Flare Repair - GE Black Silicone Caulking

WARNING!!! If you have never seen a dirt trail and don't know what an "orange clip" or a "blue clip" is - LEAVE THIS Thread!!! It won't make sense to you and it will leave you confused. ...and don't forget the next meet - we'll meet at the Footlocker!

Now back to folks that may have had some trail damage...

The clips and the knife edge thick connections on the original flares are breakage waiting to happen!

(sorry for the crappy pics! Had the lens on manual focus - If someone else does this mod, could your redeem me with some good pics!

I have cured mine with black silicone GE from Home Depot (caulking gun cartridge)

- Blue tape an outline about a 1/16"-1/4" smaller than the flare



(Manny please don't get too excited at the sight of JD's butt!)

- Scuff up the paint on the fender (where the flare will be attached to) with green scuff pad



- Clean up to the blue tape line with alcohol - I used rubbing alcohol but I think that East Coast moonshine would work just fine!

- Remove those crappy clip bosses - they didn't do anything other than let the assembly line pop those fenders on - I find using a putty knife is a good way to scrape 'em off.

- Scuff up the top 1 1/2 inches of the flare with coarse sandpaper

- Clean the inside of the flare 2 inches from the top of the flare and follow up with an alcohol cleaning too.



- Put on the silicone - one thick pass building about a 5/8" bead of silicone on the flare and on the fender

- Screw on the flare (the screws on the flare lip)

- Position the flare on and tape it on where you want it to stay (except if you have a hybrid - half mall crawler/half 3/4 hardcore wheeler like Brandon H - man I don't know how he keeps from denting his truck!!! But there was soooo much wax and tire polish that noting would stick so JD was kind enough to hold on .)

After the silicone is cured - pull off the blue tape

FEILD TEST: I have put them through their paces during the last 10 months and those things are not coming off by any trail riding yet (as much as my bumper would like to change that - it hits the flare but it stays put), I think I should be able to pull em off (fishing line) if I need to.

This work was done to BrandonH's truck - he tore his flares off at MDR race while he was prancing on his 35s on very clean Walker Evans beadlocks!

Also had to do the Silverback All Pro bumper cutout - I think he should be set.



If anyone does this and wants to improve the pics please let me know.

I hope this saves at least one guy the hassle of wondering what to do with broken fender flares! The next thing would be to have bumper manufactures design their bumpers to allow for frame/bumper flex without ripping the damn things off in the first place!!!

 

Nice writeup! I really hope manny doesn't see this thread.

 

nice write up......

 

i noticed my front passenger side flare popping off as well...i wonder if toyota would repair that under my extended warranty...

awesome write-up...

 

Thanks.

 

no mall crawlers?

 

good write up do you have any pics of them on now???

 

Well, here's mine...

 

It'll probably be fine, but a lot of silicone products break down in UV rays. A polysulfide would probably be a better option.


still, good write up!

 

oh be careful parking on your lawn in HB, your neighbors might call the cops

 

It's just most people don't have the misfortune to rip off flares unless they have 35s or an aftermarket bumper!

 

Misfortune?! It's a trophy to bring home and put up on the wall

 

When did you get the new wheels, Paul? Looking good!

 

Yeah, you're right!

Had em for a while just didn't put them on the truck until a mini-mod day to put on JDs Spindles and take care of these flares.

 

Those wheels and tires are very nice!

And good write up btw. I won't be doing this because I'm 3/4 mall crawler.

 

thanks - you may have the mis-fortune some day!

 

may have to make those into these: