Review on 🚙 Rugged Ridge 11210.17 Jeep Wrangler JK Hood Catch Kit - Textured Black (07-18) by Minas Chase

First of all I have to say about Rugged Ridge's quality control that it's not very good. The first set of bars I received was removed. They came from the factory with a cross thread, and the aluminum holes were completely ground out on one tab and slightly torn off on the other. I was a little suspicious of their exchange as I figured I could just get another set that was slimmed down. I took a chance and the replacement kit was fully functional. I'm rating it under a 4 because of this issue. Another reason they are stained is because of the cosmetics, they look nice but for me personally I'd prefer them to be all black - you can't put too much black on have a jeep . to me. On the plus side, installation is easy, although the bottom section mounting screw is a bit tricky to get to, otherwise very easy if you have minimal mechanical skills and a few hand tools. Once installed, they definitely stop slamming the hood. I was surprised that they actually affected handling at speeds over 60mph. On the freeway, especially in strong winds, I did feel a strong gust of wind (I know jeeps are just a big box with wheels), but these latches seem to have reduced it noticeably. I assume the wind doesn't catch the hood and that relieves the pressure on the front end that I felt with the stock rubber latches. So I'd say that this is more than just a cosmetic update, they also help get around at highway speeds to an extent.