Fiberglass Fender Flares - In Development

[MrSmithsTB]

Hey, guys! Mr. Smith checking in. I've been talking with another member(you know who you are ) and we are going to be working on bringing custom fit fiberglass fender flares to the table as a production item. The fab process is going to start sometime within the next week or so, and we should hopefully have a product ready to order by early 2010. Details will come as progress is made. As of right now, the plan is to work on two styles. Both pocket style and a smooth, factory looking. 2" is the projected width. They would be offered as unpainted being the basic, with bed lined or color matched available as other finish options. Since nothing tangible has been put in motion, I want to take the opportunity to hear your opinions. As this will be for you, I want us to create something geared towards your needs and wants. So, let me have it!

[Zero]

due to shipping costs, i would like to see the bare plastic option.

what is the difference between pocket style and the other one mentioned?

a 2" wider fender would be awesome up front, but do u plan on doing anything for the rear?

i know alekg got hit with a ticket up here where we live because his truck was throwing up so much water out the rear the cop said he couldnt see, and that his tires stuck too far out from the body. he later added mud flaps, but the tires still hang outside of the body

and thanx for making a part that no one else does. thats just wicked awesome of you

[MrSmithsTB]

Pocket style will attach at the top and flare out from that point, leaving a gap between it and the fender and making it easier to do fender mods(cutting) and keep a clean look. The smooth style I am thinking of is going to fully contour to the fender, wrapping under the fender and attaching at the bottom with screws and with 3M up top. The rears are not forgotten. They will be done as a two piece design and attached the same way as the smooth fronts. We will mock up a template for EXT rears as well, to be available upon request. I think the smooth style will more than accommodate most of us, but some may want the freedom to gain an inch or so more clearance for those front tires, which is why the other style will be made.

[foosh]

These are the Smooth style

http://www.bushwacker.com/PopUpFlares.asp?PicType=oepop

These are the Cut out style

http://www.bushwacker.com/PopUpFlares.asp?PicType=cutoutpop

Also who would want what sizes, the smooth might be better smaller and the cut outs better bigger...

[MrSmithsTB]

These are the Smooth style
http://www.bushwacker.com/PopUpFlares.asp?PicType=oepop

These are the Cut out style
http://www.bushwacker.com/PopUpFlares.asp?PicType=cutoutpop

Also who would want what sizes, the smooth might be better smaller and the cut outs better bigger...

Let us know what you want so we can make it happen.

[Philberto]

I like the cutouts... much more aggressive, and I'd probably be running 33/34's in the future, maybe bigger if I ever do a SAS. I can't speak for sizes though...maybe 2-2.5" outwards?

[foosh]

Smooth would be aimed at those people looking for no more than 32-33 inch tires tops where they're not gonna need cut outs, the Cut outs would be for anywhere from 32+ that is running much wider tires. The smooth ones have a larger market, but here there are alot of people that want the more rugged look.

[Hatchet669]

Think someone needs to do a photosbop of them on... cause i would luv cut out... but i dont know how it would fit on the tb... function is more important but i dont want it to look bad... but i am in on this... like i said i like cut out

[foosh]

Ok, we'll work on that... maybe we can get someone on the OS to fab up a picture.

[teebes]

+1 on the cutout style. I'd love something that provides 2/2.5 inches of coverage.

I have flexi flares front and rear and can take pics if you need some.

[foosh]

Take how wide are they? also would you want a 2 or 2.5 for the cutout?

[MrSmithsTB]

My honest opinion is 2"w x3" tall. Should cover 95% of offset changes and allow for 2.5" of fender cutting for increased articulation. Any more than that, and it would be a better idea to just fab a fiberglass fender with the flare built in. Anybody want one of those??????

[That1Guy]

My honest opinion is 2"w x3" tall. Should cover 95% of offset changes and allow for 2.5" of fender cutting for increased articulation. Any more than that, and it would be a better idea to just fab a fiberglass fender with the flare built in. Anybody want one of those??????

I for one, dont like the idea of the ones you attach to the OE fender. I would much rather have the whole fender as one piece. Allows for MUCH more articulation and IMO if color matched would look 100,000,000 times better.

[teebes]

My honest opinion is 2"w x3" tall. Should cover 95% of offset changes and allow for 2.5" of fender cutting for increased articulation. Any more than that, and it would be a better idea to just fab a fiberglass fender with the flare built in. Anybody want one of those??????

I for one, dont like the idea of the ones you attach to the OE fender. I would much rather have the whole fender as one piece. Allows for MUCH more articulation and IMO if color matched would look 100,000,000 times better.

What are you going to do about the rear, though?

[foosh]

Producing the whole fender takes a lot more, increases shipping costs by a ton too... maybe a custom order. But the fender flares will be made to fit as seamless as possible. And the one bad part about a fiberglass fender is when your wheeling and hit something you need a new fender or at least an expensive repair. I know Alekg has dent in his driver side fender... with a full fiberglass fender he would have probably lost it and had more damage. And a Fiberglass fender would have very little added benefit, but the cost would increase greatly.

[That1Guy]

What are you going to do about the rear, though?[/quote]
not a clue. But Im really not too worried about that for now. When I have my mid travel kit fabbed up, I plan on adding a coilover or bypass shock through the floor. But by the time all this is done the car will be payed off and I will not care so much about cutting up the sheet metal. And if you guys cant picture it, here is what im thinking.

[That1Guy]

Producing the whole fender takes a lot more, increases shipping costs by a ton too... maybe a custom order. But the fender flares will be made to fit as seamless as possible. And the one bad part about a fiberglass fender is when your wheeling and hit something you need a new fender or at least an expensive repair. I know Alekg has dent in his driver side fender... with a full fiberglass fender he would have probably lost it and had more damage. And a Fiberglass fender would have very little added benefit, but the cost would increase greatly.

that is exactly why I plan on making them myself and having the mold to make another if and when I want. plus when Im done with this thing Im looking to get 13-16 inches of usable travel front and rear. Nothing about this will be cheap, and it will be more for the go fast, pre-running type stuff as opposed to crawiling. But it will still se some crawling, which is why fenders are removable

[MrSmithsTB]

What are you going to do about the rear, though?

Not making new skins. Honestly, no new body parts. We'll figure out and fab front AND rear flares. Pocket style can be done for both, but the rears would obviously be cosmetic only, since cutting is pretty much out of the question back there. I would assume sealed with the appearance of the front would be suitable for the rear. Remember, we will make what you want, but our involvement ends with the flares. Anything your design specs call for as far as vehicle modification is up to you. So pick things that are easy to adapt.

And remember, as much as everyone wants to be able to run with the SAS crew, you can only travel so far before you reach the limits with the front suspension components. An extra 3" of travel doesn't mean anything when you are hitting the oil pan at 2".

[foosh]

For what you want thats quite a project, as Bot said this will be cosmetic, however the cutouts will help in the front at least if your trying to get more travel without hitting the fender.

[That1Guy]

For what you want thats quite a project, as Bot said this will be cosmetic, however the cutouts will help in the front at least if your trying to get more travel without hitting the fender.

definately is a huge project. Truck will be down for a while and cost atleast 10k before cage, shocks and all the other little stuff. it may be semi far out there, But it is a goal I have set and do believe is very possible.