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Howler_GT
07-03-2009, 11:50 AM
Ever since I installed the 31x10.50 Destination A/T's, the fronts have been protrudung out past the stock flares.

No Biggie, just remove the flares and don't worry about it.
Right?

WRONG.
In Pennsylvania, the state inspection codes require that NONE of the tire may stick out past ANY bodywork (including flares)

Last year, I swapped some tires around at the last minute to meet the inspection requirements.

I DO NOT plan on going through THAT again.

One of the popular mods is to switch to rear Rubicon flares.
After beating out fellow bidders on eBay, I won a pair of slightly used ones.

They arrived today.
After removing the packaging, I test fitted them against the whimpy stock flares. They are about an 1 3/4"-2" wider than the XJ's.

My plan is to remove the stock units and install the Rubicon flares so the top edge is flush (meets up with) the bodyline on the fender. And of course do any necessary trimming needed.

The only thing I foresee being a problem is the lower bodyline, just above the rocker. The Rubicon has FLAT quarter panels, so the mounting surface of the flares is also flat.

I will be snapping some pics and MAYBE doing a Tech Write-up, as I think others can profit from the info I am willing to share.

I do not know when exactly I will be getting to it, as there is some re-construction our house requires and the neverending flow of orders for HCP.

On that note: I have NO idea WHEN the HCP window stickers will arrive (If they arrive at all) :mad::mad::mad:

Mudderoy
07-03-2009, 04:06 PM
I was going to PM you about the stickers, but I felt for sure you would have had them by now.

Melissa
07-03-2009, 11:49 PM
Your such a picture tease, I'm still waiting for the "catheder" pictures you promised :D :popcorn:

Howler Quote:

For the time-being, I put a catheder in Lil Red.

I will take pics of this stop-gap fix because I know SOMEONE will want to see.

Xtreme XJ
07-04-2009, 05:09 PM
Howler
I'd look at all the XJ sites out there and search'em. Personally I don't like the "eyebrow" look where the flare is trimmed on the leading & trailing edges...
I spent a LOT !! of hours working on mine... then about 3 weeks later ran the rear into a canyon wall... it went flat then returned to shape... mine are standard TJ flares not the Rubi. ones... I also used a full set as opposed to 4 rears I like the finished look. Some other things I did was in the rear I DIDN'T split the flare, I left it whole and I swapped sides with the rear flares... Dr. to Pass. and such, I also trimmed a little off the front edge of the rears... I made brackets to hold the lower sections of each flare... CAUSE... I didn't want it flapping in the breeze like others have done. The brackets help keep the flare tight against the body after being trimmed to the profile of the XJ body.

Here is what I came up with... FYI these are only 32s, but they're on a wheel with much less B.S. then most 3 3/8ths. I think.

Full profile...
http://i39.tinypic.com/2n8vv54.jpg
Trailing edge of front... trim job is Eh...
http://i43.tinypic.com/2csggud.jpg
Rear Pass. trimmed & fitted up NICE !!
http://i39.tinypic.com/ddyljr.jpg
Rear Dr. side with canyon pinstripe'n...
http://i41.tinypic.com/28rpc0w.jpg
Aluminium angle to hold the lower parts of the flare tight to the body...
http://i39.tinypic.com/10p9001.jpg
And the ONE piece rears... and the wheels that I'm look'n for COME ON help me locate two of these... :D
http://i41.tinypic.com/binkm9.jpg

For those doing the rear cut & fold look at the first scratched flare pict. and you'll see what it looks like if you get too ambitious with the hammer... notice the wave wavey body line at the top of the flare...
O.K. one more... the rear tuck'n and the flares covering tires... AND the wheels y'all are keep'n an eye out for on... :D
http://i43.tinypic.com/2hi7e5e.jpg


Curt

muddeprived
07-04-2009, 08:47 PM
You probably have the best "cuts" that i've seen with wrangler flares. Most people do an "ok" job and you can tell with all the gaps and stuff. You did a good job. BUT i really wish you used rear flares up front. It's just that weird lookin front end with a sidemarker that throws it all off. To each his own though, and if you like it then it works :)

Xtreme XJ
07-05-2009, 02:57 AM
I too feel it's a personal thing... for me I feel it looks "finished"... the rears look a little un-finished... I feel the side marker adds to the finished look... like you said though... To each his own.
One other thing...
On the rears I pie cut the flare mounting flange on the rears in the corners... this was so I could follow the XJ wheel opening better... as opposed to the TJ shape...
Thanks for the kind words...

Curt

Mudderoy
07-05-2009, 05:21 AM
Thanks for posting the pictures. I was curious how you could mount those flairs to an XJ. Makes sense now.

Howler_GT
07-05-2009, 01:50 PM
Hey Curt.
Thanks for the visual-aids.
Looks good.

