How to remove Mud flaps and wheel well trim!!!

[bmanbryce]

Hello T4R! This is my first post about my first 4runner! I recently got a 1998, white 4x4 5speed 4 runner, for 3500, as my first car! I have yet to drive her as we are taking care of cosmetic problems inside and out at the moment but just small things that have to do with looks, not functionality.

So we are polishing and waxing the car and in our, might i add never ending, quest to make her perfect, we have taken off the air dam (plastic part of bumper) to repaint black again, we had no problems there. it was not until we wanted to take off the mud flaps to re paint and take off the silver trim on the wheel well for who knows why, painting cleaning, going sans trim, we have not decided. however in taking off the mud flaps we ran into this strange bolt holding it on that I had no clue how to take care of!!!



there are two bolts similar to this on the fender flares with a rubber cap on the other end which i tried to pull out but i wasnt sure if i was pulling it out or ripping it off





and on the mud flaps, there isnt even a rubber cap on the other end in sight!!! :frusty: :help:

Anyway i searched and searched and could not find an answer so any help would be much appreciated from the first time poster!

-Thank You!

 

[afg10000]

Those are rivets. Be careful. You are opening a can of worms. To put those flares and trim pieces back on will require a lot. Do not break the hard rubber molding up above on the outside, you will need to reuse it or pay Toyota a lot for new ones. You'll need replacement christmas tree clips from Toyota (2.50 ea). You have to use Toyota ones. Rivets will need replacing for re-installation. It's the proper way to do it but it takes some dedication -

 

[bmanbryce]

THank you very much! on the rear fender on the drivers side, one of those rivets that holds the wheel well trim is actually broken and the fender dangles off in the back. is that something that we are going to need toyotas help to fix?

 

[A.Wilson013]

THank you very much! on the rear fender on the drivers side, one of those rivets that holds the wheel well trim is actually broken and the fender dangles off in the back. is that something that we are going to need toyotas help to fix?

If by Toyota's help, you mean a Toyota parts department, yes.

The previous owner of my 4Runner had a snow chain break on the front drivers side... It chew up my flare pretty well. One day I plan to take them all off, sand, and re-paint (or maybe dye them...).

 

[bmanbryce]

If by Toyota's help, you mean a Toyota parts department, yes.

The previous owner of my 4Runner had a snow chain break on the front drivers side... It chew up my flare pretty well. One day I plan to take them all off, sand, and re-paint (or maybe dye them...).

okay thank you for the input

 

[bmanbryce]

If by Toyota's help, you mean a Toyota parts department, yes.

The previous owner of my 4Runner had a snow chain break on the front drivers side... It chew up my flare pretty well. One day I plan to take them all off, sand, and re-paint (or maybe dye them...).

We bit the bullet and took all of the flares and mud flaps off. I can tell you one thing for sure and that is the simplistic look without the flares kills!!!! On the mud flaps we painted them matte black and put them back on and it added tremendously to the look!!!!