Viper Cut: After the Cut - No Ragerts?

I did the Viper cut years ago, and honestly forgot about it. I don't hate it, it's not the best mod I've done, but I think more than anything it motivated me to get a high-clearance bumper. that's the next thing to do. But I think once you cut it. you probably won't ever look at it and think "Man I Hate that!!" But you will look at it sometimes and go. "meh" but it most likely won't bother you that you did it—just my two Cents.

 

Here was mine with the cut. I just felt it didn't look as clean as I was hoping.






No regrets moving to a full bumper.

 

Depends on how bad you need the clearance and what your budget is. I agree full bumper looks better, but I don't think the viper cut looks bad at all.

I watched a YouTube video a while back where it was taped off and a hole saw was used to get the first plunge cut. Then it was finished with a saw and dremel to clean it up. Amazon sells the rubber edge trim.

It's kind of like the CMC and pinch weld mod. Either you do it or you're not running big tires. My trucks a 2017 with 69k miles. 9 years old. I don't worry about resale values ect anymore.

 

Not a single person have ever regretted getting the @drtfabrication crossmember delete bumper!

 

I did a conservative cut using a 4"-hole saw (left a nice radius) and 2" & 1.5" tape to set the lines up from the natural creases. I was like you, hesitant. What I did do was to leave all the attachment points of the bumper/fender well alone. I usually don't like doing things for aesthetics, this was different because I knew I would be removing much more in the future when I fabricated a winch mount and couldn't do wrong. I actually liked the cut as it was, but it is now long gone with most of the front end gone too. Not long after doing the cut I had a friend over who likes to see what I mod next and he could not even see what I did.

 

45k or 80k, American or Mexican, they all squeal the same when you cut them.

 

Purely aesthetic and entierely subjective unless any aftermarket front end parts require it. I think it makes the truck look better. Did mine years ago. Easy. No Regrets (or ragrets). Do it.

 

The problem with the viper cut is that it completely mauls up your fender liners and flares and makes the finished product look like an afterthought from behind.

Sure the front looks sick. But I've yet to see anyone who has done it and it made me go "wow that actually looks good from the rear". It's always just the liner folded up, tucked and tied with zip ties, inner bumper exposed, just cheap looking.

Someone should come out with a liner specifically for the cut, then id be willing to do it!

 

I went with the Blue Steel cut.

Kidding, I went straight to a high-clearance bumper that I call Blue Steel.

 

Was thinking about that - a drop in liner, but everyone cuts at a different point. Makes it hard.
I was thinking about fabing a rubber piece to bridge the gap.

 

It seems if you unscrew the fender liner as much as you can, then cut the bumper, THEN trim the fender liner so it lands flush with the new cut it should be looking a bit better. You could secure it with some tiny screws that sit under the edge trim maybe. They make edge trim that is pretty wide vs. the stuff I see people using.

Another option would be C4 high clearance fender liners. Expensive, but clean looking and chances are you are doing the viper cut because you have oversized tires anyway.

I already have the C4 lopro front bumper so doesnt make sense to get a full high clearance. Viper cut it is for me.....I will let you know how it goes.