HardRooster

Now that the $27 Front Bumper is done, I get to focus on my next project, which will be a much greater metal fab challenge. The expense of after market tube fenders is a bit much for me. Hell, all aftermarket armor is too expensive. I'm just not going to drop $10k or more modding my Jeep.

I had thought about doing trimmed stock fenders, but the fronts have some limitations. The metal fender support bracket can be a source of rubbing, and I want to keep the Jeep low, lifting only after I run out of room in the wheel wells.

But in any case, this is more fun. It started off with another trip to C&C in Rancho Cordova, where I walked out with what should be more than I need for $185. 40' of 2" .120 wall tubing, 4'x10' of sheet metal, some angle iron and plate strips...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72867051@N00/11058472696/
I had pulled my plastic fenders before I made my purchase, eyeballing and measuring what I wanted to do. The front fenders will be the biggest challenge, and seems to be a challenge in the aftermarket as well. Some companies just bolt the fenders to the flimsy sheet metal on the factory fenders. Others use stand off spacers which offer no lateral support. I think it might be best to bypass the stock fender altogether by just trimming what I don't need out of the way.

But that will have to wait, I'm starting with the rears, since they're much easier.

I still don't own a plasma cutter, so I have to take the more tedious route of using the angle grinder with a cut off wheel to make my cuts. No problem for the short bits, but the long, arching cuts take some care and patience. The best way I can figure is to use the factory plastic fender to draw the lines with, and kind of score the cut line back and forth with the cut off wheel very carefully. It worked out better than I expected.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72867051@N00/11125274693/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72867051@N00/11125127176/
This first piece might be the most complicated, as it also required a little bend at the bottom to match the factory contour of the sheet metal. I just clamped it down in a vice and massaged it with a BMFH.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72867051@N00/11125109526/
This second piece has two arches. The top and the cut out for the wheel well. To make the wheel well cuts, I just held them up, and traced the backside with a sharpie. Then just cut.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72867051@N00/11125126735/
Once I got those figured out, it started to go more smoothly as everything just kind of comes together.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72867051@N00/11125298203/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72867051@N00/11125304833/
A little filler tab

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72867051@N00/11125158006/
I used a piece of angle, cut some reliefs and bent it with the vise and BMFH technique. The gaps will all be plugged, filled, grinded...it'll look good. But more importantly, it'll add some protection to my exposed corners. If I have enough left over tube, I'll probably add some more rocker protection welded to the frame.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72867051@N00/11125317223/
This last piece was a little pain too. Long arch, and I ended up having to do it twice as my first cut left the metal too wide.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72867051@N00/11125215864/
Here's where it goes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72867051@N00/11125488763/
And finally, the inner flange is mocked up.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72867051@N00/11127383293/
Tomorrow, I'll trace it all out on construction paper and mirror it for the driver side. Then I can tack it, weld it, grind it, drill it and mount it to the jeep. Then I'll bend my tube and tack that in place, build my gussets, mock up the sheet metal...this all takes a lot less time to talk about than do unfortunately...

Still though, I'm having a good time with this project already. I can't wait to see how it looks when I'm done. Hope it looks as good as it does in my head.

I'm taking input for finishing though. I could go the long route and paint the top to match the jeep, and bed line the inside and the tube area, or just bed line the whole damn thing and be done much sooner. I'm trying to visualize it, and I'm not sure body color fenders will look any better than full black. What do you think?

OH9JK

Subscribed!

familytime

Subscribed I like black fenders better than matched color

blockrockin

nice im sure they will turn out great ! it is very rewarding to built your own parts.. but also can be frustrating.. but in the end will be worth it.. good luck.. looking forward to seeing how they turn out.. what brand tube bender are you going to use ?

HardRooster

I have a JD2 Model 32. Built the pedestal for it on Thanksgiving

Pic of my first bend, making the template;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72867051@N00/11109375403/

JKBANDIT55

Very Nice!

TheDirtman

Once you add up all that time you will understand why aftermarket fenders cost so much but it is nice to be able and build your own stuff. I had about 40 hours in mine. Getting the flat mount twisted right to match the fender is the hard part. Once you get that it is just the shape and coverage. Good luck with the build.

TheDirtman

Are you really going to use 2" tube on the fenders? Most use 1" or 1.25"
They will be original.

HardRooster

Oh I fully understand why, I'm a tradesman myself and it's not easy to explain to people why painting a car costs so much money, but I'm in the trenches so I get it.

I just can't justify throwing 1/3 the value of a vehicle in aftermarket parts at said vehicle. The thought makes smoke come out of my brain.

The 2" tube is overkill, but it's the only die I have, and I originally bought this bender years ago because I was going to exo-cage my K5 rock crawler. That plan never materialized, so now I'm just using what's available to me.

TheDirtman

Are you going to be able to get a tight enough bend with a 2" die?