Took off fender flares

[ticker]

I took advantage of some freakishly warm weather on Saturday to remove my fender flares. The plan was to take them off to take care of some rust i could see forming behind one of them. The flares do a lot of damage to the fender where they rub up on it. Over the next few weeks I'm going to sand prime and paint the areas that the flares covered. I really like the way the truck looks without the flares. I have small stock tires on there and it looks pretty good with the sizable space between the tire and the wheel well. I always thought that with the smaller tires that the flares made the truck look a little goofy too. Does anyone one know what Nissan put around the wheel well on pathy's that come stock without flares. The mounting points for the flares look kind of funny and on the front wheels the plastic shroud inside the wheel well seems like it would fall out if i hadn't put the bolts back in. This shroud seems to be somewhat ineffective considering the mud pack that i found behind it. If anyone had pics of a stock none flare wheel well i would love to see them so I can get an idea of what I can fabricate. I'll keep my eyes peeled for one around here but they aren't very common.

thanks

ticker

[Slick]

to my knowledge all pathys came with fender flares from the factory

[GrimGreg]

I know the later model LEs didn't have flares stock.

[Slick]

I know the later model LEs didn't have flares stock.

really? wow. i have NEVER seen a pathy around here without flares... vurry interesting indeed....

[Earth1]

I've seen a couple with chrome moulding around the well. Looks aight. I was planning on putting a bead of silicone or something around the contact lip of mine next time I have them off. Should help if not solve the rubbing/scratching problem.

[madhatter_xe]

My '88 didn't come with flares either. Before putting on a used set that I found, I used POR-15 on the area that is hidden under the flares. It seems to be working OK, some flaking though.

[88pathoffroad]

to my knowledge all pathys came with fender flares from the factory

Nope, it was based on trim level and was optional on all Pathfinders. Mine never had flares until I got them from a junkyard and put them on.

[Slick]

see, i learn something new everyday -bounce-

[RedPath88]

Here you go Slick... this is mine, no flares just a black trim around the fenders

Edited March 15, 2006 by RedPath88

[Slick]

Here you go Slick... this is mine, no flares just a black trim around the fenders

see.. i took mine off n everyone told me i'd get a ticket ticket for what? my pathy looking better? or the cadillac behind getting dirty?

[ticker]

Questions for you redpath88,

Did you take our flares off, and if so what did you use for the trim around the fenders? As for Slick getting tickets for no flares maybe it's the size of your tires. Mine barely stick out from the body which is why i think the flares looked so goofy.

[cohen]

I've been wanting to do that with mine for a long time, but I'm afraid I'll get to the last one and it'll b rusted really bad and then would have just wasted an afternoon messing with it. And i definately don't want to sand prime and repaint it.

[88pathoffroad]

If I took mine off I could get a ticket for not having enough tire coverage.

[RedPath88]

Questions for you redpath88,

Did you take our flares off, and if so what did you use for the trim around the fenders? As for Slick getting tickets for no flares maybe it's the size of your tires. Mine barely stick out from the body which is why i think the flares looked so goofy.

I did not do anything, that is the way my truck came new

[RedPath88]

If I took mine off I could get a ticket for not having enough tire coverage.

Yeah, iirc the limit here that a tire can stick out beyond the fender/flare is either 1.5 or 2in.

[ticker]

I've been wanting to do that with mine for a long time, but I'm afraid I'll get to the last one and it'll b rusted really bad and then would have just wasted an afternoon messing with it. And i definately don't want to sand prime and repaint it.

On one side of the pathy the fenders look pretty clean, but a little discolored. The one with the most damage on the others ide was due to the fact that the PO must have been in an acciddent and when the flare was put back on it was loose and allowed sand and crud to get in there and do their thing. The back just has a little bit of rust.

 

As for spending all afternoon, it only took me about 30min to take all four off.

[Slick]

cool. it doesn't take long.. when i had my wider tires (255's w/ 3.5" bs) on i took the flares off.... this is why everyone said i'd get a ticket.

i have 31x10.5x15 tires now with 4" bs. (or is it vice versa.. oh crap.. i can't remember.. but they don't stick out as much)

[cohen]

i got brave and decided to do it last thursday. after 2 1/2 hours of wd-40-ing every damn bolt, taking the back tires off to get to 1 screw on each side, and cleaning them up some with polishing compound. I was finished. I'll post pics prolly tomorrow. It looks good except for some scratches where they had been rubbing over the years.

[SC88Pathy]

I'm planning on taking mine off over spring break, along with a lot of other work that needs to be done (install second tow hook, make gap gaurds, get pathy smogged, get AT fluid flushed, then hopefully go play! -bounce- ) I'm fairly certain that I won't get a ticket, I see all kinds of yotas running around with aftermarket tires sticking way out and they never seem to have any trouble from the cops...

[87pathy]

my 87 didn't have flares either... i need to do something. i drove all weekend on the roads without problems but i think i'm pushing my luck i have about 6-8 inches outside of the body

[Mr. Pickles]

Yeah, I see quite a few around here without flares. But even if you have larger tires, and the cops are like they are here, they probably wouldn't look twice unless the difference from stock was REALLY big.