XJ going from 5.5'' to 3.5''/4.5''

[FishPOET]

...bushwackers. My experience is that they need either to be stronger of softer. The dont' bend of flex and when you do hit something they are strong enough to dent your sheetmetal at he same time they break. Bushwacker replacement parts are very over priced. A front fender flare is over $100.00 shipped.

I had the same experience with Bushwackers. In less than a year I had 1 front and 1/2 of one rear break and damage the fenders. I took them off.

 

[SWbySWesty]

These fiberglass ones are pretty cheap...although unpainted as well:
http://www.glassworksunlimited.com/19to20jechfr.html

 

[Explorer 1]

So clean looking!

Fiberglass fender flares are so clean looking!

Any experience with how they handle a brush or kiss against a rock?

Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1

 

[SWbySWesty]

there are multiple debates on NAXJA about them - seems there are two camps (love or hate). Hardcore rock crawlers say they break when dragged on rocks...I would probably agree although I have no firsthand experience

However the other camp says they're fine because if you break them, simply reglass them together (depending on how bad it is), then repaint and voila.

But is the $500 tag (after painting them to match) worth it?

 

[Explorer 1]

Old school....

I'm of the old school of "Pretty is as pretty does" They sure are slick looking but I can imagine how quickly they loose their luster when in contact with a piece of granite or even sandstone.

Thanks and I agree $500 a fender, I thought the bushwackers were high!

I'll continue working on my modifed tube style that I can re-paint with a can.

Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1

 

[Black Dog]

What would be cool (and cheaper) would be to take a fender in good shape and create a mold for it, then use that master mold to make your own fenders. It wouldn't matter how hard you were on them, you could always just make new ones! :wings: You could do it totally custom too, like with the prerunner and trophy trucks that have the really wide front fenders, you could customize the size of the wheel opening and how much flare they have and everything.

 

[SWbySWesty]

I'm going to give the following a go: It's a guy on NAXJA (whom I know) that plainly relocated his stock flares...I like the look of it!
http://nicandjosh.com/modules/gallery/v/josh/socalxj/fendertrim/

 

[jh504]

Ive got the perfect solution for you. Ill trade you my 3.5" lift for your 5.5" lift and you will have everything you need...........

 

[SWbySWesty]

Ive got the perfect solution for you. Ill trade you my 3.5" lift for your 5.5" lift and you will have everything you need...........

I went ahead and purchased new 4.5 coils...there's a guy local to me who offered the same thing. We'll see how the 4.5 height sits this weekend and then if I don't like it, I might swap with him - but upon talking to more people, I really want to keep my droop travel with my long shocks since I sometimes run fast and might need the extra dampening from droop to compressed...:smiley_drive:

Will keep y'all posted this weekend!

 

[OverlandZJ]

I know you want to swueeze 33's, but i ran 32x11.5's on stock wheels with 4.5", stock flares with zero issues. (minor rubbing on CA's and coil tower)

I'd consider dropping down in tire size before adding the expense of flares.
q

 

[jh504]

4.5" is a good height on an XJ. My buddy has 4.5" on his daily driver running 31x10.50s with nothing trimmed. The 31s fit perfectly inside his fender when fully stuffed. There is only about 1/8" of room on the back though when they are in there and if he had 32s it would scrub. Only when fully flexxed though.

 

[OverlandZJ]

4.5" is a good height on an XJ. My buddy has 4.5" on his daily driver running 31x10.50s with nothing trimmed. The 31s fit perfectly inside his fender when fully stuffed. There is only about 1/8" of room on the back though when they are in there and if he had 32s it would scrub. Only when fully flexxed though.

Now that you mention that i had very minor rubbing in the rear fenderwells as well.. was nothing to speak of though.

Yeah, 4.5-5" on my first XJ was perfect.. i'v been chasing that overall combination of fit and comfort since.. i remember when 32's were considered BIG on an XJ. :sombrero:

 

[SWbySWesty]

I know you want to swueeze 33's, but i ran 32x11.5's on stock wheels with 4.5", stock flares with zero issues. (minor rubbing on CA's and coil tower)

I'd consider dropping down in tire size before adding the expense of flares.
q

hmmm- I'd rather just cut flares than purchase some because if I drop to 32's i'm geared at 4.56 and my speedo would then be more off...I think with some good trimming this weekend, it'll be all okay, but we'll see...:smiley_drive:

 

[jh504]

Now that you mention that i had very minor rubbing in the rear fenderwells as well.. was nothing to speak of though.

Yeah, 4.5-5" on my first XJ was perfect.. i'v been chasing that overall combination of fit and comfort since.. i remember when 32's were considered BIG on an XJ. :sombrero:

I havnt seen the 4.5 + 32 combination personally but I dont imagine the rubbing would be all that bad. The back is no big deal anyway. I think that would be a good way to go for our man here. 32x10.50 is a good size too, especially when you consider that Interco generally makes their tires taller than the rest of the competition. Could turn out being a little closer to a 33x10.50 with just enough shaved off to leave room to keep stock fenders and wells.

 

[jh504]

hmmm- I'd rather just cut flares than purchase some because if I drop to 32's i'm geared at 4.56 and my speedo would then be more off...I think with some good trimming this weekend, it'll be all okay, but we'll see...:smiley_drive:

If you want to cut it up then by all means go for it. All mine have been cut. You can make the stock flares work with trimmed fenders too.