Fender flare clips

I'll bet I'm not the only one having trouble with the metal pieces inside the stock flares coming loose. Those little plastic tabs aren't staying locked in place. Was thinking of a small pop rivet in each, but the tabs are pretty small. Could epoxy them in place, but there must be a better way.

You guys come up with anything?

Yeah, i had the problem too.. I knocked one off and it kept popping off after that, and then did the same with a rear one. So i cut the clips off, and lined up the holes in the body with the flare, marked a spot at each one, and drilled a hole in the fender. I took some nuts and bolts- the lengths were different along the fender- and thats how mine are held on until i trim them.. ill try to get a picture up

GoodyAK said:

Yeah, i had the problem too.. I knocked one off and it kept popping off after that, and then did the same with a rear one. So i cut the clips off, and lined up the holes in the body with the flare, marked a spot at each one, and drilled a hole in the fender. I took some nuts and bolts- the lengths were different along the fender- and thats how mine are held on until i trim them.. ill try to get a picture up

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Yeah, I didn't quite follow that. You say you "drilled holes in the fender" -- did you mean to say drilled holes in the flares? If I've guessed right, you simply bolted the flares through the original fender holes and now you can see the bolt heads on the outside of the flare?

I can see that working, but the bolt head might sit at an angle, not flush with the flare. I'd probably use something real small like #10 button heads to minimize the visual effect of the external bolt heads.

But for now I'm looking at drilling tiny holes in the internal flare lip and steel inserts and safety wiring them together. Maybe.

WAM174 said:

Yeah, I didn't quite follow that. You say you "drilled holes in the fender" -- did you mean to say drilled holes in the flares? If I've guessed right, you simply bolted the flares through the original fender holes and now you can see the bolt heads on the outside of the flare?

I can see that working, but the bolt head might sit at an angle, not flush with the flare. I'd probably use something real small like #10 button heads to minimize the visual effect of the external bolt heads.

But for now I'm looking at drilling tiny holes in the internal flare lip and steel inserts and safety wiring them together. Maybe.

Click to expand...

There's a couple of things you can do to help keep the 97+ Flares on.

The first, and what you have already tried I am sure is bending the metal tabs "tighter" onto the plastic clip. This minor adjustment can help a lot or not at all.

The second is glue, I would recommend something called "plumbers goop"


It's sticky, cures pretty quick, and is fairly strong, its good stuff.

The last is to get a very small screw, with a large flat head.
Sort of like the one in the top right here:


And screw it into the edge of the plastic right by the metal, so that the screw head overlaps the metal lip as much as it can. A couple of these will work wonders.

Those usually work pretty good for me, but I don't seem to have as many problems as others do. I don't know if I'm that good or that lucky.

Actually I've been messin' with it this morning and it seems to be going good. I'm drilling a tiny hole in the plastic tab through the metal clip window. Then a loop of safety wire twisted tight and trimmed. This will keep the plastic tab in the metal clip. But of course it won't stop the plastic tab from breaking off.

I've got a couple already torn off. I'm going to see if I can apply safety wire loops adjacent to the broken off tabs. I think it will work.

BTW, I don't know what's in Goop, but it's a great glue. I use the All-Purpose variety but I'd bet you can't tell the difference.

I replaced the nutstrips inside the flares with nuts and bolts all the way round. Took a whilw to get them all in but at least now they're all set with locknuts - won't come loose again.

Norwegian said:

I replaced the nutstrips inside the flares with nuts and bolts all the way round. Took a whilw to get them all in but at least now they're all set with locknuts - won't come loose again.

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So the bolts bear down on what? Did you drill thru the flares, and the heads are now visible?

Nope. Stuffed short bolts from the inside and threaded nuts and washers inside the flares.
In the rear i ditched the inner flare stuffing crap and in the front i just bent the inner fender out of the way to get to the nuts. Biggest possible washers to clamp the flares to the fenders tho.

Norwegian said:

Nope. Stuffed short bolts from the inside and threaded nuts and washers inside the flares.
In the rear i ditched the inner flare stuffing crap and in the front i just bent the inner fender out of the way to get to the nuts. Biggest possible washers to clamp the flares to the fenders tho.

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I think I see. You removed the metal pieces from the flares and are clamping the flare to the fender with oversize washers catching the plastic lip.

I used those little plastic christmas tree looking fasteners that hold the inner fenders on. It makes it easier to remove them when I go to the trails.