I shied away from using the full set of TJ's.
My personal taste--don't care for the side-marker/reflector.

I WILL be flipping sides though. (Pass TJ on DR XJ and vice versa)
The TJ's go lower on thier front, so this will work better flipped to the back.

About 10 min after I posted the first message in this thread, I sat outside with the flares eyeing them up on Lil Red. And I came to the same "fix" that you have for the lower bodyline.
Cut it to match and install a small aluminum angle to tie it all together.

Xtreme XJ
07-06-2009, 01:58 AM
Hey Curt.
Thanks for the visual-aids.
Looks good.

I shied away from using the full set of TJ's.
My personal taste--don't care for the side-marker/reflector.

I WILL be flipping sides though. (Pass TJ on DR XJ and vice versa)
The TJ's go lower on thier front, so this will work better flipped to the back.

About 10 min after I posted the first message in this thread, I sat outside with the flares eyeing them up on Lil Red. And I came to the same "fix" that you have for the lower bodyline.
Cut it to match and install a small aluminum angle to tie it all together.


Cool... Great minds... :thumbsup:

I think next will be a tube flare or a redo on this set up with fresh flares...

Throw some picts. up when done...

Curt

mizedog
07-06-2009, 11:00 AM
http://i43.tinypic.com/2hi7e5e.jpg


Curt

That's got to be Truckhaven, right?! That's my favorite place to wheel!! My CJ would flex soooo much I'd crack the frame almost every time out. I miss that place.:(

Sorry for the highjack.
Kurt

Howler_GT
07-06-2009, 07:57 PM
Okay, this is for all you pic-hounds out there.
Just to prove I am not a PIC-TEASE :eek:

Here goes:

View of the stock flare set-up with 10.5" wide tires.
FRONT VIEW:

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/3453/oemfrontview.jpg

REAR-VIEW (over mirror):

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/8220/oemrearview.jpg


I took a fine-tip Sharpie and traced around stock flare.
I removed to stock flare and cannibalized the lower rear corner to aid in trimming new flare to fender.
I then trimmed out the stock wheelwell as there is a partial flare on the metal.

Then placing the new flare against the fender. Mrs Howler eye-balled it for me, SHE traced around it to give me a second line.
Its hard to see in pic.

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/9275/flarelines.jpg

This gives me reference. I then made little tick-marks around the outer circumfrence to locate the final fitment.
I opted to try and make the rear portion reach as far down as it could.

Why? Cause its what I wanted. :smiley-scared002:

I used one of the new flares mounting holes at the center as my starting point. I was using 1/4" SS hardware, I drilled 5/16" hole. And mounted the flare.

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/4633/aftersometrimming.jpg

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/9056/aftertrim2.jpg

Remember: These two pics above are "DURING"

Several sets of "C-clamp" Vise grips work wonders. Allowed me to make final postioning moves. I coped out the lower rear section and used a grinder with a Tiger-Paw sanding disc to "fine-tune".

I bent a small piece of 1/8" aluminum to make a small mounting angle for the bottom. I riveted it to the fender and used 2 SS flathead screws to mount the flare to it.

Now I turn my attention to the front. After much debate with myself, Mrs. Howler AND Frank (Kaustic), I decided to trim the fenderat the bottom of the corner light.
This is for two reasons: It looks nicer and the flare will not distort the front of the fender as it is FLAT and that corner curves inward.

I cut the flare to line-up with the fender.

And this is what I have right now:

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/7812/fitup.jpg

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/6880/fitup2.jpg

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/9378/fitup3.jpg

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/4683/fitup4.jpg

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/2278/fitup5.jpg

The upper mounting edge of the NEW flare is 1.5" higher than the stock flare but it doesn't slope down...Almost FLAT

I will:
-re-do the lower corner so it fits more snug
-trim away more of the fender INSIDE the flare (alot left in back portion)
-paint up/touch-up all exposed metal
-reinforce the front corner of the fender (its a BIT wobbly for my taste)
-replace AND relocated the horn (Bonneville Hi-Way horns...loud as HELL)

Now I have the other side...ewwww.

Mrs Howler came home and stated she likes the look alot.
Now I just have to do the rear. :smiley-scared002: :smiley-scared002: :smiley-scared002:

DETOURS
07-06-2009, 08:09 PM
Looks good!

Xtreme XJ
07-07-2009, 12:50 AM
That's got to be Truckhaven, right?! That's my favorite place to wheel!! My CJ would flex soooo much I'd crack the frame almost every time out. I miss that place.:(

Sorry for the highjack.
Kurt


10-4... I have to admit my CJ has farrr too many cracks from down there... Actually I'm the semi-self proclaimed Mayor of Truckhaven... 40 mins. from my driveway... I've even got my own Truckhaven oddity... a 4 place trailer park waaaay up in the hills... and I didn't even have to DIE !!!
How long has it been since you were down here ??? Colo. isn't a short trip...
it's MUCH nicer there... about 112* today...

