TJ/LJ Defenders - 5" Tapered Flares (Steel) | Jeep Front Fender Armor

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TJ DeFenders - 5" Tapered Flares (Steel)

TJ/LJ Defenders - 5" Tapered Flares (Steel)

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PN: 14-02-075

Poison Spyder raises the bar for Jeep fender armor— DeFenders™ are the next evolutionary step beyond "tube fenders". CNC laser cutting and precision brake-forming yield a stronger, more functional, better-looking fender than the tired, out-dated tube fender design. DeFenders™ provide protection to your Jeep during hard core trail use as well as increased clearance for larger tires and suspension articulation. The wheel opening is approximately 4" wider than the stock Jeep fenders, and about 3" wider than old school tube fenders.

Product Description

Solid, "Tubeless" Construction
DeFenders™ are fabricated entirely from CNC laser-cut, precision brake-formed 3/16" plate, either heavy duty P&O steel or lightweight 6061-T6 aluminum. Only one competitor manufactures a fender that's anything like the DeFender™>—fabricated entirely of plate with no tubing—but their design leaves a vertical edge of the metal pointed downward, right at the tire. The DeFender™ has an extra "return", or lip along the underside of the fender, which provides better protection from cutting into a fully stuffed tire, while also lending extra strength to the outer edge of the fender, where it is most likely to come in contact with rocks, canyon walls, trees, etc.

DeFenders™ vs. "tube fenders"
DeFenders™ are not "tube fenders"—they're better! Much of the Jeep armor industry was built upon Poison Spyder's original Tube Fender design, which has been borrowed, copied, and in some cases even improved upon, by many of our competitors. But now the state of the art in Jeep fender armor takes a giant leap forward with the DeFender™ product line. Rather than tube, the outer edges of the DeFender™ are brake-formed into a rugged 3-sided rub rail. Most "tube fenders" use a piece of .120" thick (just under 1/8") tubing as the outer edge rub rail, with 1/8" thick sheetmetal top plates. Compare that to the 3/16" (.188") thick material of the DeFender™ which is carried throughout its structure, from the outer rub rail surface to the top plates to the mounting structure. The DeFender™ is not only much stronger than a tube fender, it looks much better as well, with smooth flat surfaces that blend better with your Jeep's exterior appearance.

Increased Front Tire Clearance
Even on the non-highline version, the DeFender™ provides a much larger wheel opening than stock or some competitors' tube fenders. The back of the wheel opening, where larger tires tend to rub when the steering is at full-lock, is approximately 2½" further back compared to typical tube fenders, and about 4" further back than the stock Jeep flares.

5" Tapered Flare
DeFenders™ with 5" Tapered Flares provide a bit more tire coverage for those who need it to satisfy local laws. As with our 3" Tapered Flares, the 5" Tapered Flare DeFenders have their full width at the rear-most point of the top plate of the flare. From there, they taper inward slightly, not quite parallel with the tapered edge of the Jeep's hood (the 3" Tapered Flares more closely parallel the hood line). This provides the needed extra tire coverage and splash protection, while keeping the forward corners of the flare closer in and away from rocks, trees and canyon walls. TJ DeFenders™ are also available in Zero Flare (links: Steel | Aluminum), Negative Flare (links: Steel | Aluminum), 3" Straight Flare (links: Steel | Aluminum) and 3" Tapered Flare (links: Steel | Aluminum) versions.

Optional Inner Fender Kit
DeFenders™ are designed to be able to re-use the stock inner fenders, for those who would like to save some money and not hassle with re-locating all of the fender-mounted accessories. For those who would prefer to replace the entire fender/inner fender assembly, Poison Spyder now offers the DeFender™ Inner Fender Kit. This is a 3-piece (per side) bolt-together assembly, made of CNC laser cut aluminum sheet. Please note that no accessory mounting holes or brackets are provided, as each installation is left to the discretion of the installer to decide where to mount components. Most stock inner fender-mounted components can be re-mounted to the DeFender™ Inner Fenders by simply drilling a hole and/or fabricating a simple bracket.

