Unner
New member
[MENTION=116877]fourfive[/MENTION]
So here's how I did my pinch weld mod. I didn't like the way that most do it with cutting the fender liner, so I didn't do that. I also couldn't find a detailed write up on it for 3rd gens so here's my contribution. I know I like to be able to see and visualize things before I dive into them so maybe this will help someone.
Most of us that have installed 33" tires or larger have some sort of rubbing. I was rubbing on my aftermarket mudflaps and the pinch weld fender liner area. This was from just driving out of the driveway quickly with the wheels turned (Trying to make it rub). I'm sure it would have been worse off road and I don't want to chew up a $1,000 set of tires so I took care of it ASAP.
Note: Also have your caster set as high as it will go, this puts the wheel farther forward away from the pinch weld, therefore reducing rubbing.
I'm running Cooper ST Maxx in 255/80/17 with 1.25" SpiderTrax spacers on OEM 5th gen trail wheels.
The first step is to take the wheels off. Here's what the rear fender liner area looks like with nothing done. The pinch weld is hidden behind the fender liner. That little hump is what you are most likely rubbing on. You should be able to see where you are rubbing by the "witness marks" the tire will leave back there.
DSC07466 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
Now you need to remove the fender liner. I had to pull the lower two screws for the fender flare, and the lower screw for the fender liner. Take the fender liner and tie it up to something. I tied mine up to the top of my coilover using a metal coat hanger. The material is thick and flexy. So long as you don't crease it, it should go back to its original shape. There are also a couple of these little plastic plugs that you will need to remove. They're a pain to get out. Some of them come out cleanly, some of them I had to break out. I bought a bag of 10 a couple years ago so I always have a few on hand. Toyota lists these as "grommets" when you look for the part number.
DSC07457 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
Now this is the pinch weld. This is what we will be "modifying" to create more room. Some people cut this off, I didn't want to do that because I don't know the structural implications that would have and water intrusion seems easier if you cut it. I felt that bending it over would be better.
DSC07458 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
I started by getting an adjustable wrench, setting it to the thickness of the pinch weld, and bending it over towards the engine. I was able to get it started like this. The very bottom is the easiest as it is only one layer of metal. The top is second because it is only 2 layers, and the middle is the hardest because it has 3 layers of metal. Once it was started I couldn't bend the middle part anymore with my little adjustable wrench, so I got the 4 pound hammer out
DSC07461 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
Now carefully hit the pinch weld over until it is flat. The lower part can be bend a little more than 90* to provide additional clearance. Be careful not to hit the plastic plug. I did and it cracked, so I had to seal it up with RTV since no one had a plug locally.
Some people on other forums said they were able to preserve the paint by wrapping the hammer in rags and such. That was not the case for me. Mine chipped and cracked, so I took a wire brush to it, and then painted over it with some chassis paint. After the paint was dry to the touch I went over the end of the pinch weld with some RTV just for good measure. Now repeat this process on the driver side.
DSC07464 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
DSC07464 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
DSC07479 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
Now that that is done, replace the fender liner like it was and get your heat gun out. I set mine to the highest setting, and started heating the area around the pinch weld. I used some interior trim tools to poke at the plastic and reshape it so it sat flat against the fender and make sure it wasn't getting too hot. The plastic does become very flexy, but it doesn't hold it's shape very well. To make it hold it's shape you need to heat it up, and then quench it with a dripping wet rag while pressing it into the shape you want. It took two passes on mine to get it to the shape I wanted. I wrapped the corner piece up around this metal bracket to make the fender liner more stable.
DSC07465 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
This is after the first pass with the heat gun.
DSC07470 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
This is after the second pass with the heat gun.
DSC07472 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
Here's a shot from underneath showing the clearance gained, and how I folded the bottom corner over that metal piece to help hold everything in place.
DSC07478 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
Now I went and trimmed my mudflaps back some more, and remounted them. This time using a rounded screw head just in-case the tire comes into contact with it.
DSC07481 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
Here's the final result. It took me a couple hours to do it, but I was waiting for coats of paint and RTV to dry. I'm very happy with the results, it looks OEM unless you really really know what you are looking at, and I didn't have to cut the fender liner.
Passenger side:
DSC07480 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
Driver side:
DSC07484 by Unner Unner, on Flickr
Hopefully that will help someone. I haven't rubbed at all since I did this. It might be easier to cut the fender liner, but it's not worth saving the 30 minutes of time it takes to pull it back, and reshape it with the heat gun.
So here's how I did my pinch weld mod. I didn't like the way that most do it with cutting the fender liner, so I didn't do that. I also couldn't find a detailed write up on it for 3rd gens so here's my contribution. I know I like to be able to see and visualize things before I dive into them so maybe this will help someone.
