Front fender reinforcement

Mike_H

autos are better - WRWD508
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Feb 28, 2017
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Grand Rapids, MI, United States
I’m at my father in laws for the week, without my Jeep or motorhome to keep me occupied. My mind starts to wander and I come up with nutso ideas about my Jeep. This is one such idea.

I have aftermarket replacement fenders. They are pretty flimsy, probably 22 ga steel. Super light, but a good cross eyed stare will bend them. They bend back, just as easily. My passenger fender has bent enough though, that its got a bit of a crease in it now. Apparently, it’s not very fond of my drive by touch method of wheeling.

I’m not really a flat fender guy. MCE’s are hideous, in my eye. Genright are ok, motobilt looks ok. I actually like metalcloaks. But, I really like the factory fenders. I like the turn signals and the way they wrap the grill. I like that they factory looking, making my Jeep look a little more “sleeper” vs a full on rock crawler build. So, I’d like to keep them.

There are two things I don’t like about the factory fenders (or mine, in particular). The clearance to the rear (which I have dialed in) and the flimsy nature of them. My pass fender kinda make my Jeep look like it has Bell’s palsy, It’s a little droopy after a few years of wheeling.

Has any one added a little bit of material, strategically, to stiffen the fenders up? I’m thinking a few small pieces of 12 ga to help them hold their shape. I know I don’t want to go crazy, as too stiff a fender will just ruin the tub, but I am getting tired of slipping into a tree and folding my fender up. Or just walking by the damn thing and bumping into it…same net result.
 
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I know I don’t want to go crazy, as too stiff a fender will just ruin the tub, but I am getting tired of slipping into a tree and folding my fender up.

I imagine there is a very fine line between "strong enough to not bend" and "flexible enough to not ruin the tub".

Maybe a set of OEM fenders is what you need.
 
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I imagine there is a very fine line between "strong enough to not bend" and "flexible enough to not ruin the tub".

Maybe a set of OEM fenders is what you need.

Why not get a set of original fenders? Plenty of then out there...

-Mac

Trust me...I've been looking. OEM would be great...but they are tough to find around here and shipping them from the west coast is cost prohibitve.

I really only need to reinforce the leading edge and the outboard edge to the cutaway for the tire. I think that would give me what I need and still allow the fender to crumple if I get really stupid.