Cutting front fender for flares

[hankjr]

Howdy. Need some intel / experience. Decided to cut fronts and install the flares. Was not going to originally but wheels will stick too far out. I’m sort of stuck deciding which is better. Center flare over axle centerline or centered on sheet metal flare centerline. Logic tells me to match flare to sheet metal as much as possible.

When I do that, front edge sort of looks like no matter where I run the cut out it will look stupid and sheet metal will not meet grill nice like.

Flares came from Jeff’s if that matters.

Any advice or pics would be appreciated.

Thx

Hank

 

[spap]

I have always done it so the tire is centered in the flare so the axle centerline , but ask for other comment and look at a look of bronco flare pictures to see what you like

One thing make sure the flare is level with the fender line,

 

[hankjr]

Maybe it’s these new fenders, but to my eye, the flare centerline ( top radius to radius) is not the same as axle centerline

 

[chuck1022]

Howdy. Need some intel / experience. Decided to cut fronts and install the flares. Was not going to originally but wheels will stick too far out. I’m sort of stuck deciding which is better. Center flare over axle centerline or centered on sheet metal flare centerline. Logic tells me to match flare to sheet metal as much as possible.

When I do that, front edge sort of looks like no matter where I run the cut out it will look stupid and sheet metal will not meet grill nice like.

Flares came from Jeff’s if that matters.

Any advice or pics would be appreciated.

Thx

Hank

Can i have the metal pieces you cut off, i want to graft them on to my rear cutouts

 

[hankjr]

Can i have the metal pieces you cut off, i want to graft them on to my rear cutouts

I’ve already granted first rights of refusal. They are yours if Dude decides he doesn’t want them. Will PM you if so

Hank

 

[hankjr]

I worked on these for quite a while. In the end, I learned that I didn’t like where they naturally rested and had to twist both ends a bit to get them to sit where I liked. They pretty much match the shape of the sheet metal and sit well. It seems to me that the natural shape of the sheet metal is not centered to the axle. It’s a lot of by eye measurement but that’s what it seemed to me.

Hank

 

[chuck1022]

I’ve already granted first rights of refusal. They are yours if Dude decides he doesn’t want them. Will PM you if so

Hank

Ok, great. This is what i am trying to achieve.

 

[hankjr]

Ok, great. This is what i am trying to achieve.

A guy I work with did that. He used the rear half of 4 front flares to get the right profile.

Hank

 

[Rustytruck]

The flairs look funny because the truck doesn't have full weight on it. When you add weight the tires will move forward as the spring compresses.

 

[hankjr]

The flairs look funny because the truck doesn't have full weight on it. When you add weight the tires will move forward as the spring compresses.

so its in the air yes, but jackstands are on the axles = full weight on the suspension, no? for sure there is some tire squash missing, but i was thinking the suspension is mostly loaded as it would be on the road.

is there something im missing?

thx

hank

 

[Apogee]

so its in the air yes, but jackstands are on the axles = full weight on the suspension, no? for sure there is some tire squash missing, but i was thinking the suspension is mostly loaded as it would be on the road.

is there something im missing?

thx

hank

If the front axle is on jackstands, then it's at ride height unless you're minus the engine or bumper or winch or something significant with respect to the sprung weight of the rig.

 

[hankjr]

Not fully loaded in that sense. Just the body and full chassis and running gear. No bolt on body panels, bumpers roll cage, glass, so there will be some more compression

Hank