Active Air Dam removal

[Dewey]

Last night while doing 60 mph I hit a dang raccoon crossing the road. Just noticed my active air dam is broke off on one side.


So I have 2 options. Fix it or remove it. I’m leaning towards removing it since I doubt it does anything to help gas mileage. My only question is do I need to remove the entire unit or just the plastic dam piece. If i remove everything will it throw any codes?

 

[HSKR R/T]

Last night while doing 60 mph I hit a dang raccoon crossing the road. Just noticed my active air dam is broke off on one side.

View attachment 158664
So I have 2 options. Fix it or remove it. I’m leaning towards removing it since I doubt it does anything to help gas mileage. My only question is do I need to remove the entire unit or just the plastic dam piece. If i remove everything will it throw any codes?

You can remove just the plastic dam itself and leave motor connected. Truck won't know any different. If you do remove the whole thing, cover the connector to keep it from getting wet and shorting contacts.

 

[Dewey]

I removed the entire unit and taped up the electrical connector very well to keep out moisture then zip tied everything up in a fairly dry spot. Drove for 50 miles and so far no codes.

Looks like the entire unit is about $350-$400. Can’t just buy individual parts. Not gonna bother repacing it because I think it’s just a bogus add on that does nothing. Any issues and I’m just gonna cut the shaft, mount only the motor end and plug it in. Done deal.

 

[Choate]

You won’t get any codes. I removed mine over a year ago

 

[jl13]

Several months with mine off. No codes.
There have been a few that get codes.

 

[mikeru82]

I removed ours almost 3 years ago and we've never seen a code. Seems like the majority of people who claim to have seen codes after removing them have '22 or newer trucks. Try unplugging it and drive it for a couple weeks. If you get a code then keep the motor plugged in. If not feel free to remove the whole thing. It's easy enough to reinstall the thing if you get a code later.

 

[HSKR R/T]

I removed ours almost 3 years ago and we've never seen a code. Seems like the majority of people who claim to have seen codes after removing them have '22 or newer trucks. Try unplugging it and drive it for a couple weeks. If you get a code then keep the motor plugged in. If not feel free to remove the whole thing. It's easy enough to reinstall the thing if you get a code later.

Unless you are ike me and cut off the mounts for it.

 

[mikeru82]

Unless you are ike me and cut off the mounts for it.

Haha...true. I left the mounts intact for if/when we trade the truck in. I generally try to put vehicles back as close to stock as I can when trading vehicles in.

 

[Alejandro_Andretti]

Anybody that took it off replace it with a skid plate of any kind and if not has anything ever shot up into th engine. Especially when 4 wheeling or on dirt roads

 

[mikeru82]

I was toying with the idea of making a debris shield of some sort when I first removed the air dams, but eventually that kind of went to the back burner. Our truck pretty much sticks to the pavement other than an occasional gravel road. It's still on my list, but for now I have other projects to work on.

 

[jl13]

Anybody that took it off replace it with a skid plate of any kind and if not has anything ever shot up into th engine. Especially when 4 wheeling or on dirt roads

There isn't anything out there for our truck with stock bumber or maybe even with after market bumpers. You gotta get something custom made. I wanted a debris shield and used this. Not perfect and still leaves an empty space, about 4-5 inches

 

[HSKR R/T]

There isn't anything out there for our truck with stock bumber or maybe even with after market bumpers. You gotta get something custom made. I wanted a debris shield and used this. Not perfect and still leaves an empty space, about 4-5 inches

There are a couple aftermarket bumpers that offer the skid plates as an option. I think Rough Country does.

 

[Alejandro_Andretti]

There isn't anything out there for our truck with stock bumber or maybe even with after market bumpers. You gotta get something custom made. I wanted a debris shield and used this. Not perfect and still leaves an empty space, about 4-5 inches

Do you have a link to this

 

[theblet]

Do you have a link to this

Yes please. Where did you get it?

 

[mikeru82]

I think I found it...

Torxe™ DRAM40-SKID - X3 Series Black Front Skid Plate

X3 Series Black Front Skid Plate - Part Number DRAM40-SKID (DRAM40SKID) by Torxe™. Available in Exterior Department at www.carid.com

www.carid.com

Edit: Weird that the link I attached says "security check". For those who don't want to click the link, I found this part on the carid website. Their part number for this is mpn4934188233.

 

[jl13]

There are a couple aftermarket bumpers that offer the skid plates as an option. I think Rough Country does

I have seen some options but didn't fully check them in detail to see if the skid plates covers completely cause they are too expensive for my taste right now

 

[jl13]

I think I found it...

Torxe™ DRAM40-SKID - X3 Series Black Front Skid Plate

X3 Series Black Front Skid Plate - Part Number DRAM40-SKID (DRAM40SKID) by Torxe™. Available in Exterior Department at www.carid.com

www.carid.com

Edit: Weird that the link I attached says "security check". For those who don't want to click the link, I found this part on the carid website. Their part number for this is mpn4934188233.

confirm, that is the one. Wow I got lucky with the free shipping back in January. Didn't do anything with it until 2 weekends ago.
At $142 tax included It felt like a good option to mess around with, back then I tried to figure out how much it would cost to make one from a sheet of steel, some angle or L brackets, paint, etc and i was coming up around $100
This is a true skid plate, heavy, can't confirm what gauge but its thick
So from the pictures you see what I did to modified it. My skills are very basic so its easy to make it work. Tools used, grinder and drill. And maybe a couple of longer bolts.
I cut some of it on the sides, maybe a little too much - it gave me some room incase I need to adjust or remove the hidden under the lower grill light bar that I have
it mounts to the where the electronic air dam used to mount but I had to drill 2 new holes on the plate itself
I drilled 2 holes to the bumper and it currently seats inside of it for better support with the help of a piece of metal square tubing which might not be necessary but I had it handy and seem like it help the plate seat better and flush against the inside bumper lip - I might bring the plate from inside the bumper to out down the road.
I found this pic - with its matching bumper it should look similar to it but as you can see, it would still not cover the engine entirely and in fact it might leave a bigger space uncover - since it only goes as far as where the electronic air dam mounts to

 

[Bobbybob]

I have had mine off for two years now...use my truck on and off-road and have not had any issues with things flying up in there. I too went down the path of trying to figure out how to add something to the stock bumper, not so much as a true skid plate but more to keep things out on the highway. Forgot about it honestly...maybe one day, I get a better off-road bumper and add a plate. But just wanted to add that I have had 0 issues to date.

 

[frisby5]

There isn't anything out there for our truck with stock bumber or maybe even with after market bumpers. You gotta get something custom made. I wanted a debris shield and used this. Not perfect and still leaves an empty space, about 4-5 inches

Did you have to remove the Stationary air dam besides the active one to make it work?

 

[jl13]

Did you have to remove the Stationary air dam besides the active one to make it work?

I removed the stationary air dam a while back but let me take a look at my truck later today and will advise if the stationary air dam would get in the way