Trimming front sway bar cover

[Sam Solo]

Hey folks,
I'm getting ready to trim my front sway bar cover due to winch install with a Rough Country flat mounting plate. I've heard about this being done but haven't actually ever seen it. Has anybody done this and do you have pics of the finished product? The instructions for the plate show you where you need to cut but I would like to see some real world pictures before I chop mine up. I just finished putting the plate and winch on only to find out that I have to take the winch back off to do this.
I understand a lot of people just leave it off but I'm not crazy about doing that.

 

[MountaineerTom]

Not sure. I removed mine. I have a raised winch plate, but if I was to trim the cover there would be very little of it left to even reinstall.

 

[Jamison C]

I trimmed mine with a Dremel and a cutting wheel. I’ll shoot a couple pictures later.

 

[Sam Solo]

Thats how I'm planning to trim mine but was concerned about the wheel gumming up. Glad to hear that will work.

 

[Jamison C]

Thats how I'm planning to trim mine but was concerned about the wheel gumming up. Glad to hear that will work.

I just used the little metal cutting wheel and it didn’t gum up at all. Made quick work of the cover.

As @MountaineerTom said there isn’t much left of the cover, but it looks better IMO than the exposed sway bar.

You can’t really see it but I didn’t have to cut into the Jeep logo at all.

 

[Sam Solo]

O.K. So once trimmed, it fits OVER the back of the plate. I was thinking it would tuck underneath and couldn't figure out why I had to cut the squares out on either side of the logo. You pretty much trimmed it exactly how the instructions told you too! Go figure.
Anything you would do differently if you had to do it again?

 

[Jamison C]

O.K. So once trimmed, it fits OVER the back of the plate. I was thinking it would tuck underneath and couldn't figure out why I had to cut the squares out on either side of the logo. You pretty much trimmed it exactly how the instructions told you too! Go figure.
Anything you would do differently if you had to do it again?

Wait you had instructions?? Yeah there would be no room behind, it’s flexible enough to fit over and you wanna be able to retain both mounting points on each side.

And no, I’m happy with how it turned out! Those covers are everywhere on eBay and such so if you mess one up it wouldn’t be hard to find another.

 

[Sam Solo]

Haha! Yes Padawan! Instructions I have, informative not really. Experience I seek!
Seeing that you did yours without instructions, you should feel pretty good when you see the picture of instructions.

Nice work!
It will be a few weekends before I can take the winch back off to do this but at least I have more info. Thanks!