Steel or Aluminum?
DeFenders™ are available in either heavy duty steel or light weight aluminum (both 3/16" thick). We recommend steel for those Jeeps whose fenders are frequently in contact with the rocks. For those needing a great looking, light weight fender that's strong but not necessarily as hard core as the steel ones, aluminum is a great alternative.

Easy Access & Side Plate Options
Access holes in the side of the DeFender™ make it easy to access the area between the wheel well and the firewall during installation. After installation, these holes are covered with a choice of different side cover plates. For the simplest install, choose the DeFender™ Side Inserts, which fill the access holes in the side panels of the DeFender™. DeFender™ Side Inserts are CNC laser cut from 1/8" aluminum plate. The Spyder logo cut-out acts as an air vent to promote airflow through the engine bay. The Side Inserts are designed to bolt to the inside surface of the DeFender™, using the supplied stainless steel button head hardware. For those who want more substantial armor protection, the DeFender™ Full Length Side Plates extend from the fender flare rearward to the door opening, and from the top of the Rocker Knockers™ up to the hood line. These Full Length Side Plates also provide extra bracing for the DeFender™ against frontal impacts, helping to prevent buckling of the weaker, stock tub sheetmetal just rearward of the armored fender. DeFender™ Full Length Side Plates are CNC laser cut from 3/16" 6061-T6 aluminum plate. Bolt holes are countersunk so that the supplied flat head stainless steel hardware lies flush with the plate's surface. The forward edge is cut to fit the enlarged wheel opening of Poison Spyder DeFenders™, while the lower edge is is cut to nest against Poison Spyder Rocker Knockers™ or Ricochet Rockers™ (NOTE: the angle of the forward edge of the Full Length Side Plates may not precisely align with the forward edge of older versions of Rocker Knockers™ and Ricochet Rockers™—newer, DeFender™-specific Rocker Knockers™ or Ricochet Rockers™ are designed to match the angle of this forward edge more closely). DeFender™ Side Inserts and DeFender™ Full Length Side Plates are sold separately (must be added to your cart as a separate item), so you may choose which one best matches your needs (select one or the other, but not both).

Accepts Hi Intensity LED Marker Lamps
Replacing your Jeep's factory fenders also removes the factory side marker light formerly mounted in the fender flare. DeFender™ are designed with provisions for mounting a smaller, more discreet but high intensity 3/4" LED Marker Lamp. These lamps are available separately through Poison Spyder Customs, and are DOT approved for automotive use. Note that these LED marker lamps may be wired to function as either a marker/running lamp or as a turn signal, but not as both.

TJ Battery Lift Bracket
All TJ/LJ versions of the DeFenders™ come with a custom bracket for lifting the stock battery tray higher, to provide the extra clearance necessary for the DeFender's™larger wheel opening. This bracket is CNC laser cut brake-formed and fixture-welded for an easy, clean installation.

Customer Builds, Photos, Installs
For more information, photos, and installation tips from Poison Spyder customers who have already installed DeFenders™ on their Jeeps, please check out the following "Build Threads" from several popular Jeep enthusiast forums:

• Poison Spyder Build TJ by John Grounds, "Driver831" on JeepForum.com

• Poison Spyder Build TJ by John Grounds, "Driver831" on WranglerForum.com

• DeFender install pictures (lots) by Anthony Fox, "TreeClimber1" on WranglerForum.com

• Poison Spyder goes to KOH with DJ!! by DJ Harmon, "DJ404564X4" on Pirate4x4.com

• Poison Spyder DeFenders by Shawn Ceeko, "UCTJ" on JeepForum.com

• Savvy/Currie/SFR KOH Stock Class Jeep by Dallas Ashley, "StinkBug" on Pirate4x4.com

• Poison Spyder DeFender Installation by Lou Misenhamer, "Louie4" on JeepForum.com

This product ships as bare steel—it will need to be painted or powder coated prior to final installation. We do not offer a powder coat option for this item.