Most of us that have installed 33" tires or larger have some sort of rubbing. I was rubbing on my aftermarket mudflaps and the pinch weld fender liner area. This was from just driving out of the driveway quickly with the wheels turned (Trying to make it rub). I'm sure it would have been worse off road and I don't want to chew up a $1,000 set of tires so I took care of it ASAP.
Note: Also have your caster set as high as it will go, this puts the wheel farther forward away from the pinch weld, therefore reducing rubbing.
I'm running Cooper ST Maxx in 255/80/17 with 1.25" SpiderTrax spacers on OEM 5th gen trail wheels.
The first step is to take the wheels off. Here's what the rear fender liner area looks like with nothing done. The pinch weld is hidden behind the fender liner. That little hump is what you are most likely rubbing on. You should be able to see where you are rubbing by the "witness marks" the tire will leave back there.
DSC07466 by Unner Unner, on FlickrNow you need to remove the fender liner. I had to pull the lower two screws for the fender flare, and the lower screw for the fender liner. Take the fender liner and tie it up to something. I tied mine up to the top of my coilover using a metal coat hanger. The material is thick and flexy. So long as you don't crease it, it should go back to its original shape. There are also a couple of these little plastic plugs that you will need to remove. They're a pain to get out. Some of them come out cleanly, some of them I had to break out. I bought a bag of 10 a couple years ago so I always have a few on hand. Toyota lists these as "grommets" when you look for the part number.
DSC07457 by Unner Unner, on FlickrNow this is the pinch weld. This is what we will be "modifying" to create more room. Some people cut this off, I didn't want to do that because I don't know the structural implications that would have and water intrusion seems easier if you cut it. I felt that bending it over would be better.
DSC07458 by Unner Unner, on FlickrI started by getting an adjustable wrench, setting it to the thickness of the pinch weld, and bending it over towards the engine. I was able to get it started like this. The very bottom is the easiest as it is only one layer of metal. The top is second because it is only 2 layers, and the middle is the hardest because it has 3 layers of metal. Once it was started I couldn't bend the middle part anymore with my little adjustable wrench, so I got the 4 pound hammer out
DSC07461 by Unner Unner, on FlickrNow carefully hit the pinch weld over until it is flat. The lower part can be bend a little more than 90* to provide additional clearance. Be careful not to hit the plastic plug. I did and it cracked, so I had to seal it up with RTV since no one had a plug locally.
Some people on other forums said they were able to preserve the paint by wrapping the hammer in rags and such. That was not the case for me. Mine chipped and cracked, so I took a wire brush to it, and then painted over it with some chassis paint. After the paint was dry to the touch I went over the end of the pinch weld with some RTV just for good measure. Now repeat this process on the driver side.
DSC07464 by Unner Unner, on FlickrDSC07464 by Unner Unner, on FlickrDSC07479 by Unner Unner, on FlickrNow that that is done, replace the fender liner like it was and get your heat gun out. I set mine to the highest setting, and started heating the area around the pinch weld. I used some interior trim tools to poke at the plastic and reshape it so it sat flat against the fender and make sure it wasn't getting too hot. The plastic does become very flexy, but it doesn't hold it's shape very well. To make it hold it's shape you need to heat it up, and then quench it with a dripping wet rag while pressing it into the shape you want. It took two passes on mine to get it to the shape I wanted. I wrapped the corner piece up around this metal bracket to make the fender liner more stable.
DSC07465 by Unner Unner, on FlickrThis is after the first pass with the heat gun.
DSC07470 by Unner Unner, on FlickrThis is after the second pass with the heat gun.
DSC07472 by Unner Unner, on FlickrHere's a shot from underneath showing the clearance gained, and how I folded the bottom corner over that metal piece to help hold everything in place.
DSC07478 by Unner Unner, on FlickrNow I went and trimmed my mudflaps back some more, and remounted them. This time using a rounded screw head just in-case the tire comes into contact with it.
DSC07481 by Unner Unner, on FlickrHere's the final result. It took me a couple hours to do it, but I was waiting for coats of paint and RTV to dry. I'm very happy with the results, it looks OEM unless you really really know what you are looking at, and I didn't have to cut the fender liner.
Passenger side:
DSC07480 by Unner Unner, on FlickrDriver side:
DSC07484 by Unner Unner, on FlickrHopefully that will help someone. I haven't rubbed at all since I did this. It might be easier to cut the fender liner, but it's not worth saving the 30 minutes of time it takes to pull it back, and reshape it with the heat gun.
