Highline Fender Flares · Install Video · JL Wrangler · JT Gladiator ·

JL/JT Front Inner Fender Liner Install Guide

Jeep Wrangler JL & Gladiator JT

If you’ve ever pulled your factory front fenders off your JL or JT, you already know: the wheel well suddenly looks wide open, messy, and a little too exposed. Our Next Venture Front Inner Fender Liners clean that up, add structure back into the front of the Jeep, and make future service easier with quarter-turn fasteners.

We just filmed a full install video with Tyler and Jacob walking through the process on a modified JL. This post will highlight what’s in the video and what to expect when you install your own JL/JT inners.

🎥 Watch the Install Video:

One Install, Two Versions: Standard & Rock Krawler Coilover Clearance

In the video, we briefly show both versions of our JL/JT front inner fender liners:

  • ✅ Standard JL/JT Front Inner Fenders

  • ✅ JL/JT Front Inner Fenders with Rock Krawler Coilover Clearance

The important part:

The installation process is the same for both.

The coilover-clearance version simply has additional room built in around the Rock Krawler front coilover mounts, so if you’re running that suspension setup, you’ll have the clearance you need without hacking up your inners.

If you’re on standard shocks or a different coilover setup, the standard inner fender liners are usually the right choice.

Designed to Work With or Without Our Front Fenders

You can run these in two main configurations:

  • 🛞 Inners Only – If you’re keeping your existing outer fenders but want a clean, rigid inner structure.

  • 🛠 Next Venture Fenders + Inners – Our inner fenders are designed to pair perfectly with our front fenders / highline flares.

To make sure hole locations line up, we include bracket jigs in the box:

  • If you’re installing inners only, use the inner fender jig that keys off the factory steel mount to show you exactly where to drill.

  • If you’re installing Next Venture fenders and inners together, use the fender bracket/jig that lines up with the fender mounting holes.

Either way, you’re not guessing where the holes go.

Tools & Prep

Here’s a general idea of what you’ll want on hand before you start:

  • Basic hand tools (sockets, ratchets, wrenches)

  • Drill and drill bits for mounting holes

  • Nutsert / rivnut tool for installing rivnuts

  • Floor jack and jack stands if you want more room to swing tools

  • Marker or paint pen to mark hole locations

The Jeep in the video is already heavily modified, so you’ll see a couple of non-factory details, but the overall process and mounting points are the same on a normal JL/JT.

Step-by-Step Install Overview

This is not a full written replacement for the video, but here’s the high-level overview of what Tyler and Jacob walk through.

1. Start With the Fenders Off

The install is shown with the outer fenders already removed. This gives you:

  • Easy access to the factory mounting holes

  • A clear view of the body panel and frame rail area

  • Room to work with your brackets and jig

2. Install the Main Bracket at the Front

You’ll start with the front fender bracket:

  • The bracket lines up with existing factory holes in the body.

  • On most rigs, you’ll use the top and bottom holes with 1/4-20 hardware and rivnuts where needed.

  • On the Jeep in the video, one factory tab had been cut off, so they use a slightly different combination of holes – your Jeep will likely be simpler and cleaner.

This aluminum bracket includes Zeus spring mounts on the inside. Those accept the quarter-turn fasteners that hold the inner fender in place.

3. Add the Rear Brace

Next up is the rear brace:

  • It typically uses an existing nutsert or factory mounting point.

  • Depending on your Jeep, you might add an extra bolt or rivnut if a factory tab is missing or previously modified.

  • This brace helps support the back of the inner fender and ties back into the structure of the Jeep.

4. Install the Small Front Mount (DS / PA Etched Pieces)

Before you bolt the inner fender itself into place, you’ll add the small front mount:

  • Each small bracket is etched:

    • _DS = Driver Side

    • _PA = Passenger Side

  • Zeus that small mount into the inner fender temporarily so you can mark the hole location once the inner is in place.

With the front, rear, and top mounting points dialed in, the inner fender can go up and be test-fitted.

5. Test Fit the Inner Fender & Mark the Final Hole

With most of the Zeus springs already in place:

  • Bolt the inner fender up using the existing Zeus locations.

  • Where that small front mount lands against the body, mark the hole location.

  • Remove the inner, drill that final hole, install a nutsert, and now all your Zeus points are ready to go.

On the passenger side, the bracket looks a little different and the body can shift slightly when you pull factory hardware:

  • Sometimes you’ll need to push the body panel back into position to line everything up—this is normal and just a side effect of how much rigidity those brackets add when everything is bolted together.

  • Tighten the top and rear bracket bolts before reinstalling the outer fender so you’re not trying to reach hidden hardware later.

6. Button Everything Up with Zeus Fasteners

Once the holes are drilled and nutserts are installed:

  • Reinstall the inner fenders and secure them with the quarter-turn Zeus fasteners.

  • The result is a rigid, rattle-free install that can be quickly removed later for coilover/shock service, wiring work, or engine bay access.

This is one of the big reasons we use Zeus hardware: you get race-style serviceability on a trail or garage Jeep.

Why Run Next Venture JL/JT Inner Fenders?

A few of the benefits you’ll see after the install:

  • 🧽 Cleaner engine bay & wheel wells – No more staring at open sheet metal and wiring when you look in the wheel opening.

  • 🧱 Added rigidity – The brackets and inners tie back into the body, which can help stiffen things up after removing the factory plastics.

  • 🛠 Service-friendly – Quarter-turn Zeus fasteners make it easy to remove and reinstall the inners when you need access.

  • 🪓 Options for serious builds – If you’re running Rock Krawler front coilovers, there’s a specific version built for that clearance without compromising strength.

And like everything we build, they’re designed, cut, formed, and welded in-house in the USA.

Ready to Install Yours?

If you’re ready to clean up the front wheel wells on your JL or JT and make room for your current (or future) suspension setup, you can find the parts here:

Have questions about which version you need, or how these will work with your specific build?
Reach out to us, or drop a comment on the install video—we’re happy to help you get dialed in before you hit the next trail.

 

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