3rd Gen Pinch Weld Job [Fitting 305/70/16]

So i decided to size up to 305/70/16s. A good deal came along, and my 285/75/16 Nitto Trail Grapplers were getting older, so i decided, what the hell, lets size up. I already had a cab mount chop done by my friend Evan, and never had issues with the 285s. Mind you, i never flex out much, just enough wheeling to get to my secret fishing spots. Anyway, never really had an issue with the 285s using the CMC and SPC upper control arms to adjust my caster to +4*.

Well, the 305s don't offer me the same luxury. Under daily driving conditions, i was rubbing on the fender flare (already took off mud flaps), and again, my cab mount. So I decided to finally get under there and do what I could to make some room ,with a break in the weather at long last. My plan was to shave back the bottom part of the fender, cut the fender liner out of the way, and beat back my pinch weld. After my buddy can fabricate a new cab mount chop, ill be able to clear these 305s without much trouble through full articulation. I didn't mess with the top of the fender well, considering my suspension is adjusted up front, and the preload wont let me top out where others would.



Okay, so I'm the asshole who forgot to take a before picture. Well take a look at yours and you'll see how much room this opens up. I popped out the bottom 2 screws the fender flare (one underneath the bottom and the other bottom one), and the back three clips of the inner fender well. These clips suck, i just pulled my lined over the clips. They stayed intact, and i just put screws in them when i was done. same difference. I started cutting with an air saw through the fender well. I marked it off at the top of the pinch weld, and started my cut there. I came across to the weld and stopped just past it. You want to keep this cut tight to the weld. You'll see why later. I also cut off the bottom part of the fender to get at the screw that goes in that lower clip. The cutting was easier when i could pull the liner out to get a better angle and this is going to be cut anyway.



By this point, I took my cut diagonally down to the other cut i made trying to shape it smooth for a cleaner look. I also cut back the under side of the flare about an inch or so, giving me room to bang the bottom piece of the metal fender up and in. Once everything is cut out of the way, give it some hell and pound away. Remember that time it wouldn't shift into out of 4th gear on the highway? Yeah, me too. Think of that. I started beating the pinch weld outwards. You have to work the weld as a whole to get it to go down. the top is very easy to bend but the bottom takes some convincing. Nothing over the top about it, just keep at it. (Please note, not in this picture, I used the pinch weld to hold back the top of the liner. Not a needed step in the process, but i thought it was a good idea, to keep water and other crap out from behind there. You'll see what I mean in a couple steps.) The picture above is towards the end where i was trying to even my bend out to keep it clean. The bottom part also needs to be hammered back. starting by flattening out the corner bend, work your way inside to out and tap it back to meet an angle nicely with the pinch weld.



So, now that the pinch weld is just about as flush as its going to get, and the bottom metal bend marries nicely to it, I went over all my cuts with an angle grinder to clean up the messy bits, and kind of shape it to where i want it. I also used this opportunity to sand down the cracked paint areas from my hammer abuse. Make sure to get it nice and clean for when you repaint it later. This tool really helps you make it look nice, I took my time and kept at it until it got to where I wanted it.



Alright well, After all is said and done, here's what I ended up with. In this picture you can see what i did with the top of the pinch weld holding the liner in place. I went over everything to be sure that any paint that broke or flaked apart during the hammering process got sanded with the angle grinder and ready for paint. Gave it a quick blast with the compressor to remove all the dust from grinding and we were ready for paint.



Alright a quick shot of rustoleum undercoating to seal up all the bare metal and orange that i didn't want showing through the wheel well.



All said and done, it came out really nice I think. It's optional to use some Gorilla Tape on the void missing in the fender well if you choose. I made sure to undercoat everything behind there, I'll probably end up taping it up one day when i get bored. Now that its dried up, you can barely tell i touched it. Like I said I'm going to have my friend fab me up a new cab mount chop, one that will come farther back to meet the pinch weld. I will post that when he can get to it. Once that is done, these 305s will run, and wheel comfortably under there. Its really not a ton of work. I spent maybe 3, 3.5 hours total doing this, wheels off to wheels on. This is also a good practice for those of you wheeling your 285's. it opens up a good inch, maybe inch and a half in some spots. With a little more work on the plastic fender well, involving heating and reshaping, this would be a necessary practice for mounting 35s at 3" lift as well. That cab mount chop has to be pretty deep for that though. Cut at your own risk!



These were all the tools I used today in case anyone wanted to know.



Thanks for reading!

 

Frame is already that rusty?

 

Just the cab mount chop rusted. I live in the Salt belt, so this is inevitable. I hate it. lol, ill be cutting and respraying the cab mount this spring anyway. going to make sure to coat everything heavier to make sure it doesn't rust again.

 

This happens when your tire rubs all the paint off. OP, this is my next Saturday afternoon. Thanks for the pictures for planning.

 

getting ready to pound

 

Bringing this thread back haha. OP, have any more pics of the tires on your truck? Just ordered the same 305/70R16 Grabber ATXs.

 

One of the best right ups. I been looking for this. Thx. I am doing this ASAP. I just wish I had your tools.