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trimmed TJ flares (a different approach)

6K views 15 replies 7 participants last post by  Eric Ruhl 
#1 ·
First of all, yes I know my freebie Earthlink digital camera sucks ass, but it gets the idea across :flipoff2: Here's the story, I had YJ flares on my CJ fenders (TJ's weren't out yet back when I did that) and recently acquired some TJ flares. I've been wanting these since they offer such a larger opening than the CJ/YJ flare variety. I moved my rear axle back ~2" (Waggy front spring) and by aligning the TJ rear flare with the front of the original rear wheel well opening it looks almost centered because this removes about 4" off the back of the rear fender area. This is nothing new, people do it all the time (I did take a pic but it turned out just aweful). What I thought I'd do a little differently is the trimming of the front fenders. The placement of the TJ sidemarker has been a source of frustration for most because it's right where you'd like to trim the flare. The standard approach is just to trim higher to remove the opening. Like I said, I wanted to do this a bit differently so here's what I did. Following the straight section section contour I went ahead and trimmed right thru the sidemarker opening. First intuition says this would look like ass with that notch left in the lower edge of the flare. Fear not, I had a plan for that notch :flipoff2: I opened up that notch a little further rearward, trimmed the inside face for a flush mounting surface, and then mounted my YJ side marker on the INSIDE of the flare at that opening. The lower edge of the marker is just a smidge higher than the lower edge of the flare. I had it lined up with the lower edge at first but didn't like it because you could see the "hidden" section of the marker too easily for my taste. Anyway, the result is IMO a cleaner look (compared to the taperd trim approach which removed the sidemarker entirely) which retains the sidemarker functionality:

What I had before which is the YJ flare / sidemarker on the CJ fender (I had already trimmed the fender a bit to match the lower edge of the YJ flare):


The "new" look with the TJ flare and YJ sidemarker mounted on the inside of the flare:


Another view:


I'll borrow a better camera one of these days and get some REAL pics of it.

:beer: :flipoff2: :beer:

PS
Ya gotta love that satisfaction of taking a sawzall to your rig :D :D :D
 
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#5 ·
Those pics suck. :p

Where'd you get the TJ flares? I've been checking JU faithfully and as soon as a set becomes available, it's gone! I fear calling J & W, but I may resort to just that. I'm gonna call the dealer too, just as a check against what the auto thieves are asking.

Oh yea :flipoff2:

:D:D:D:D
 
#6 · (Edited)
I got them from a friend at work who had put wider flares on his TJ (and then sold the TJ).

You should see my rear d-shaft Ken, you'd be proud :D Splines have a nice graceful twist to them like a barber pole :eek: Nothin' like a twisted Woody to ruin your day. Not even gonna bother trying to get a pic of that with my crappy camera, I'll have to borrow one for that. Gotta get my film developed from Moab too :rolleyes: BTW, the front BDS worked great but the rears are too stiff for the wider YJ stance. Remember the extra leaf I had added to all of them (and two up front)? I took that out (still one added up front). Wrap bar held up great though and no apparant sagging from the BDS's. Hoping the 7 leaf Waggy's are a little flexier. Compared to the BDS the used Waggys raised the rear a quarter inch. How's your POS coming along? :flipoff2:

Brian, razor blade and sawzall... you know you wanna :D Tip: I drilled a hole in the fender to make the corner where the trimmed finder meets the grill. Otherwise it would have been a sharp corner there and prone to cracking. Worked great. Three fenders down, one to go :beer:
 
#7 ·
Sniff, it does me proud to know that you wanted to be like me so you sacrificed your Woody in my honor. I'm touched, truly.:)

Just threw on some 38's a few days ago, she's lookin pretty good. That's why I need those TJ flares. :rolleyes:

I love my BDS's up front, they flex like mad. The rear is a different story. As you well know, I had wrap issues big time. I threw that Rancho add-a-leaf in and a shortie Wrangler stocker, and now I have no more wrap. However, I don't have crap for flex back there either. And my arse is hiked up in the air a good 3-4" more than the front. Not bad when I'm hauling 10 cases of :beer: and all my camping chit, but unloaded she rides like a tank. I have been giving serious thought to 44044's.

It's neverending, isn't it??
 
#9 ·
I'm glad I didn't buy a set of YJ fenders like I was planning on. I was going to swap the YJ fenders in since the TJ flares match up better with them, but from the pics it looks like you were able to cut out that lip that makes the flare stick out away from the fender.

On the down side, I did just spend $$$ for the TJ side marker lights from the jeep dealer here in town since my flares didn't come with them. Now I've got to go to the PNP to find YJ side marker lights.

Post some close up pics of the side marker light when you get a better camera.


Putz, I put a want ad on JU wanted board for my flares. I got a whole set from a guy in washington for $100. The definately work for what you are wanting to do.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Putz, you do have a wrap bar on that right?

1MutCJ7 said:
from the pics it looks like you were able to cut out that lip that makes the flare stick out away from the fender.
Ummmm.... I'll have to look and confirm that it I cut off that lip. Before I trimmed it I had taken a pair of hand seamers and flattened out that lip so the flare sat flush. I think you may be right, this might cut high enough to remove it altogether. It definitely doesn't stick past the flare, I'm just thinking about the mounting surface underneath. I'll let you know.

On the down side, I did just spend $$$ for the TJ side marker lights from the jeep dealer here in town since my flares didn't come with them.
:flipoff2: Take em' back, got a receipt?

Now I've got to go to the PNP to find YJ side marker lights.
Well I used YJ lights because that's what I had. CJ's are the same dimensionally, only the bulb is in a different location (YJ's have the bulb centered). You could just as easily use CJ ones if you have any, just put the bulb towards the front (which if I remember is how they normally fit?). Up to you how much to trim out too... I just tried to match the angle of the front edge which only exposes about 2/3 of the light but there's no reason you couldn't trim back further if you want more of the light to show. I initially had the light on the outside of the flare, but decided it looked better (and was a little better protected) on the inside. Personal preference kind of thing.

Post some close up pics of the side marker light when you get a better camera.
Will do



Putz, I put a want ad on JU wanted board for my flares. I got a whole set from a guy in washington for $100. The definately work for what you are wanting to do.
Not only do they open up more room fore and aft, but they also cut higher up the fender :D Pretty much as high as you can go before you hit the top of the fender well. Now I need bigger tires to fill it up :rolleyes: No Putz, it never ends :flipoff2:

Each flare has two alignment "pins" on them and I took the measurements for these but don't have them handy. To line up the front edge of the rear flare with the front edge of the stock opening I remember I drilled one hole at 27-1/8" forward of the seam between the corner and side panel and down 4-1/2" from the lip at the top edge of the tub (move your hand up the side of the tub and the first edge you hit, dat's da one). The rearmost hole also is 4-1/2" down, I just don't recall the horizontal distance exactly. I think it was 12-3/8" but not positive. The 27-1/8" should be right though so you could just measure the spacing on the flare itself and figure it out. Drill the holes (1" dia. I believe), set the flare pins in the holes and trace out what you need to remove. Piece-o-cake :D Check the numbers of course before drilling the alignment holes.

:beer:
 
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