TJ pocket flare advice needed

Baltimoreed

TJ Enthusiast
Supporting Member
Joined
May 18, 2019
Messages
538
Location
Aurora, NC
My plan is to have Ripley repainted [same color] this fall [undercoated as soon as I’m able to get it done]. Half cab and tonneau will match the body. My question is about the pocket flares that I want to install. What would be best, remove the oem flares along with any or all nutserts that need drilling out and have the body painted under the flares then install the new flares or remove and install the new flares and possibly have them painted as well? As far as I know there’s no obvious fender damage but the several nutserts that I’ve tried to unscrew have failed to hold. Any repainting ideas? What have you guys done?
 
I think that is a personal preference, and if you post a picture of your Jeep I will give you my opinion.

A couple weekends ago I removed my stock flares to paint them black (I have a red LJ), but I have a red hardtop and black wheels, so I thought painting my stock flares would be too red, so I kept them black.

I also drilled out all the nutserts and installed larger nutserts with plenty of anti-seize.

I used this tool for the new nutserts, and ordered a plethora of nutserts.

https://www.tools-plus.com/astro-pneumatic-1443a.html
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K3QBGVW/?tag=wranglerorg-20