Trimming Rear Wheel Wells

[gto]

Originally posted by master modder Rookie, This is Dr2K's ride. IForged Classics 22x10 w/+35mm offset.



The plastic moulding you see in your wheel wells is a PITA when going to a wider stance. Depending on how low your offset is and how wide your tires are you may rub. Different tires have different shoulders so no real way of telling how much you may rub. 265 on a 9 may be clear while 285 on a 9 may rub, depends on how wide of a tire you want to run.

G/Zs get to roll fenders and have a little bit of sheet metal to trim if needed. Another thing they do is stretch the tire so the shoulders are rounded at more of an angle than a rounded edge. We're SUVs so stretching it not always ideal. Some run a bit narrower of a tire and it's all good. Different wants and needs.

For those that run lower offsets and larger tires, I hope this helps, I was going to do this thread when I did mine but I did mine like 2 times to get them right for my Ordens and 1 more time to fit my HREs.

Patient.


Tools to be used. The only thing better than power tools is air tools. View attachment 145629


Here's the issue. The sheet metal is unfinished and protrudes out further than the plastic moulding. If you rub you may think you're hitting plastic until you look closer and see the sheet metal is slicing.



Quick glance it just looks like you're rubbing on the moulding.


Take out the 3 screws and carefully pop off the moulding from the 3 plastic tabs.


See the 1/4"-1/2" edge of sheet metal?



View attachment 145653


Before


After




What I do is grind down to that line of sheetmetal we spoke of earlier, put the moulding back up and feel out where the tire has been hitting the moulding and grind the metal back further behind that. My buddy who gave me some guidance on how this should be done said to grind further back on the metal and keep the plastic out a little so you can see if you're still rubbing. It'll hit the plastic and mark how much further it may need to be trimmed.




Here's another one. This time a black one. AXIS Orden 22 x 9 +15 OFFSET

Victim.. I mean patient.



Before.







After



Here's the rear side views

 

[robb<35>]

good write up buddy :top: very useful, is the fx with the ordens lowered ?

 

[gto]

Ye, both dropped
No trimming needed if no drop, up to 22's

 

[Dr.2K]

Yes, that black FX was lowered with eibach's. But I don't know if that picture was pre or post date of when he cut his front springs.

 

[shralp]

I'm probably gonna have to do this tomorrow but i'm worried about the salty winter conditions in New England. I'd hate for my fender to rust. Rolling isn't an option? I haven't had a chance to take a good look. You think some rustoleum after grinding will handle the salty winters?

 

[fxlr8]

You think some rustoleum after grinding will handle the salty winters?

That will work fine for coating the bare metal. Also you could try some truck bed liner,,,but rustoleum should work .

Rolling might be another good option, I was actually thinking about getting this http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=6159&itemType=PRODUCT and we could just all share it here on the West. You guys should buy one for the east and have a fender rolling meet.

 

[turbocad6]

I was gonna say I think rolling would be a better option. you'd get more clearance than this, & there will be no rust issues like cutting, & the sharp edge would no longer be there. the plastic can be trimmed still of course.

the only drawback I see to rolling is that center phillips screw would no longer be used... not such a big deal I think, worse case a little dab of silicone in that spot will secure it enough if it seemed not secure in that spot after rolling & shaving the plastic..

if you do roll, then it's not a bad idea to seal the top of the roll anyway with silicone or seem sealer so crud doesn't build up in there causing rust anyway...

 

[turbocad6]

that roller tool is cool, but not necissary sing the lip will be covered afterwards anyway... you can actually use an aluminum bat between the tire & the body & roll it that way sometimes, ours is all hidden so even folding it over with a hammer would be ok, still might need to touch it up if any paint flakes off, but not as bad as cutting into the seem, & you'd get much more clearance...

I never actuallyt tried rolling on an fx myself though...

 

[Dr.2K]

Rolling is not an option for the FX due to the fender trim. There would be no place for the trim to screw in to. Rolling only works if there is no trim piece.

 

[turbocad6]

but the center only, one screw... that may not be much of an issue?

 

[Dr.2K]

But there are 3 screws that hold the trim from underneath. And if you stop rolling at the other 2 screws to the side you will still end up rubbing. Best way is to shave the area IMO.

 

[turbocad6]

never did it, maybe your right...

 

[Dr.2K]

My tires still does rub on those 2 outer screws if I really bottom out. But since there is no sheet metal to contact the tires its ok and its only the plastic trim that occasionally hits the tires.

Even my front tires still rub the fender occasionally.

 

[fxlr8]

Mine only rubs on the very top between the two screws. I can tell by the plastic being eaten away.

 

[turbocad6]

well, I don't know about you guys, but if mine was that close I would fully roll it & I would cut the plastic down till it only extended under the lip maybe 3/16th's or so, I would make as much clearance as I could, I would want to try to get at least 1/2" of clearance to the wheel, or at least as much as I can, not just enough so it don't touch often.

I would cut the whole screw area out of the plastic if I had too. those screws are not 100% necissary at all, the'll make it much harder to accidently yank the molding off, but they won't make the molding fall off or stick out or move around or anything. I'm driving my fx since I put it on the road & I have NONE of those screws in my rear wheelwell moldings from day 1 I actually completely forgot about this, but just went & checked right now I left them out originally because I thought when my wheels came I would need to do this, then never bothered to put them back in... if it was slightly loose then it could be secured even without those screws too... the clips all around the perimeter of the molding do a good job of holding it on all by themselves...

 

[theMerchant]

good info here.

thanks.

any pics of the your trimmed wheel well , turbocad6?

 

[trainerKEN]

to this day, I still don't understand why I never had to roll my fenders... and I have spacers too :dontknow: lucky me, I guess...

 

[turbocad6]

haven't needed to yet, but I do have an agressive wheel on order that will probably require it, I'll see what I can do there pretty soon & how rolling works out...

 

[theMerchant]

would you recommend the "BAT" method? (rolling using a baseball bat) . As long as I heat up the paint a little so it wont crack. then I was just going to trim the plastic.

or should I just use a small grinder or something?

getting the +15 offset wheel and need this done.

 

[Dr.2K]

You can't really roll the FX wheel wells because of the plastic fender trim. If you did roll them then there would be no place for the trim to screw into to hold it in place. Shaving is the only option if you still plan on using the wheel trim.