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DIY Custom Wheel Well Liners

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by EalSauce, Apr 4, 2023.

  1. Apr 4, 2023 at 7:12 PM
    #1
    EalSauce

    EalSauce [OP] Active Member

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    2011 Tacoma V6
    Kenwood DMX7709S, Sound treatment (Closed Cell Foam decoupling 1lb mlv on doors and floor, CCF only under headliner and in engine bay) Kicker CS 6 x 9 Front Speakers, Alpine S Series Tweeters, Kicker CS 6.5" Rear Speakers. Oedro Running Boards, Akkon LED Projection Headlights, Akkon Rear Tail Lights, Falken Wildpeaks.
    Has anyone on here attempted to create wheel well liners similar to that of newer cars with the felt fabric? I've seen some great threads regarding DIY liners, but nothing fruitful involving the felt type material that manufacturers are now putting in cars.

    I think I've devised a way to create a set of liners and I'll be chronicling the process in this thread (with pictures). I found some thermoformable sheets on Amazon for a decent price and came across Kevlar fabric, which is what I think companies use as the outer layer for the new wheel liners.

    My idea is to remove the current lining system and heat up the thermoformable plastic to fit around the old liners and epoxy them in place. After I've done that I'm going to hit the Kevlar sheets with Shield H2O by Rustoleum and then epoxy the Kevlar to the thermoformable plastic. Once the three layers are sandwiched together I'll drill the screw and retainer clip holes out from the back and then use plastic washers to secure the pieces. I'll probably end up getting screws 1/4" longer than the OEM ones due to the washer and extra material. It seems like it's going to be a bit of work but I'm hopeful it'll pay off! I'm also toying with the idea of putting Closed Cell Foam behind the liner so it'll absorb vibrations from any debris.

    I'm currently recovering from a Ureter Stent (Kidney Stones are terrible) so it'll probably take about a week total for me to complete once I get my stent removed, I preface this in case I don't respond sometimes.

    Thank you all, excited to be part of the TW forums!
     
    Tuckervt likes this.
  2. Apr 4, 2023 at 8:03 PM
    #2
    deanosaurus

    deanosaurus Caveman

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    I'm eager to see pics.

    I'm not a specialist but I do have some experience with jacklegging composites and thermoforming.

    A few comments:

    The factory liners are very thin and are also thermoformed. If you try to heat the stock in-place on the liners, I would worry about the liners also heating and deforming, and such a large piece will be difficult to heat completely before laying it on. You might want to build a sacrificial frame for them and get a couple extra hands and heat guns to heat the sheet and use the frame to place it down all on one go, pressing it in with gloves.

    I'm not familiar specifically with the Shield H20 but I would definitely epoxy the kevlar first before applying any coating to it - otherwise you will not get good saturation with the fiber.

    If you don't want to sacrifice your factory liners, it may be far simpler and even cheaper to pick up a set of aftermarket liners and apply the kevlar to them directly.

    Cheers!
     
    EalSauce[OP] likes this.
  3. Apr 4, 2023 at 8:16 PM
    #3
    EalSauce

    EalSauce [OP] Active Member

    Joined:
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    Messages:
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    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Eman
    Vehicle:
    2011 Tacoma V6
    Kenwood DMX7709S, Sound treatment (Closed Cell Foam decoupling 1lb mlv on doors and floor, CCF only under headliner and in engine bay) Kicker CS 6 x 9 Front Speakers, Alpine S Series Tweeters, Kicker CS 6.5" Rear Speakers. Oedro Running Boards, Akkon LED Projection Headlights, Akkon Rear Tail Lights, Falken Wildpeaks.
    Thank you for the insight on this, the thought of warping hadn't crossed my mind until now. I'll also be sure epoxy the Kevlar first then worry about Shield H20, it's a pretty decent product, it's similar to Neverwet which is also made by Rustoleum.

    For the warping of the liners, I have a giant freezer, would it be crazy to put the factory liners in the freezer for a while until they're cold to prevent warpage?
     
  4. Apr 5, 2023 at 4:40 AM
    #4
    deanosaurus

    deanosaurus Caveman

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    09 TRD OR AC
    I would think the liners would just suck heat from the TP and you'd end up with the same problems, it would just take longer to get there.
     
    EalSauce[QUOTED][OP] likes this.

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