Fender panel mangled around side marker light

[Pyral]

This is sort of difficult to show, but the side fender has a lip that surrounds the side marker light- on my vehicle that lip has been bent upwards. I don't know why this was done but that lip has been screwed up so much that now my side marker light wont fit in correctly. I originally removed the side marker light because the plastic holding it in had cracked.

This hackjob also cracked the metal in the corner when they bent it up. What should I do about this, should I try bending the metal back?

(Above) Shows how the flange that goes around the side marker light should look. Image is of a first gen tacoma, but it is similar to what it should look like. Photo is from user MY1STGENTACO on Tacomaworld forum.

(Above) Notice how the lip abruptly ends as it reaches the corner on my 4runner.

(Above) The lip was bent upward. I don't know if I should try bending it back.

Link to photo album incase the images fail to post or expire

 

[brillo_76]

As a guess. I would say a previous accident caused that damage. I see what you mean as the fender flange lip is cut off at some point.

Deer got my drivers side fender bracket on one of my rigs and messed the fender and the fender bracket some. Plus the front bumper with bumper bracket.

Check and see if your fender bracket is good and not bent. They bolt on and can buy new ones via Aftermarket if not available OEM..

Might be easier just to replace the fender and have it blended in to match your color for that fender lip. If you want that lip back. For that position and location would make it very difficult to put a new replacement lip on that fender. That is if I am seeing everything correctly..





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[HiLife]

I would plan on getting another fender.
The metal is thin and easily bent. You can try you hand at metal work and try to bend it back using a same likewise radius dolly, and lightly use a body hammer. Nothing to loose if your getting another fender.
You could resort to using screwdrivers, pliers, etc. But, pending on how your perfection is, you may never be happy with the results.

 

[Pyral]

The fender flange lip is bent up, not cut off. You can see that in the third photo, the flange is cracked at the corner and then bent up so it looks like it is cut off at the corner when in reality it was just tucked up.

My 4runner has the vinyl coach line stripes (you can see the end of one in the 2nd photo), I don't want to paint the fender because then I would have to replace the decals or remove them from the other panels in order for them to match. I'll check the brackets.

If the vehicle was in the crash then that would be news to me. Last owner said it wasn't crashed but he was a slimy mother f****r so it wouldn't surprise me. Just to name a few examples, he lied about it having power locks (said key fob was lost but he would mail it), he lied about it being an SR5 (its base model), he lied about it being fully loaded when it didn't even have ABS optioned.

 

[diverscale]

Well, then the ''only'' option you have for now is to either bend it back in place, you could remove the other corner light and see the original modeling of the metal lips and try to copy it. I am sure it is not that difficult of a challenge.

Don'T forget, though, to anti-rust proof and/or paint the parts you bend or cut, and where the paint is damaged, as these fenders rust crazy quick.