Bushwacker Forge fender flare frustration

I'm almost ready to throw in the towel...

I got Bushwacker Forge fender flares for my 2022 Tacoma. I was a little frustrated right off the bat, because after a lot of struggle getting the front left flare on, I noticed that; 1) the U-clip supplied to help attach the front most portion were practically worthless, and 2) I could not re-install the OEM mud flaps (the description of the flares did NOT mention this). But there it is.

So yesterday I got the the front right installed, and then went to do the rears. After struggling for more than an hour, and I simply could not get it (right side) on. The top holes in the flare were more than a 1/2" from the receiving holes in the wheel well. Even after wrangling to move/compress the flare, I could not get the holes to be within 1/4". Also, it was a struggle to even hold it in place. So I connected one of the lower screws first, but then when I tried again to move/compress the flare, it moved even less than before.

As someone in their 60s (and not terribly mechanically inclined), it's possible that I'm just too weak & arthritic to get the flares to bend and line up with the attachment points. Any tips/tricks to do this? Do I need a friend to push? Some type of clamp? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

 

I would call Bushwacker for any installation tips or to discuss issues encountered. Searching for those fender flares on these forums didn't come up with much for results, so likely not a lot of people here are running them. It sounds like it's either a poor product if things aren't lining up or something is off with your install method, are there decent instructions? If not, then that says a lot about the product. Either way, Bushwacker would be your best bet for assistance. They seem to be much more common for full size trucks, so I wouldn't be surprised if there's not a lot of support for Tacoma's. There's like 1 review on Amazon and it says the fitment issues were so poor and customer service was unhelpful so they returned them, so take that for what it is. Personally I would just paint or plastidip your stock fenders black and call it a day, oversized fenders look goofy unless you add wider wheels to compensate.

 

Thanks! I've reached out to them, we'll see what they say.

 

I’ve got a set of rough country flares on
https://www.roughcountry.com/product/configurable/rc-toyota-sport-fender-flares-s-t11621c

They were not fun. What I thought would be like 15 minutes each turned into an hour each. Nothing lined up, it took a lot of force, but they aren’t attached exactly the same as oem.

 

Do the SR5s not come with oem flaps?

 

Mine did. But once I put the flares on, they covered up the screw holes. So now I'm driving without. But I am researching "universal flat style" mud flaps, and I hope they'll work.

 

STATUS UPDATE
After contacting Bushwacker, they assured me that the rear flares WILL fit. They just need a bit more encouragement. So I called my neighbor, and he helped me wrangle them into place. So for anyone thinking about these flares, having help is definitely a requirement.

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

P. S. (Mainly to Taco Granny) They may look a bit goofy, but I like them better than the stock flares. I feel less like I work for the county now. Also, I am considering upgrading to bigger wheels.

 

Glad you got em figured.

Yep, wheels and tires should be on your list for sure.

 

We have the same BW Fendys! lol

I did not install mine...I had a shop who did my front tint/window guard install put them on for me...so I cheated!

Plan is to get slightly bigger tires (265/70R17) with Zero negative offset so I can get a little pokey to match the fendys.

 

Nice! So jealous of the color. I wish I could have gotten black. Or dark gray. Or red.

 

Thanks!

Definitely take pics of your new wheel/tire set-up when the time comes.

I'm thinking the 265/70R17s will still be too small...

And thinking about the Bilstein 5100s and a 2" Leveling Kit...which would allow a slightly bigger (more expensive) tire...

But...this is costly...and at my age (59 in June), I need to save for these "Nice Additions" that aren't must haves.

I'm already saving for the Diamondback Tonneau cover...which was $1899 in December 2024...it went up $50! lol

https://diamondbackcovers.com/products/diamondbackse?variant=28905652553

 

Thanks for the info! I am not a truck guy, so it will make for some good info when I do research.

The cover I got was a Bakflip MX4 ($1100 when I got, now they're $1300). I really like it, and support is great. I lost a corner piece, and let them know, they sent me replacements ASAP, no charge.

 

lol

We can get there together...becoming "truck guys." lol

Yes, prices are going up!

I remember when the Diamondback SE Tonneau cover was $1399 in late 2021.

Luckily, you got your Bakflip when you did.

 

Indeed! Oh, and another nice plus of Bakflip; easy to install. Even a "non-truck guy" (and moderate spaz) like me could do it!