I DID THIS WHILE TRIMMING THE FLARES TO PUT BACK ON. SLIPPED WITH THE RAZOR KNIFE AND BARELY MISSED THE ARTERY & MUSCLE. MANY STITCHES & SEVERAL BEERS LATER I WISHED I'D NEVER REMOVED THE FLARES TO BEGIN WITH.
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| XJ FLARE REMOVAL AND FENDER TRIMMING | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FIRST OF ALL, MAKE DAMN SURE YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO DO BECAUSE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDO THIS PROCESS. FENDER FLARES PROVIDE STRENGTH AND PROTECTION TO THE FENDERS AND SHOULD BE LEFT ON UNLESS YOU HAVE DECIDED THAT YOU NEED THE EXTRA ROOM FOR LARGER TIRES AND BETTER ARTICULATION WITHOUT THE TIRES RUBBING AGAINST THE FENDERS. THE FRONT INNER FENDER PANELS WILL NEED TO BE REMOVED, AND THAT LEAVES MANY PLACES ONCE HIDDEN FROM THE ELEMENTS TO BE EXPOSED TO MOISTURE AND CORROSION. THE LOWER FRONT VALANCE WILL HAVE TO GO,TOO. FENDER TRIMMING ALSO DECREASES YOUR VEHICLES VALUE DRASTICALLY, SO RESALE IS DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE. THIS IS A ONE-WAY ROAD [or is it???] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| REMOVING THE FLARES | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| EXTREMELY SIMPLE. THE FLARES ARE HELD ON BY SEVERAL SMALL BOLTS, ACCESSIBLE FROM THE INSIDE LIP OF THE FENDER. REMOVE THE NUTS [if your Jeep is as old as mine, the studs will probably break off, making your job easier]. THAT WILL LOOSEN UP THE FLARES, WHICH ARE BASICALLY CLAMPED ON. REMOVE THE SCREWS THAT SECURE EACH END OF EACH FLARE TO THE RUNNING BOARDS TOO. REMOVE THE BRACKETS THAT CLAMP THE FLARES TO THE BODY, AND RIP OUT THE INNER FENDER PANELS [front], THROW EVERYTHING AWAY [after all, you've decided you don't need them anymore right?]. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TRIM THE FENDERS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOW YOU WILL SEE THE LIP OF THE FENDER WITH AN INCH OF FLAT AREA WITH HOLES IN IT THAT THE FLARES WERE BOLTED ON WITH. LOOKS LIKE HELL DON'T IT? YOU WANNA CUT THAT OFF, HUH? THEN GET A JIGSAW WITH A METAL CUTTING BLADE. MARK A LINE ALL THE WAY AROUND THE FENDER JUST ABOVE THOSE HOLES WITH A SHARPIE. NOT TOO FAR OR YOU'LL SCREW UP THE INSIDE PANELS [rear] THAT ARE SPOT WELDED TOGETHER. CUT SLOW, AND FILE THE EDGES WHEN YOU'RE DONE. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| DON'T CUT HIGHER THAN THIS! YOU'LL SEPARATE THE OUTER PANEL FROM THE INNER ONE [rear] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE YOU NEED TO CUT THE FRONTS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BE CAREFULL! I DID THIS WHILE TRIMMING THE FLARES TO PUT BACK ON. SLIPPED WITH THE RAZOR KNIFE AND BARELY MISSED THE ARTERY & MUSCLE. MANY STITCHES & SEVERAL BEERS LATER I WISHED I'D NEVER REMOVED THE FLARES TO BEGIN WITH. |
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