Rugged Ridge Hood Catch Kit for Jeep Wrangler JK/JKU | Aluminum, Black | 11210.11 | Fits 2007-2018 Jeep Wrangler JK

These really are excellent hood latches, and are far superior to the stock Jeep latches. There is a noticeable decrease in hood chatter, and provide a much more rugged appearance. I've put them on both of my Rubicon's and love them. The stock plastic Jeep latches also turn grey with time, so these aluminum ones solve that issue as well.The install isn't hard, but can be fiddly, and will take about 30-45 min for an average DIY'er. I wasn't able to install the lower latch portion without taking off the front grill of the Wrangler, though, I've read others say they haven't needed to do so. (Though I can't imagine how) The grill is extremely easy to remove, so don't struggle to work around it.The Rugged Ridge instructions don't cover how to do that, so here it is in a nutshell.The grill is held on with just six snap locks on the top and several push clips on the bottom. A small screw driver will pop the top ones out easily - be gentle. The lower part of the grill is just held in with snap clips, and just pulls off with a little pressure. Remember to protect the grill from the two front tow hooks with towels to prevent scratching the grill. Start on one lower side, and with a little pull at the base of the grill, it will pop out. Then unclip the two turn signals, (optional) and you will have much better access to the lower hood latch bolt(s) — it's still a tight fit though. You don't have to remove the light connections if you don't want, just lean the grill down and out of the way.You can continue to follow the instructions, and then reinstall the grill by reversing the order above. It just snaps in.Hope this helps someone out. I would recommend them for not only appearance but superior function. I do wish they were made in the US instead of overseas.****** Update ******After having both latches for a while, there is something I've noticed. The silver version developed significant water spots that are not nice, and couldn't be removed. It's important to understand, the silver finish is paint (like a powder coat) not an unfinished aluminum.I personally would not buy the silver ones again because of the way they look after a short time. In the end, I traded in the older black Wrangler (with the silver latches) due to mileage, mechanical issues, etc. and bought a new black one.This time though, went with the black latches. Looks great, and no spotting problems like the silver latches.

It's amazing how much better quality these are than the cheaply made and poorly functioning OEM latches that came with my Jeep JK Rubicon Unlimited. Install took me 50 minutes and that's mainly because I was working slowly to make sure I was doing it correctly. They look so much better and the hood flutter on the highway is gone.I read plenty of reviews on here that said you should remove the front grill to access the lower passenger side nut. That is NOT necessary at all! With one hand, simply pass a ratchet with a 13mm socket up from the bottom of the fender up towards your other hand where nut is located (make sure the ratchet handle is facing upwards). Fit the socket over the nut to work it free with the ratchet and then remove it with your fingers. So easy!No extenders or anything else is necessary. For the top, all you need is a 10mm socket/ratchet and a 4mm Allen wrench. For the bottom, all you need is a 13mm socket/ratchet and 2 4mm Allen wrenches. I used a crescent wrench to tighten the nuts on the lower assembly once everything was latched.

Looks and feels well made. Easy to install. Overall happy with this product.

These lock down the hood of your jeep tight and will not fade or weaken due to weather. Easy install in less than 20 minutes and are adjustable. Recommend these.

I'd give this 5 stars if it wasn't for the plastic safety catch that broke on one. I contacted the company by email to see if I could get it replaced...and possibly buy a couple of spares. Even without the safety catch, it's sturdier than the original Jeep latch. I read some reviews about installation not being easy, but I had no trouble. Half hour and both sides were done. 3/8" drive ratchet with a 13mm socket for the lower. It was a tight fit getting to that lower, but not impossible with a little finesse. A 1" extension would also help, but I don't have one and still had no issue. 10mm for the top is very simple. Adjustment was easy to get a good tight fit. Highly recommend...looks good, holds tight, and instructions were easy to follow.

Installed these on a 2015 JKU in under an hour, including getting the right tools organized and removing/re-installing the front grill.The installation was a little tricky, but not bad at all. I highly recommend that you remove the front grill, this takes only about 5 minutes and is very easy after removing the retainer clips. Upon grill removal it provides access to the left and right body mounted latch from the front. I was able to use two 6 inch extensions with a swivel end to reach the nut on the bottom latch. Once loose, just use your fingers to remove the nut. Putting on the new latch is much easier then the removal of the old. Put the washer on with your fingers, holding it in place, put the new nut in the end of the socket and hold it against the bolt. Use your allen wrench to tighten. The upper latches are exposed and straight forward.Overall, these are a very nice upgrade in looks and functionality. These latches are beefy and larger then the stock. I did not have the hood flutter that everyone else has described with the old latches, so I was going more for the looks. Very pleased!