Curt

Mudderoy
07-07-2009, 03:11 AM
Not bad. If I was building a throw down trail rig I'd use those. Looks good and much cheaper than the crackers.

Melissa
07-07-2009, 01:32 PM
[QUOTE=Howler_GT;10282]Okay, this is for all you pic-hounds out there.
Just to prove I am not a PIC-TEASE :eek:

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/9378/fitup3.jpg

QUOTE]

Thank you Howler for the pics

I'm with Mrs Howler, looks very good!!!

Dirt Dogg Rydas
07-24-2009, 04:51 PM
Howler
I'd look at all the XJ sites out there and search'em. Personally I don't like the "eyebrow" look where the flare is trimmed on the leading & trailing edges...
I spent a LOT !! of hours working on mine... then about 3 weeks later ran the rear into a canyon wall... it went flat then returned to shape... mine are standard TJ flares not the Rubi. ones... I also used a full set as opposed to 4 rears I like the finished look. Some other things I did was in the rear I DIDN'T split the flare, I left it whole and I swapped sides with the rear flares... Dr. to Pass. and such, I also trimmed a little off the front edge of the rears... I made brackets to hold the lower sections of each flare... CAUSE... I didn't want it flapping in the breeze like others have done. The brackets help keep the flare tight against the body after being trimmed to the profile of the XJ body.

Here is what I came up with... FYI these are only 32s, but they're on a wheel with much less B.S. then most 3 3/8ths. I think.

Full profile...
http://i39.tinypic.com/2n8vv54.jpg

Curt

do you have any more pics of how you mounted your TJ flares I'm about to do mine and Would like as much info as i can get specially pics

_StationWagon_
07-24-2009, 11:47 PM
Well I did the TJ flare thing on my XJ (well I had someone else do the front because I couldn't bear to cut the sheet metal). But later I swapped the fronts for Sahara rears & trimmed some stuff. I did the rear wheel wells myself start to finish using the snip-n-fold method. I refused to drill a single hole, especially in my doors, so I used 3M tape and it held like bolts for almost 2 years until I had to pry it off to mount my body armor. Here's my thread (http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=473056) on the rears, & a lotta pics. Hope I'm not ticking anyone off by posting the link, just trying to offer up some options & a different perspective. I went for the "eye brow" look and didn't tie down the trailing edges. Allows the flare to flex when it needs to, and hasn't been a problem. Splitting the flares allowed me to move them up higher. The trimming on all 4 flares has since been tweaked for a better fit.

Xtreme XJ
07-25-2009, 02:19 AM
do you have any more pics of how you mounted your TJ flares I'm about to do mine and Would like as much info as i can get specially pics

Have you decided whether you are going to split the rear flare or keep it one piece ? Decision #1. Personal preference...

Then you'll want to decide regular TJ or the 1" wider Sahara (maybe Rubicon) flare like Howler. Decision #2. Again personal preference...

StationWagon's came out really nice (as did Howler's) and has a nice write up that is linked...
Two things I might add are on the rear cut & fold... I didn't do as many cuts on the longer sections and I did more cuts at the radius... in typing this out I'm wondering if the more cuts makes for less "trauma" to the body along the top of the flare... Hmmm... I have some wavy body lines along the top of the flares from getting a little toooo persuasive on the "fold" part.
As I stated I didn't want to shorten the height of the flares for an "eyebrow" effect... in doing so the lower sections need the brackets to hold them on.
I used angle aluminium 1.5" (I think?) Tech screws into the body and allen button headed mach. screws with nyloc nuts.
I also swapped the rears Dr. to Pass. & Pass to Dr. sides. I did have to trim the lower front edge of the rears... 2" maybe ?? To keep the flare in one piece I did similar pie/relief cuts on the mouting flange of the flare to allow a little tighter radius to mimic the O.E. lines.
I'd look alllll over the web to see what folks are doing... find one or two and mimic it.
I don't have too many more picts., but if you need more then throw me an E-mail and we can pick what you want to focus on...
PATIENTS !!! will yield clean cuts... I have ALOT of hours in mine and I'm not happy with the trimming along the body lines... I'm sure others can offer much insight as well... :smiley-talk024: That's ME !!!

Good Luck...

Curt

N1TZU
07-25-2009, 08:17 PM
Awesome job there Howler_GT.Looks great. I've got the same issue with my 32x11.50"s sticking out beyond the stock flares.I"m planning to something like that someday.Mostly because of the overspray from the triers.