Is it safe to cut bottom end of front fender, next to door?

[TheManOutside]

Hello there! So I have an 85 4runner with some 33's on it and 2 inch wheel spacers cause my rims backspacing game is super weak. All was good, no rubbing at all, but then I went wheeling. Whenever flexing (even a small amount) and turning the wheel, the tires would rub really bad on this inner part of fender, as you can see here....

....and here....

another one

so basically what I'm wondering is, is it safe to cut that little corner completely off? Under neath the plastic cover thing is where it looks like the trucks body is held together, but I don't know. I can try and get a better pic tomorrow if it helps. Also, I only have a sawzall and some other cutting tools, I do not own a welder so I don't want to cut anything I can't fix

Here's another close up just to show how mangled it is cause why not

Tires only have some gnarly scars, didn't pop, so..

Tires : 1 Fenders : 0

 

[Bad_Vision]

Yes just make sure the mounting tab is still intact to keep the fender down. Or buy high clearance fenders from Toyota fiberglass. [MENTION=3959]slacker[/MENTION] makes good stuff and has high clearance fenders.

 

[KidVermicious]

Don't cut it, pound it flat. Take the wheel off, get a four pound sledge and go to town.

FWIW, with those tires and wheel spacers at stock height, you're going to rub there no matter what you do. But if you pound that seam nice and flat you won't tear up your tires quite as bad. If you don't want to rub at all (and don't want to lift), ditch the spacers and run a skinnier tire, a 33x10.5 or so. Or install an extended bump stop.

 

[MacGyver1979]

I took a torch to mine, 33"s rubbed way to hard before the 3 inch body lift. it was Budweisers idea. I probably cut more then I should have, and had smoke coming from odd places.
It can be done properly but with precision and welding a flat plate back in to cover the void. mine holds mud and rocks. Its on my list of things to do but low on my list.

 

[BigRyan1986]

I have a 2nd gen and i cut the corners of mine back to the body mount. I used a cut off wheel and a grinder. I don't think i have any close up pics i can have one tomorrow

 

[BigRyan1986]

These are the best pics i had on my computer at work. If you can get past the mud you can see it.

 

[TheManOutside]

These are the best pics i had on my computer at work. If you can get past the mud you can see it.

This is pretty much exactly what I was thinking about doing.

Don't cut it, pound it flat. Take the wheel off, get a four pound sledge and go to town.

As my for my truck, I actually have OME leaf springs which lift it a little bit if I'm not mistaken. I don't want to lift it anymore, it's already way too tall in my opinion. I also won't actually be able to cut the truck until the weekend after this one coming up, so I can't really do much now...

How far back would be too far back? I'll try and get some pics of what I'm worried about cutting, but sledgehammering it out doesn't sound like a bad idea.

 

[BigRyan1986]

This is pretty much exactly what I was thinking about doing.

I also had to take a hammer to mine. When i did that i was running 35x16 tires with 12" wide rims that had like a 10" offset. So they stuck out a lot

 

[TheManOutside]

I also had to take a hammer to mine. When i did that i was running 35x16 tires with 12" wide rims that had like a 10" offset. So they stuck out a lot

That thing is gnarly. Looks really good with those tires especially :thumb:

 

[TheManOutside]

Alright, so I took another look underneath today and now I'm having a hard time seeing how cutting will even do anything.. I guess I'm gonna have to hammer it? Idk

This is where it rubs the most, and what I want to cut off

Here's a pic from the outside angle. The place I want to cut isn't even apart of the fender, it's the body from what it looks like.

Here's the damage it did to my tire. Kinda hard to see, but I have 3 gashes like this in various places. Not good! It only happened on the front left tire though, for some reason...

How much choppage can be done

 

[KidVermicious]

As my for my truck, I actually have OME leaf springs which lift it a little bit if I'm not mistaken. I don't want to lift it anymore, it's already way too tall in my opinion. I also won't actually be able to cut the truck until the weekend after this one coming up, so I can't really do much now...

How far back would be too far back? I'll try and get some pics of what I'm worried about cutting, but sledgehammering it out doesn't sound like a bad idea.

I have close to the same setup as you, I'll get you a couple pics in the morning.

 

[BigRyan1986]

That thing is gnarly. Looks really good with those tires especially :thumb:

Thanks I borrowed the tires. The pic with the bighorns is how it sits now. As good as they looked they were way to much tire. I need to run my body lift to use them. The tires did more damage to my runner then the trail did. On that trip i broke a front cv and bent my drag link in the steering. Good thing i had the parts truck but now im out of spare parts.

 

[TheManOutside]

I have close to the same setup as you, I'll get you a couple pics in the morning.

Alright, cool

Thanks I borrowed the tires. The pic with the bighorns is how it sits now. As good as they looked they were way to much tire. I need to run my body lift to use them. The tires did more damage to my runner then the trail did. On that trip i broke a front cv and bent my drag link in the steering. Good thing i had the parts truck but now im out of spare parts.

thats nuts. those bighorns look good, what size are they? 33's?

 

[BigRyan1986]

Alright, cool



thats nuts. those bighorns look good, what size are they? 33's?

No they are 35's. The only reason why the boggers were rubbing is because they were so damn wide. If they were the 35x12.5's like i have now i think they would have tucked into the wheel wells instead of rubbing

 

[KidVermicious]

This is the pounding I did to my 85. I started at the top and cut the entire seam short, then pounded it flat all the way under the corner. With OME springs and 6" shackles I still rubbed a bit with 255/85 tires. You'll definitely rub with 11.5 or wider and stock shackles, but it'll minimize the cutting you're getting now.

 

[TheManOutside]

This is the pounding I did to my 85. I started at the top and cut the entire seam short, then pounded it flat all the way under the corner. With OME springs and 6" shackles I still rubbed a bit with 255/85 tires. You'll definitely rub with 11.5 or wider and stock shackles, but it'll minimize the cutting you're getting now.

Hmm.. I'm not seeing a picture if you posted one

 

[KidVermicious]

Hmm.. I'm not seeing a picture if you posted one

I blame Tapatalk.

 

[BigRyan1986]

I blame Tapatalk.

I would too. Tapatalk sucks

 

[TheManOutside]

I blame Tapatalk.

I tried to use it once, then quit after 5 mins.

Your pic magically appeared now. So basically what I can do is cut the seam (assuming that's what I pointed at in my photos, correct?) really short, then flatten it out/take out the jaggedness with a sledge hammer... right? And it's safe to cut the whole bottom part of the fender off right there too (just in case)? Since it doesn't look to be attached to the body.

 

[KidVermicious]

The bottom of the fender bolts to the body, get under there and you'll see it. Don't cut that part off, I did and now my fenders are flappy.