Front Fender Well Mod

[Lauron]

Even though I have a 3" suspension and 3" body lift there are a few rubbing locations to be addressed. Fenders were trimmed and the body behind the front wheel has the foot well projection that will touch, so it had to go.

Stock picture and cut out shows the amount of extension removed. My son used a small MIG welder to fill in the flattened cut out. Welding is a two man job. The sealant catches fire so, one person needs to closely watch the inside and put out the fires.

I am trying to retain the wheel well liners. Still a few rubbing places to work through both front and rear.

[fishsticks]

I've considered tubbing the front firewall there as well, but the rubbing is so minor it didn't seem worth it. I'm actually running LESS overall lift than you are right now and still don't have a problem. I rub on the frame more than anything.

Were you rubbing badly there?

[Lauron]

Donny, before I got the WildPeak AT's, I mounted and tried these old Nitto 33's. I could see the 315" were going to touch.

Right now the liner, yes I still have them on , is rubbing just below this cutout section but I haven't fully flexed the suspension yet.

The liner is not snug to the fender wall. I plan to cut the bottom of the fender "T" section, fold it back and attach the liner to it. I did the same on the front so I think this will be the only rubbing point.

Ron

[HARDTRAILZ]

Thats where i need to trim as well.

I touch the frame but did not w the 15s so thinking about changing back to 3.5 inch backspacing and 8 inch wide wheels in dpting.

[JCrayton99]

List of things to do......

[Lauron]

Wheel size and offset was a time consuming debate I had. Wide tires extending far out side the fender of course makes the rubbing problem worse. This concern caused me to go for the 3" body and suspension lift.

My wheels are 8" wide with 18 mm offset ( ~ 3.8" backspacing) Availability of wheels and tires caused me to end up with the greater clearance on the UCA than I could have gotten away with. I did want to go tighter because of tire stick out. As it turned out, the 315's are not too far out to hopefully not have the police to stop me. We are allowed 2" out side.


So there still is a list: rubbing, protection, winch, survival .... the trails have to fit in there some where! Snow and the winter is coming

[jeffgutierrez]

Do you have any more pictures of your TB? My plan is to also go with Markmc's 3" suspension and 3" body lift.

[Lauron]

I am using stock springs all around. The spacer gives you the lift without have to go to the stiffer springs for added height. I have 2" of up travel on the front before I run into the topping out of the shock. This initial install of the spacer on the old shocks was a challenge and as you can read many had problems with the spacers ballooning. My conclusion is you have to make sure the shock stud is fully made up. We used a shop wall mount compressor. The strut length picture shows the lifted strut is a little longer because the shock end is inside the spacer. The spring is much more compressed.

With the 3" body lift, I did not have to cut the body panel to flip the UCA. But it leaves a big gap open to the engine. So I filled the gap with a plastic liner bolted in with the wheel well liner. You can see how big the gap is on the fender cut out pics.

On the front, the plastic bumper is a cut clean. On the back of the front fender, I trimmed and folded over leaving a 3/4" lip. Both started about 2" at the bottom.

At the rear, under compression, the tires will likely rub front inside. I haven't yet figures out how I will make some more room there.

I will be doing some more cutting on the front and the rear this weekend so these will come later.later.

[fishsticks]

At the rear, under compression, the tires will likely rub front inside. I haven't yet figures out how I will make some more room there.

Longer rear control arms. Two vendors on here sell them.

[navigator]

I almost think he meant the rear of the front fender well.

[HARDTRAILZ]

I almost think he meant the rear of the front fender well.

Nope.

I think fish's answer will help him.

[navigator]

you guys are right (as usual), I went back and re-read his post.

[Lauron]

I appologize for this thread covering way too many topics.

It is correct, I was referring to both the front and rear tire clearance/rubbing problems.

This pic shows the rear. No rubbing currently but with flex it will touch on the inside, front edge. This is the drivers side rear.

So yes longer control arms would help. I am hoping to not have to go there. We will see.

Thanks,
Ron

[fishsticks]

So yes longer control arms would help. I am hoping to not have to go there. We will see.

You will. I tried everything to get them not to rub there. I removed bolts, I cut, I begged and pleaded, I threatened.


If you're looking to go the cheap route, you could cut and sleeve your existing control arms (or buy a couple sets of stockers that I'm selling in the classified section). I was going to go that route originally until I snapped up a used set on here.

[Lauron]

Hey Donny, guess this is not what I wanted to hear but do appreciate your experience and effort to make it work. You are running the 35's, a little bigger than the 315's. Would this make enough of a difference?

Ron

[HARDTRAILZ]

Hey Donny, guess this is not what I wanted to hear but do appreciate your experience and effort to make it work. You are running the 35's, a little bigger than the 315's. Would this make enough of a difference?

Ron

My current 315s are about an inch taller than my previous 35s....

[fishsticks]

Hey Donny, guess this is not what I wanted to hear but do appreciate your experience and effort to make it work. You are running the 35's, a little bigger than the 315's. Would this make enough of a difference?

Ron

I ran a set of 315/70/17 BFG ATs for awhile. The problem wasn't as pronounced, but it was still there. For comparison, with the 315s I would rub when flexing off road, the 35s would rub when I went over a bump on the freeway. I run Treadwrights like Kyle and they run a little big compared to other 315s or 35s.

The problem is not just the inner part of the liner... You will rub where the body bolt is in the center as well.

[Lauron]

OK, I know what to look for short term and the longer term fix.

Thanks,

Ron

[Lauron]

OK from original front fender well, we have progressed to rear and the wheel well mods. I have taken the mods to the flex test. The extended suspension pic shows that I removed the wheel well liner and on the inside front edge of the wheel well removed a section of the wheel well I thought might rub( see the black paint). I didn't check if it would rub without the liner. Liner out and cutoff grinder at hand, an easy removal. Also pounded in the bolt that attaches the bottom plastic trim to the body. With these mods and the 3" body lift, I do not have any rubbing. Sway bars are still connected but a fair bit of articulation with the 5125's. So far so good. But probably not done yet.

[fishsticks]

Looks good. How much clearance do you have between the tire and front edge of the fender?

I ask because while it may not rub when you cycle the suspension statically, you may get a little rub due to bushing deflection when under power. It will be minimal though unless your control arm bushings are shot.