Removing driver side fender

I need to take off my driver side fender to track down a water leak and I'm wondering how difficult a task this is? It looks to me like it is about 8 or 9 torx bolts and maybe removing the flare. Should I expect to remove the the grill, head light, front bumper etc.? Can anyone give me an idea of what is involved? Am I nuts for even bothering to look for this leak? Should I just fix the rot in the floor and POR 15 over it and then Herculine the whole floor? Keep in mind this is my daily driver and occassionally will have customers in it.

Thanks,


BTW, It's a 96 if that matters.

burnsie said:

I need to take off my driver side fender to track down a water leak and I'm wondering how difficult a task this is? It looks to me like it is about 8 or 9 torx bolts and maybe removing the flare. Should I expect to remove the the grill, head light, front bumper etc.? Can anyone give me an idea of what is involved? Am I nuts for even bothering to look for this leak? Should I just fix the rot in the floor and POR 15 over it and then Herculine the whole floor? Keep in mind this is my daily driver and occassionally will have customers in it.

Thanks,


BTW, It's a 96 if that matters.

Click to expand...

There are torx bits under the hood. Also 2 nuts that should hold the header panel on, and you have to get access, I think, from the outter front of the vehicle. 2 torx bits on the lower part of the fender, by the door (these are the real PITA ) and when you open the door you'll see one torx in the middle.

if the flare is like the older style you'll have one nut under the flare in the middle.

good luck

WD-40, lots of rust and the torx strips easy. Had to replace quite a few, and you also have to remove the side markerlight to unbolt the fender from the grill section.

I took mine off last night to straighten out accident damage and put on TJ flares. Mine is a 1985.

I started with the 5 torx under the hood, then the 2 on the door. There are two on the bottom of the jeep behind the wheel that need to come off, and a small bolt (not a torx screw) in front of the wheel that connects the fender to a "rod" attached to the engine or body, (not sure where that rod ends up).

You will have to take the header panel off. There are 4 bolts on top where it attaches to the core support (holds the radiator on). You don't have to take out the lower turn signal cover or the headlight, but you will need to detach the bulbs. You will need to take the grill off seperatly, as there is another bolt on the bottom of the header panel that is attached to the body. Also, I think, you need to remove the corner lights to remove the headlight windows. I did it, but it may not have been necessary.

Then there are two nuts on each side that hold the header panel to the fender that you will have to squeeze your arm to reach. Pull back the splash plastic in the inner fender well and stick your hand up there. You will have to remove these totally by feel as you can't see what you are doing. By this point, you will have seen where the header panel is attached and will recognize the location of the nuts that I am referring to.

I think, by that point, you are ready to pull back the header panel and that will expose 2 more torx head screws that you will need to remove, and with a little wiggling, you can remove the fender. Be sure that the driver side door is shut.

Also, you do not need to remove the fender flare, but if you don't, be aware that the whole inner plastic splash panel will come out with it.

I think that write up is about as clear as the mud we all splash through, but it really wasn't a difficult task, it was more time consuming than anything.