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
Fabricated entirely from 3/16" plate	The Defender™ is the next evolutionary step beyond "tube fenders". CNC laser cutting and precision brake-forming yield a stronger, more functional, better-looking design than the tired, out-dated tube fender.
Beefy 3/16" plate in the most vulnerable "rub" points	Old school tube fenders are constructed with tubing at the outermost edge, where the fender meets the rocks in hard-core wheeling. While PSC's former Tube Fenders were made of DOM tubing, most are made with weaker HREW tubing—and all are only .120" wall thickness, or just under 1/8". Like the entire assembly, the outer edges of the DeFender™ are made of 3/16" (.188") thick material, providing a much stronger defense against rocks and trail hazards.
"Return" on underside of fender in wheel opening	Only one competitor manufactures a fender that's anything like the Defender™—fabricated entirely of plate with no tubing—but their design leaves a vertical edge of the metal pointed downward, right at the tire. The Defender™ has an extra "return", or lip along the underside of the fender, which provides better protection from cutting into a fully stuffed tire, while also lending extra strength to the outer edge of the fender, where it is most likely to come in contact with rocks, canyon walls, trees, etc.
Increased tire clearance	Even on the non-highline version, the Defender™ provides a much larger wheel opening than stock or most competitors' tube fenders. The back of the wheel opening, where larger tires tend to rub when the steering is at full-lock, is 3" further back compared to typical tube fenders.
Easy access for installation	Access holes in the side of the Defender™ make it easy to access the area between the wheel well and the firewall during installation. After installation, these holes are filled with the bolt-in fill plates or covered with the optional Side Armor plates.
Optional Side Armor	The optional Side Armor pieces bolt to the back cover of the Defender™ and extend rearward to the door opening, across the body seam between the fender and the firewall. As they are designed to fit snugly with Poison Spyder's Rocker Knockers™, they extend body armor protection up the side of the Jeep. They also help to distribute the shock loads that may accur from frontal impacts to the Defender™, which might otherwise buckle the tub sheetmetal.
"Negative Flare" version	For extreme clearance on hard core rock crawlers, the Defender&trde; is available with a "negative flare", meaning that it extends from the Jeep's body less than the stock fender. The outer edge of the Negative Flare version tapers inward, staying within just a few inches of the hood line.
Fully integrated Standard or Full Width Flares	Rather than a separate, bolt-on piece that cost hundreds of dollars more, Defenders™ are available with fully integrated flares of either "standard width" (3") or "full width" (6"). These aren't just an added-on piece—each Defender™ is built from the ground up as a seamless, one-piece fender with integrated flare.
Able to re-use OE inner fenders	Why deal with the cost or hassle of replacing your existing inner fenders? Defenders™ are designed to work with your Jeep's OE inner fenders, saving cost as well as the hassle of removal/installation/relocation of all of your under-hood gear.
Optional DeFender Inner Fenders	For those who prefer a complete, bolt-in installation without having to cut and retain the stock inner fenders, the DeFender Inner Fender Kit provides a clean, functional inner fender addition to the DeFenders.
Steel or Aluminum	Defenders are available in either heavy duty steel or light weight aluminum (both 3/16" thick). We recommend steel for those Jeeps whose fenders are frequently in contact with the rocks. For those needing a great looking, light weight fender that strong but not as hard core as the steel ones, aluminum is a great alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Got a question about this product? We've tried to cover the most frequently asked ones below. You may also want to check our Master FAQ Page for more general questions about Poison Spyder, our products, ordering and shipping. 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: Can I order it powder coated?

A: At this time we are not offering powder coat for this product. If we are able to devise suitable packaging which will adequately protect the powder coat finish during transit, we may add a powder coat option in the future.

Q: How do I choose between steel and aluminum?

A: It depends on how you use your Jeep, what kind of wheeling you do, and which product you're considering. For armor used on Jeeps that get wheeled hard in extreme rock terrain, we prefer steel because it is simply more durable, less susceptible to bending or gouging, and will distribute impact loads over wider areas better. But the trade-off is that steel is of course heavier. There are some who prefer a lighter rig even in hard core terrain, opting to use aluminum but accepting the greater risk of damage in order to gain the performance of a lighter rig. For these folks, if their driving style is more finessed and patient, aluminum might be the better choice. For vehicles being used primarily on the street, and light trail duty, the aluminum products might be the better choice solely for the weight savings.