Rear Fender Flare Removal - how?

[ted4r]

Hi Folks - I have an ‘06 Limited V8 FWD with a floppy rear top fender flare. Someone opened a door as I was slowly driving by and popped the top part of the fender flare up. I got out and just popped it back in and all seemed OK until a few years later when going through a car wash it made a loud pop and was just sort of hanging open at the top.

Looking at it, all the clips (and a few of the flare mounts) are broken and it looks like all that is holding it on are 2 (?) bolts at the bottom. One I can see and get a wrench on, the other looks to be behind the rear fender/rear trim piece?

I watched the great GOXPLOR YouTube video on repairing and remounting the rear fender flares, but he totally skips the bolts and I’m stuck . Any advice or how to on getting that rear piece off?

Thanks!

 

[inscarguy]

You have to drop that corner of the rear bumper cover. It's a 10mm socket to get it off. the bumper cover corner has 2 bolts, one at the top corner and one at the bottom. After they are out you can get a socket and extension up there to get out the one bolt.

 

[aemravan]

i don't remember if the door flare has any bolts from the inside of the door or not, don't think it does, but anyhow, once you do get the bolt/screw out from underneath you will also very likely break half the blue and orange mounting clips that secure it in place. I got a bag of replacements for each from amazon (something like this Amazon.com)

anytime I pop the flares off I end up replacing almost all of the clips.

 

[clouder47]

I just took mine off to prepare to sand and repaint them. Remove the bolt in the top of the wheel well/bottom of the flare section. If you remove the bolts on the mud flap and move it out of the way, you can get a 10mm wrench on the bolt behind the rear bumper section. I used a ratcheting wrench. Replacement clips can be had on amazon for $9 for a 100-pack. For anyone removing them that still has the clips in, I used a heat gun on the flare which may or may not have helped avoid breaking any of the clip holes/brackets.

Here are links to guides:
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/atta...-4th-gen-06-a-outside-moulding-components-pdf
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/atta...4th-gen-06-a-outside-moulding-replacement-pdf

 

[Kaplar]

Thank you kindly Sir on your time and effort to help others.