Jeep Speed fiberglass panels

[ZPD]

Anyone have any of those fiberglass fenders or rear 1/4 panel (bedsides)? MY left fender and left bedside are smashed in from my roll over, I am considering these. Rusty and T&J sell them but I haven't heard any reviews of them or seen any "good" pictures of them on an XJ.

This is the regular style:
http://www.rustysoffroad.com/media/exterior/panels/ror2rf.jpg

This is the 6" bulge:
http://www.rustysoffroad.com/media/exterior/panels/ror6lf.jpg

And this is the rear panel:

http://www.rustysoffroad.com/media/exterior/panels/rorlb.jpg

Any opinions?

[Erik]

They look nice, but I'm afraid that the fiberglass would crack and break too easy. I the front, I usually have a little bit of rubbing between the tire and flare. The metal just bends a bit, and I can bend or cut it back. But with fiberglass, wouldn't it just break? And with those rear 1/4 panels, I just don't think that they would last a week on my rig. More interesting would be a fiberglass hood for weight savings.

[Faux4X4]

I have the front and rear glass and it is great. Here is a link for a pic http://www.duffcoenterprises.com/images/jeepglass01.jpg
it is Hannaman fiberglass, I think his glass fits the best. You have to do a little fitting but not bad compared to most glass. The rear is ment for a 2 door but we rigged mine up to work.

[Jes]

Originally posted by Erik
They look nice, but I'm afraid that the fiberglass would crack and break too easy. I the front, I usually have a little bit of rubbing between the tire and flare. The metal just bends a bit, and I can bend or cut it back. But with fiberglass, wouldn't it just break? And with those rear 1/4 panels, I just don't think that they would last a week on my rig. More interesting would be a fiberglass hood for weight savings.

You fix your fiberglass hatch? ;) :D

Jes

[WHEEL'er-DLR]

rob...remember? your were having a hard time keeping any type of fenders on:D :D maybe you should run "saturn" fenders!!:) :cool: they should flex...

[Jump This]

One of the Mags did a right up on the fibre glass front fenders recently. I thing it was four wheel and sport utility magazine. They just focused on the how to install and didn't mention anything about projected durability.... I am looking into the six inch bulge (I can't belive i just wrote that!) Let us all know what you decide

[Faux4X4]

fiberglass is easy to repair, I would rather patch some fiberglass then have to pound out out steel. But if you are looking for clearance I think I could almost tuck some 44's. And if size really matters you can get yourself the 12 inch bulge.

[marcusguy]

As to the original question concerning good pictures: jeepspeed.com has tons of pictures and about 98 percent of the XJ's on that site have either a pair of the two front fenders mentioned, or a third style for the 97+ body. They mostly run rusty's rear flairs though. Check out the pictures.

marcus

PS there are fiberglass hoods available too, just FYI

[ZPD]

Originally posted by Jump This
I am looking into the six inch bulge (I can't belive i just wrote that!)

:roflmao:
that is funny. Thanks for the replies. Faux, do you have any more pictures. Maybe one from the back, front, and corner. The side shots are kinda hard to make out. Also, how did you modify it so you can open your rear doors?

[XJ-wheeler]

I own a fiberglass shop in so-cal. I actually have a few sets of the front fenders you pictured above. If you are interested email me and we can work out a price.

[Erik]

As Jes soooo kindly pointed out, I have recent experience breaking fiberglass. I wish that I had tried to fix it myself, but I ended up taking it to a shop. Now I'm finding that pounding metal into shape is not so bad and I whish that I had tried working with the fiberglass. Oh well, there should be plenty more opertunities, esspecially if I keep following Jes around ;-)

[Faux4X4]

Yes you can open the rear doors. This is the best pic I could find of the back.
http://www.desertrides.com/photo/up_jump02/jump02_046.jpg
I will get some more Wednesday and have my friend put them up on his site for me.

[ChuckD]

http://www.desertrides.com/photo/up_jump02/jump02_046.jpg

It looks like it needs to loose some weight in the rear end, call Jenny Craig!!

[Faux4X4]

No I just need to get my 15.5 inch wide tires.

[Maximus]

Zion, I am going down to Anaheim ina couple of weeks if you wanted me to pick them up. If the price was good they might be cool on my MJ. At leat I like the fronts for my XJ also. Just let me know.

[EricsXJ]

Just curious which would be lighter, the fiberglass one or a trimmed stock fender?

[GPRSDLYT]

just wondering where you relocated your antenna? (radio).

[KarmirXJ]

youd prolly have to locate it on the roof, or on the side somewhere. I dont know the name of the company but someone makes a little bracket that you can bolt over your rear tail lights right inbetween your hatch and body and mount a firestik to it. that is also a good idea... just have to extend the line for the antanna.

BTW: besides running desert racing, isnt it bad to go with fiberglass fenders? or even worse, buldged ones? Ive seen fiberglass crack with a little luv tap from cars, I coudnt imagine what would happen on the trail:shocked:

[ZPD]

Originally posted by KarmirXJ

BTW: besides running desert racing, isnt it bad to go with fiberglass fenders? or even worse, buldged ones? Ive seen fiberglass crack with a little luv tap from cars, I coudnt imagine what would happen on the trail:shocked:

I think it all depends. XJ-Wheeler is probably the best one to ask. It would depend on how thich the fenders are. If they are thin then they will deflect with a small impact and bounce back. If they are thick then they will crack. Now if you rolled your jeep like I did or had some serious impact then it would be all cracked up just like a metal one would be all bent up. I am kinda diggin the wider fenders though because it would give you some tire clearance and coverage that you can't get with the dinky wheel opening that XJ's have. The alternative as I see it is do some major hacking and then put some "mad max" bushwackers on. I don't like the rear fenders though. They are a little too big.