I need to do some serious fender trimming on my daughters SII. With 38.5's, SOA with stock springs and full width HD D44 somethings gotta give.

My plan is to cut the inner front fenderwell back and cut about 2-3" off the fender following the stock radius. I'm sure some of you have done this and can advise me on the pro's and con's of doing this. Any pics would be a great help;)

TIA!

I have always wanted to rty this technique.

Jackup front end.
Put Jackstands under axle.
Remove tires and wheels
Grab string and sharpy marker.
Tie a loop in one end of the string.
Place Loop around hub body.
Figure out how high you want to cut wheel well openings to.
Tape or tie sharpie marker to end of string where you want to cut.
Now make the line where you want to cut.
The hub, string and sharpy marker is now a giant compass that will make a good even radius mark to use as a cutting guide line :D

Let me know how it works out.

Originally posted by Monkeyboy
I have always wanted to rty this technique.

Jackup front end.
Put Jackstands under axle.
Remove tires and wheels
Grab string and sharpy marker.
Tie a loop in one end of the string.
Place Loop around hub body.
Figure out how high you want to cut wheel well openings to.
Tape or tie sharpie marker to end of string where you want to cut.
Now make the line where you want to cut.
The hub, string and sharpy marker is now a giant compass that will make a good even radius mark to use as a cutting guide line :D

Let me know how it works out.

That will make too big of an arc.

Cliffhanger and Tom both had decent pics of this...
Edit: ("this" meaning, trimming fenders on a SII);)

The string thing does not work at all.

Use a sharpie pen, and freestyle draw the cut you want to make. then stand back a few times to make sure it looks like what you want. Another help is painting in the area you are thinking about cutting off with black rattle can paint, or black magic marker to help it "dissapear" into the fenderwell background.

Note: DO THIS = Use a NEW swazall blade on EACH fender cut. If the blade is even slightly dull, it will be hard to control and will tear the fender so fast you will be amazed.

With 38's, you're gonna need a decent sized cut.

Not enough for 42's but would work for 38's

Originally posted by Rubicrawler
I need to do some serious fender trimming on my daughters SII. With 38.5's, SOA with stock springs and full width HD D44 somethings gotta give.

My plan is to cut the inner front fenderwell back and cut about 2-3" off the fender following the stock radius. I'm sure some of you have done this and can advise me on the pro's and con's of doing this. Any pics would be a great help;)

TIA!

Mark, I'd suggest moving the front axle forward, lot's of double metal to cut through on the front firewall, then cut a nice radius on the front part of the fender.

In the rear you need to cut out the front part of the fender starting about six inches fromo the bottom radius that sucker all the way to the flat portion (you'll need to weld up where the seam was when your done). In the rear of the fender, cut another radius from the inner support member oun out the back, cut the entire lip off the lower portion of the fender (less likely to cause rust), then for the support member I cut the front lip about every 4 inches then beat it flat with the 5lb.

With the 36's no fender rubbing in the back, in the front I need to move the axle forward an inch and I should have no rubbing.

Click Here (http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout/faq/fender_trim_for_36.htm) and all your questions will be answered. :D

Well, sorta.

I've since cut part of the rocker, and I need to trim the bottom of the lower valance some, too - with my 36s I'm darn near rubbing on the stock front bumper.

I probably will re-cut the front fenders again when I go full width.

I think I could cut out the "outer" half of the inner-fender shelf entirely, and bring the outer fender "arch" up another inch or two. I can stuff the 36s into the top of the inner fender as it is, though they rub just outboard of the vertical rib in the middle of the inner fender (my 'shelf" is like an inverted T now, and it rubs outboard of the | part )

I used a cheap air-nibbler from HF to do one fender - worked great.

Sawzall was used on the inner fenders.

Aviation shears were used on the first fender - the nibbler didn't show up soon enough.

If you cut the rocker back to the body mount / firewall, give some thought as to how you'll support the A-pillar, since it's the "forward to rocker" and the little "swoop" in the door hinge area that keeps the A-pillar/firewall upright..

http://www.m4x4a.org/ImageGallery/album35/DCP_0041.thumb.jpg
http://www.m4x4a.org/ImageGallery/album35/DCP_0042.thumb.jpg
http://www.m4x4a.org/ImageGallery/album28/DCP_0057.jpg
http://www.m4x4a.org/ImageGallery/album28/DCP_0081.jpg
http://www.m4x4a.org/ImageGallery/album28/DCP_0055.jpg
http://www.m4x4a.org/ImageGallery/album43/DCP_0197.thumb.jpg

OK Here's what I am doing.
In the front I have found that removing the lower part of the valance below the marker lights will provide enough triming for me. I will also be removing part of the radiator support from the front mounts out.
BTW my axles are about two to three inches forward in the front.

the rear is another story. My axle is pushed back about 3-4 inches and puts me into the rear quarter pretty good. I have trimmed a little but need to go much farther. I have decided to move 1/2 of the wheel well fender back. I have the gas tank out and have removed the filler. I have the inspection plate off. I marked approx the center the the well and drawn a line down it.I am going about 1 inch above the wheel well. I had marked lines based on the rear of the bed to determine how close I was.

My plan is the cut along the face of the well (inside) and back to 2 inches beyond the arch of the well. Turning back towards the sidewall I will cut untill I go up the sidewall to the line that is 1 inch about the well. then turn forward to where I met the line going through the center of the well and then cut down.

When this is all removed I will use it as a template to mark the remaining metal to be removed. I will use flat stock to replace the missing section of wheel well. I am herculining the bed when done.

The out side is simple. I am taking cardboard to make a template of the front of the fender and transfering it back on the back half and cutting.

Big opening.

Ritch