fender trimming.

[Boggin]

for those of you who've done it, what do you use? does it take long? is it a big process? do you recommend it? I was wondering of doing it so after a 4" suspension lift and my current 3" body lift i was thinking about fender trimming for some 35's....my truck is 2wd also so its about 2"-3" lower than a 4wd.. thanks..

 

[dusto2]

you would have to cut those fenders open alot and depending on width flare the bed too, not hard though depending on what tools you have available to you, my pref is my snapy body saw cuts though sheet metal like butter

 

[Tony Raine]

cut with a jigsaw, fold a new lip with pliers, and tap it even with a hammer

installed

you can even add some cheap spray-on bedliner (i recommend roll-on)

 

[rickcdewitt]

x2 on folding a new lip.it will stiffen up the body again and keep you from cutting yourself on it

 

[Boggin]

awesome man thanks alot....and yes if your wondering...i will probably have 8.8 with 4.10s or 4.56s......but im not sure if i would actually do 35s....is there a 34" tire made?
thanks for the pics and everything


edit...
Tony how much lift and what size tires are on your truck? thanks

 

[Tony Raine]

super swamper makes a 34x10.5

in that pic, its 4" suspension lift, 3" body lift, and 33x12.5 bias ply super swampers on 15x10 rims with 4" backspacing. since that pic i have taken out the body lift.



oh yeah, when you start folding the new fender lip, make "relief" cuts inward at these 3 points so the fender doesn't warp

 

[Boggin]

awesome thanks alot man i think i may do this...

but now youve got 33"ers with 4"??

 

[Boggin]

also man if it isnt too much trouble could i see some more pics of the lip you folded? thanks alot man

 

[crbnunit]

Use a nibbler. It leaves a nice, smooth, burr-free edge and is supper-fast. I would think twice about the lip. I put one on the front when I cut but left the back lip-free. I have found I can "rub" things like trees and rocks now without doing any damage. The fender just flexes, then pops back to its original shape. The front would deform and stay that way.

 

[Tony Raine]

yup, 33's with 4" lift. i'll just trim the fenders (the rear is next) and adjust my bumpstops until the tires don't hit.

trimmed inner fenders and
#4 bolted it back for a little more clearance
#5 cut out this chunk that gets in the way of the new fender lip

filled in the gap from cutting down the inner fenders with lawn edge trimming

another shot before modifying inner fenders

just a pic to show the lines i used

and here's how it sits now without the body lift. still high enough to mow under, haha

 

[mhughes165]

i thought i was the only one to ever use grabber m/t's lol

 

[lil red]

now mike, is that the truck with the cover on it? with the 302 in the bed?

o and im probably gonna be cutting too pretty soon

 

[Boggin]

thanks for the pics man

 

[rickcdewitt]

I would think twice about the lip. I put one on the front when I cut but left the back lip-free. I have found I can "rub" things like trees and rocks now without doing any damage. The fender just flexes, then pops back to its original shape. The front would deform and stay that way.

i would agree but from my experience you dent the top of the fender and bed more than down by the opening.if you have tires that stick out much its very hard to rub the wheel opening on anything.and if it stays bent you just reach in there and pull it back out.good trade off to me i hate body panels that oil can and cut you(even cut by a nibbler).

 

[crbnunit]

i would agree but from my experience you dent the top of the fender and bed more than down by the opening.if you have tires that stick out much its very hard to rub the wheel opening on anything.and if it stays bent you just reach in there and pull it back out.good trade off to me i hate body panels that oil can and cut you(even cut by a nibbler).

It is about to be a non-issue as I'm going to full width axles. "Rubbing" will be a lot less likely now. I have to disagree about the edge left by the nibbler though. You are much more likely to get bitten by your folded over edge than anything left by the nibbler. Be careful how you clean up after the job though because that little beast leaves thousands of crescent moon shaped cuts of metal all over the floor! You definitely don't want to track them into the house!!!