Grabar install measuring

I would stop measuring and start worrying about hitting my head on a protruding object. Get some fabric grab handles that work pretty much the same and aren’t a safety hazard

I have Grab Bars and haven't hit my head once. If there was someone who would hit their head it would be me. I also have the fabric ones for squaring my hulk up on the seat. There is no frigging comparison. Safety Hazard?
 
I have both and the Grab Bars are the ones I use to climb in and out of the Jeep. Falling on your ass is unsafe as you try to climb in and out of your Jeep without a sturdy hand hold. Haven't hid my head yet and I'm as graceful as a bull elephant in a storage shed.

View attachment 120514

I bought both types, too. The bars for me and my wife up front, and the paracord type for the little monkeys to climb in back.
 
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Being a measure 1000x cut one kinda guy, these install instructions are a bit perplexing. I’ve ready on other forums to measure over 2.25 instead of 2.75, but not sure where I should start that measurement from? Anyone install a set of these on an 04-06? The top measurement is the easy one.

View attachment 44577


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Or trade you Jeep in for an older one and not have to worry about the trim pieces at all.....See problem solved. ;)
 
Not sure if this will help, but I went out and took a couple of other measurements, in black below...
View attachment 52371
I did this last night. For my 2005 TJ, the hole needed to be further down and to the right than shown on this above picture. I started it in about the same location and expanded it with the dremel until it fit. Fortunately with the grommet it still looks alright but it remains snug in the bottom right corner.

1571690037552.jpeg
 
I did this last night. For my 2005 TJ, the hole needed to be further down and to the right than shown on this above picture. I started it in about the same location and expanded it with the dremel until it fit. Fortunately with the grommet it still looks alright but it remains snug in the bottom right corner.

View attachment 121044
Did this today and 100% agree w khakitj. I did the passenger side first, took a few vague measurement based on this thread then made the hole. I also had to dremel sand the hole bigger toward the door side. So for the driver side I aimed closer to the door and got it perfect. Just kinda eyeballed it based on the pictures here and got it.

EE9F3849-1F6D-4EF0-B4A0-B7BD281FAB39.jpeg


6E7B2639-B172-47A7-8CD9-F61F4A9DA17B.jpeg
 
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Did this today and 100% agree w khakitj. I did the passenger side first, took a few vague measurement based on this thread then made the hole. I also had to dremel sand the hole bigger toward the door side. So for the driver side I aimed closer to the door and got it perfect. Just kinda eyeballed it based on the pictures here and got it.

View attachment 121047

View attachment 121048
I think what threw me off was how much of the hole was on the curve. I’m used to drilling holes into flat surfaces and it feels wrong to make contact with one side earlier.

looking at it from above, you don’t see the curve as much, but from the side it looks like this.

1571696522173.jpeg


Note that this pic was taken while it was still in progress, I still needed another round of cutting further into that curve on the bottom.
 
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Ok tonight I did the driver’s side. Perfect cut on first attempt.

1571725698356.jpeg


See what I mean about cutting into the curve?

1571725769380.jpeg


Here it is installed:

1571725867898.jpeg


not bad, but here it is with the grommet:

1571725972292.jpeg


Going back over to the passenger side, even though I messed up the hole, it looks just fine with the grommet:

1571726101627.jpeg


Now here’s something cool that you can’t do with the soft grab handles - I was able to attach the RAM mount cell phone holder I had left over from an old motorcycle I had sold a few years ago.

1571726338553.jpeg


1571726397859.jpeg
 
Looks great , do you have your measurements ? I just ordered the grabars.

The problem is deciding where to measure from. With all the curved surfaces, I was having flashbacks to non-euclidean geometry.

1571901845727.png



I used the post by glwood above as a starting point, mainly the 5/8" shown, but even that is confusing because the edge it is measuring against is curved. So do you start with the part on top where it is flat, which is kind of like what the image shows? Or do you hold a tape measure against the edge, which will touch on the bottom of the edge that is further out? I thought I had it right but ended up being way off on my first attempt.

Once I got the passenger side correct, I took a picture of it, then looked at in on my phone while sketching with a pencil on the driver's side, to try to get it right. If I had to do it again, I would use the same approach with the two pictures I posted of the driver's side. It should get you close enough, and if there is an error that needs corrected, the grommets can still make it look nice.

Also, the grommets don't have to be purchased from GraBar - they can be found in many places, here are some on ebay that I bought:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-...0001&campid=5337789113&icep_item=251520709145
 
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The problem is deciding where to measure from. With all the curved surfaces, I was having flashbacks to non-euclidean geometry.

View attachment 121479


I used the post by glwood above as a starting point, mainly the 5/8" shown, but even that is confusing because the edge it is measuring against is curved. So do you start with the part on top where it is flat, which is kind of like what the image shows? Or do you hold a tape measure against the edge, which will touch on the bottom of the edge that is further out? I thought I had it right but ended up being way off on my first attempt.

Once I got the passenger side correct, I took a picture of it, then looked at in on my phone while sketching with a pencil on the driver's side, to try to get it right. If I had to do it again, I would use the same approach with the two pictures I posted of the driver's side. It should get you close enough, and if there is an error that needs corrected, the grommets can still make it look nice.

Also, the grommets don't have to be purchased from GraBar - they can be found in many places, here are some on ebay that I bought:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-...0001&campid=5337789113&icep_item=251520709145

I will use your pics and give a shot Monday. I have the grommets on the way. Thanks
 
This site contains affiliate links for which Jeep Wrangler TJ Forum may be compensated.
Being a measure 1000x cut one kinda guy, these install instructions are a bit perplexing. I’ve ready on other forums to measure over 2.25 instead of 2.75, but not sure where I should start that measurement from? Anyone install a set of these on an 04-06? The top measurement is the easy one.

View attachment 44577


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
I measure and cut for a living , and I thought the same thing ...those things need to come with a cheap jig . Nobody wants to guess on cutting out of production interior trim.
 
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Ok tonight I did the driver’s side. Perfect cut on first attempt.

View attachment 121114

See what I mean about cutting into the curve?

View attachment 121115

Here it is installed:

View attachment 121116

not bad, but here it is with the grommet:

View attachment 121117

Going back over to the passenger side, even though I messed up the hole, it looks just fine with the grommet:

View attachment 121118

Now here’s something cool that you can’t do with the soft grab handles - I was able to attach the RAM mount cell phone holder I had left over from an old motorcycle I had sold a few years ago.

View attachment 121119

View attachment 121120
Very professional job.
 
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