofed from the factory. Many Jeep owners routinely pop the hood and hose down the engine compartment anyhow, to clean off dust and mud after wheeling trips, with no ill effects. Even if you live in an area with wet weather, you can install the Poison Spyder Hood Louver with confidence.

Q: I keep stripping the small screws, what am I doing wrong?

A: Our Hood Louvers are installed using small, stainless steel button head cap screws. We've heard a few complaints from customers who have stripped out either the threads or the internal hex socket on these. Here are a few thoughts to keep in mind when using them. First, the alloy used in stainless steel fasteners is not as hard as a Grade 8 bolt, so more care must be taken when installing them. Always use anti-sieze compound on the threads, especially when installing products that require pre-installation, removal, then final installation, such as with the Hood Louver kit. The lock nuts used in these kits are zinc plated steel and of a harder alloy than the stainless steel cap screws, so the threads can gall more easily if they are cross-threaded or over-tightened. Also when using the hex key (Allen wrench), make sure the hex key is fully seated into the hext socket in the head of the screw, and not tilted at an angle. And ALWAYS use flat-ended hex keys with stainless steel fasters, never use ball-end hex keys with them. Also, try holding the head of the screw stationary with the hex key, while turning the nut with the wrench. This will make it easier to keep the tool straight and apply constant pressure while tightening. Finally, DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN.

Competitive Comparisons

It's a crowded market with a lot of manufacturers competing to earn your business. Here we've assembled a chart with a few of the key competing products in this product category, to assist with your shopping. We've tried to make sure this information is as accurate as possible, but if you spot an inaccuracy on this chart please let us know at [email protected].

MFG & Prod Name	Base Price	# Pieces	Hardware	Template	Model Specific?	Powder Coat
Poison Spyder	$129.00	1-Piece	Stainless Button Heads	Yes	Yes-JK, TJ, YJ	OPT +$30
Hyline	$180.00 (JK) $155.00 (TJ/YJ)	2-piece (JK) 1-piece (TJ/YJ)	Pressed-in studs	Yes	Yes-JK, TJ, YJ	OPT +$20
American Rock Rods	$148.00	1-Piece	Stainless Button Heads	Info N/A	Yes-JK, TJ, YJ	OPT +$20
Poly/Synergy	$125.00	1-Piece	Stainless Button Heads	No	Yes-JK Only	OPT +$20
A to Z Fabrication	$195.00	1-Piece	Info N/A	Info N/A	Yes-JK, TJ, YJ	Not Offered
Gen-Right	$130.00	5-Piece	Not Included	No	Generic	Included
Run Cool	$129.00	2-Piece	Pop rivets	No	Generic	OPT +$20