DIY: Wheel well liners for 2003 Tacoma (4x4)

EDIT: Dropbox is discontinuing support for the "Public" folder. Most of my links in this thread will die 9/1/2017 until I recreate using their new shared folder system. In the meantime, here are PDF copies of the first few pages of the thread.
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So I threw out my wheel well liners when I rebuilt the front end. I guess at the time they seemed ratty and I thought I could live without them. Now the engine bay is hard to keep clean and I'm thinking better of the decision.
Problem is I'm too cheap to buy OEM and I'm thinking I can improve on the design I'm guessing 03 liners would fit the early first gens and prerunner as well but you will have to verify.

Anyway here are some photos of the project. I am also posting the templates I made. I had them scanned in at the blueprint shop and they can be printed at 1:1 scale on a sheet of 36"x24" paper. Any blueprint shop can do this for less than $10. Most shops will want the TIF file but the PDF should work too. Be sure they do not "Print to Fit" or change the scale from 1:1. It would be better for the template to be slightly clipped at the margins (which you can correct when you cut) than to change the scale which obviously will give you nothing but odd shaped floor mats


For fasteners I used these from ClipsAndFasteners online. They were for a Honda I think but I like them better than the Toyota OEM push-type because they can be screwed in and out. The important thing is to pick out fasteners that are specified for an 8mm hole in the frame/body. There are loads to choose from if you want a different type. You will need no more than 30 clips total.


In the flesh.


If you have to start from scratch like I did, then the clips are a big help. Just use heavy brown paper or similar, marker, scissors, razor blade, etc. I drilled two or three extra 5/16" (8mm) holes in the body and in the frame, for both passenger and drivers side. Leave a little slack in the paper so that the final material is not stretched too tight and can accommodate movement between the body and frame.


Then tape the bits together and trace the clips before you pull them.


Lay the pattern out on whatever material you want to use and tape it down. I used 1/8" rubber diamond plate. You will need a minimum of 36"x24" of course to match the templates. I got it local at Princess Auto which sells it by the linear foot, 4 ft wide, for about $5.00/ft.


Now cut the material with a pair of scissors. Here is the drivers side:


Here is the passenger side. The passenger side will need to slip under the windshield washer cover if you have one. This allows the liner to be cut in one piece rather than in two pieces like the OEM.


Then use a 3/8" punch to make the holes. I made the holes in the material a bit larger than the holes in the body and frame in order to allow for some adjustment. The places where I drilled extra holes in the body/frame are marked on the template if you use mine.


Ok. That's the hard part done. Now time to invite the hunnies and break for a Toyota party



Finally the easy part. Use the new clips to hang the liner in the wheel well. Here is the passenger side.


And drivers side.


Lastly, here are the templates to save you some time. The TIF file is too large to upload directly so here is a link.

 

Great job. And thanks for the info.

 

Nice job! Ive also used old mud flaps from the big rigs before for this purpose, you can usually pick them up road side as a cost effective alternative