Car Care
Fender Trimming
The easiest way to fit larger tires
Created by Tom MorrWhether they're on a lowered street machine or a new SUV, bigger-than-stock tires generally look better. They can also improve the vehicle's performance. Wider treads put more rubber in contact with the road for better handling. Taller tires raise ground clearance, and larger sidewall area usually means more tire flex and a softer ride.
Big Meat Fitment
Many enthusiasts upgrade to new wheels concurrently with oversized tires for a better-looking all-around package. It's often not cheap. And few things are more discouraging than mounting new rolling stock and hearing scraping at the first corner or speed bump. Suspension modifications can often solve tire-clearance problems, but a lower-buck solution is to remove sheetmetal from the fender-wells.
Admittedly, the example shown here isn't the prettiest. The owner of this 4Runner got tired of his aggressive treads contacting the fenders while rock crawling. Since the fender edges were already mangled, the truck's owner decided to radius out the fenders as much as two inches in some areas. Removing a lot less metal than this can likely solve most clearance problems. And, believe it or not, the black 4Runner's fenders started life the same as the white one at the top of this page.
Step 1
Potential fender-trimming tools include a reciprocating saw with a metal blade, a rotary tool or file to smooth sharp edges, a hand-nibbler and possibly a hacksaw.
Page 1 of 7
Next
Step 2
First, scribe a line or make a template to indicate where you'd like to cut. Most car owners might want to start by barely trimming the corners, rechecking tire clearance then cutting more if necessary.
Page 2 of 7
Previous Next
Step 3
A reciprocating saw cuts single-wall sheetmetal like butter but can bounce and snarl when confronted with double-wall fenders. Always check inside the fenders for wires and hoses before cutting. Disconnect the battery's negative cable to play it safe.
Page 3 of 7
Previous Next
Step 4
A hand-nibbler, available at paint-and-body suppliers or from mail-order tool companies, works well for fine-tuning the edges.
Page 4 of 7
Previous Next
Step 5
We cut pleats in the inner fender-well, intending to later weld them to the outer sheetmetal or use seam sealer to keep out as much moisture and debris as possible.
Page 5 of 7
Previous Next
Step 6
Freshly cut metal is often sharp. Smooth it out with a file or rotary hobby tool.
Page 6 of 7
Previous Next
Step 7
We found some self-adhesive rubber trim strips at the local auto parts store. It cleans up the new radius visually and also protects skin from snags. We sprayed the bare metal with primer before installing the trim.
Page 7 of 7
Previous