Removing Fender Flares

[PuroPinchePedo]

Hello, I'm new to the board. I have a 1997 4runner and after a little fender bender that the vehicle had I think I want to remove the fender flares. My goal is to remove the fender flares and stock running boards and put on aftermarket sliders and flares after I lift.

My question to the forum is the portion of the flare that is attached to the door and the separate mold piece attached to the driver/pass front on there with adhesive or with clips. I don't want to remove them only to find holes in the door. I know the flares will have holes and that's fine since I will replace them but I don't want holes in the doors from removing the door molding pieces.

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[TCMach]

you will have holes. lots of holes. Photo courtesy of [MENTION=76419]Doc2012[/MENTION] here is his thread too, he welded up the holes and it turned out well http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/119076-docs-zrv-pic-heavy-5.html

 

[BrianSD_42]

Read the tutorial and documentation thread. 2nd or 3rd to last page. There is a link to the thread on how to remove and install flares.

 

[BrianSD_42]

In here ..... http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/69744-3rd-gen-faq-tutorials-documentation-reference.html

 

[BrianSD_42]

After reading your post further ...

but I don't want holes in the doors from removing the door molding pieces.

1) you don't want to remove the flares permanently because there will be 4-6 holes in each panel, including doors. Not wanting the holes will not help LoL they will be there either way because they already exist.

2) aftermarket kits ... Bushwhacker ? Are hardly better than the Limited flares.
Yes the running panels kind of suck on the doors but they do no harm.

You can install any lift, bumper sliders etc and keep the limited flares setup.

Just read my thread, linked below, for lots of pics as an example.

 

[PuroPinchePedo]

Awesome info and thanks for the pic. I don't have a problem with the flares but I want to go with black wheels and wanted to paint the flares if anything. So I guess I need to find someone willing to remove them and paint them. I also will need to more than likely find all the clips that will break when I remove the existing flares. Any tips on where I can find those clips? Thanks again for the info!​

 

[TCMach]

All the clips you can get from Toyota. Not the cheapest but you know they'll work. For what it's worth I removed my limited flares recently and broke no clips. Although you will have to buy new adhesive trim. I'm talking about the rubber trim between the flare and the body. Getting it off is slow going so you don't scratch the paint but it's not too bad. You can also get this from Toyota for pretty cheap

 

[PuroPinchePedo]

I actually saw a post on a different forum where a guy took a clip to ACE hardware and got them pretty cheap. Thanks for the info... going to try my best to take them off carefully. ​

 

[Doc2012]

Awesome info and thanks for the pic. I don't have a problem with the flares but I want to go with black wheels and wanted to paint the flares if anything. So I guess I need to find someone willing to remove them and paint them. I also will need to more than likely find all the clips that will break when I remove the existing flares. Any tips on where I can find those clips? Thanks again for the info!​

I actually saw a post on a different forum where a guy took a clip to ACE hardware and got them pretty cheap. Thanks for the info... going to try my best to take them off carefully. ​

Like to do things the hard way huh?

Look in my build thread that [MENTION=82211]TCMach[/MENTION] posted earlier. You an tape them off and paint them on the truck. That's what I did at first, then removed them all together.

 

[PuroPinchePedo]

Like to do things the hard way huh?

Look in my build thread that [MENTION=82211]TCMach[/MENTION] posted earlier. You an tape them off and paint them on the truck. That's what I did at first, then removed them all together.

LOL!! Not at all but I think will look so much more tuff with them painted black. Especially after the black wheels and sliders. Well at least that what I hope for.​

 

[Kryptoroxx]

LOL!! Not at all but I think will look so much more tuff with them painted black. Especially after the black wheels and sliders. Well at least that what I hope for.​

Then tape those things off and get some monstaliner. You should only need a quart since you are just doing the fenders. It is a bedliner product. There is a thread of doing an entire t4r in it and that is what my plans are too. You do not have to spray it either so that is what I would recommend. Minimum taping and easy to apply. Check it out for yourself and yes it will look gnarly.

 

[BrianSD_42]

my 2 cents ...

do not use monstraliner or other flat color type of liners.

your truck is gloss white, either color match them or paint them gloss black.

 

[PuroPinchePedo]

Then tape those things off and get some monstaliner. You should only need a quart since you are just doing the fenders. It is a bedliner product. There is a thread of doing an entire t4r in it and that is what my plans are too. You do not have to spray it either so that is what I would recommend. Minimum taping and easy to apply. Check it out for yourself and yes it will look gnarly.

I'm not much of a fan of the "bedliner" look. I think I will go more with a paint to match, in terms of the gloss look. It's a 2wd and will never go off road. It's more for looks. If I had a true off-road truck that would definitely be something I would consider. Thanks for all the info though. It was all very helpful!​