Don't know if anyone is really interested, but I started to fab my own custom fender flares. Since this process involved the making of a mold, I should be able to produce several extra for anyone else who is inclined to go the same way I have. Let me know.

Quick background: I don't like lifts and I like big wheels/tires. Enough said.

The tires I got were, well, huge. I knew I was going to have to cut, and a little research showed that the largest flares I could get (Bushwacker Cut-Outs) would not give me enough clearance for th tires to turn. So I cut what I needed and then started to fab the flares.

Here is the fender after the cut but before the cab corner is "modified".

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/D2A_mvc-528f.jpg

Here are some of the driver's side in clay after all of the metal cutting.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/Z51_mvc-542f.jpg

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/25B_mvc-543f.jpg

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/A26_mvc-544f.jpg

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/FZD_mvc-545f.jpg

I have many more pictures of the cutting process if there is demand. I hope to have the first prototype flare this weekend.

Nice, what size tires do they allow?

The tires I have are 365/65R16 on 16x10 rims 4.5" backset with no lift and no crank on the torsion bars. Tight fit.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/HiHi.gif
Edited by: Fingers

Very nice!

Formed the prototype driver's side this weekend. Pictures are fresh from the mold and rough trimmed.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/B54_mvc-553f.jpg

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/52Z_mvc-554f.jpg

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/7E4_mvc-556f.jpg

Disaster!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Angry.gif

Paint reacted with something when I Painted the prototype. The blisters were about the size of my thumb! I am in the process of sanding everything back down to fiberglass.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Throw Up.gif I'll post a picture of the blister damage later. Oh so close.....

Nice (not the blisters...). Would those flares also fit a GMC - any ideas?

Thanks

Frank

They should but Bushwacker claims there is a difference. I can't find it myself. These give and additional inch clearance than the Bushwacker cutout flares and a little better coverage too.

Forgot to post the blister pic. I should have some time through the week to get back to this again. Flare is back to fiberglass again.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/B19_mvc-558f.jpg

I'm interested in seeing how much and what exactly you had to cut out, along with more pictures and an approximate price on them! Look good so far!
Best of luck sorting out the paint blow up. Being a bodyman myself, I cringed seeing that picture. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Cry.gif

The flares have been on hold while I've been playing with other things. I've had the driver's side installed for about 2 weeks now with no issues. I think the reaction came from the laquer thinner wipe down I did before applying the paint. It must not have flashed all the way off. I know the Fiberglass will absorbe some too. Anyway, it has all been sanded back down and ready for another build-up.

Cut out pics. Here is a before-after for the cut.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/DFB_mvc-509f.jpg
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/68C_mvc-551f.jpg

Here is a pic of the line I cut to. Notice how close to the cab mount I am and that I had to move the fender bolt.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/ZZ3_mvc-525f.jpg

After cutting the fender, the cab corner still sticks into the wheel well.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/FED_mvc-529f.jpg

This is what it looks like from inside the wheel well.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/B58_mvc-527f.jpg

To pound the corner back you need to trim the lapped section at the bottom similar to this.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/CCC_mvc-532f.jpg

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/Z38_mvc-533f.jpg

Some judicious hammer work and the corner is back out of the way. This metal is very thick and doubled up in some places, so you really need to pull out the big hammers to make an impression. I used a HD air hammer for some of it. The brake cable on the driver's side is also in the way. It will have to be tied back as best you can.

I fabbed an aluminum cover for the hole till the flares are done and can cover it correctly. Really, it was a simple job. Did lower my sack a little when I started cutting on my brand new truck though.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif

Cool! Thanks for the information. I'd like to see updates once you get further with the project. This is definatly something I'd consider doing down the road myself, as I'd like to cram some upsized tires and wheels under the wells, but I don't want to have to resort to say a 4-6" lift and triming the fenders *anyway*.

Thread digging fun time.

Hey fingers, question: Bushwacker's website shows no cutout-flare for the 03-up trucks, just the older ones. Was it the older style one you tried? How much would it allow to be cut? I know you said your custom ones cover at least 2 inchs of cut? I am running some 35s on 16x10s right now, and I made them fit sorta but they need more room. I trimmed/hammered in the back a bit, about an inch, not into the wall of the fender like you did though. Just up to it. Is that all the bushwacker would cover? What would you recommend? Also in the front when you trimmed your bumper, did you bend the edge over like stock? Did the chrome crack from that or the cutting? I hit pretty good on the corner of the bumper. Not a big deal though as I can build a different bumper or hack this one, just wondered about bending the edge like stock.

Any pics of how your finished flares ended up after the redo and everything? What would it take to have you make another set? Not sure I want that big a flare, but it's a pretty nice looking option.

Here's what mine looks like right now, but I had to crank it up all the way to get it to fit this well. I plan to crank it back down so it will ride better if I can fit them another way. The amount of room it shows in the pics is decieveing because it gets so much closer when it turns due to the offset and being a 10 inch wide wheel.