I thought I had planned my setup perfectly until I tried to go up a hill with a bad dip at the bottom.... the inside lip of the rear wheel well just barely rubs on the tire sidewall. I installed some hr 25mm spacers last weekend along with Tein h-tech springs. My setup is 205/40/r18 45 offset. I know the tire size and offset are a little funky but I don't want to change that. Soooo My question is:

Can you Scion Gurus tell a noob if trimming/ grinding and/or bending is possible to remedy the situation with out needing a body shop to fix paint etc?

I am hoping this is an easy fix maybe just bend the lip up or grind away clearence with out damaging the paint--educate me please. Just to clarify what rubs is the 1/2" flat sheet metal lip just inside of the wheel well. I need only 1/3" to clear the very top outer portion of tire.

TIA

 

The process is called rolling your fenders.

There is a special fender rooling tool, but you can carefully bend that lips with a wood baseball bat and a heat gun.

Step 1. Jack up your car so there is some wheel gap.

Step 2. Apply heat to paint. This is so you can bend the metal and not crack the paint. Also be carefull not to melt the paint.

Step 3. With the paint good and warm, take the wooden baseball bat, rest it on the tire, and push down on it so it prys up on that lip.

Step 4. While gently and carefully pressing down on the bat, roll it back and forth.

I have done this once before with success. Give it a try if you are up to it. The thing to watch out for is getting the paint warm enough so you don't crack it but not getting it too hot so it bubbles.

 

ctruss,
Thank you for the info. I always thought "rolling" the wheel well was the same as "flairing" the wheel well
That sounds pretty caveman like with the baseball bat... but I will probably give it a try after I get a heat gun. I better watch for any viscious dips in the road for the next couple days until I can do this.
I'll search for "rolling fender" and read up as best I can.
Thanks for the edumacation

 

Ok so I couln't wait. I went out tonight and got everything I need. I was able to get almost a compltete u-bend to the lip. Should I be trying for a complete fold (flat 180 degree bend), just a u shape or folding the metal back on itself to form a tube?
I test drove after bending the alost u shape but still need just a little bit more for 100% clearence.

tia

 

I always just folded the sheet metal back on itself.

Another tool you can make to do this job uses skateboard wheels. Attach a skateboard wheel to the end of a metal bar and roll your fender with that.

I have found no need to get that fancy though, the wooden bat works fine.


Glad the bend seems to be almost working for you, just keep bending until you get rid of the rub.

 

This is the technique I use.^^^^^^^

 

Hmmmm...I gotta try this.

 

Just be careful.

This technique is simple, but it can be messed up quite easy. Take your time and do it right.

 

hmmm I'll keep at it. I think I will have my clearence if I do fold the lip bck on itself. I will try again tomorrow and possibly post some picks if I'm succesfull. I did buy a shot loaded rubber mallet if all else fails.

 

LOL

The mallet should be a last resort, but if you do use it invite me over. I am always down for bashing on stuff with a hammer.

Just keep at it with a bat. Roll a little at a time then test drive.

 

Why not find a place with a REAL fender rolling tool? Or buy one from Tire Rack and charge your friends to do theirs... it'll pay for itself. :D

 

Cause a baseball bat is free because you or one of your friends always has one.

 

GOTTA BE CAREFUL!!! I flippin cracked the paint rolling my fenders! now I have to get some touch up paint to cover it up!. where can I find some '05 PW paint for my xb? Dealership sells only the nail polish size bottle, I need more than that to cover the lip which the thick paint was rolled off.

 

Did you warm your paint with a heat gun before you attempted to roll your fenders? If not, thats why you cracked the paint right there.

Please be carefull if you tackle this job yourself, you MUST warm that paint up before you attampt to do this or it WILL crack.

 

Used you post as instructions and rolled my wheels wells also. Turned out very nice, but I did need to touch up inside of wheels wells a little where there was some painted caulking material that got rubbed off. No big deal, used a small paint brush!

It made a big difference in clearance room around tires. Thanks again for taking time to spell it out for others. Maybe the next person will take pictures and post them also.

Barry (hip-2b-sqr)

 

^^^ Awesome. Glad I could help.

 

I did use a heat gun, but as I am a novice and did not want to bubble the paint by the heat gun I did not heat it warm enogh. I cracked the first fender but the second was carefully done. Also, the xB has tha thick layer of the paint calk which rubbed off quit easily. All good, I got some primer and touch paint to fix this problem.

 

I have read other threads in this forum saying that you can use a razor and etch along the edge of the fender so that if the paint cracks, it will stop at the line of the razor etch.

 

Thats not a bad idea.

 

I concur