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97+ C4x4 fab & Rusty's flares =..?

nochance9

NAXJA Forum User
Location
ogden ut
Hey, so i just picked up a pretty sweet little rig that needs introduction... She's an 01 XJ limited, with about 7" of lift and 33" MTZ's, it's an RE 4.5" kit with CA relocation and renforcement brackets, plus blocks, shackles and spacers. Stock bumpers and flares, D30 front w/ 4.56's and an ARB, D35 rear with 4.56's and an ARB. Here's the problem, the PO was an idiot and was too scared to mess up the nice body so he put on lots of lift to avoid flares, also there is about 4" total up travel before bump stops hit. :( this don't cut the cheese with me. So, i have a set of rusty's flares on my 89 and really like the look of them, WAY more than bushwhackers which i hate. (no offense, it's the stupid little piece on the door that get's me) Now, i would love to just throw on a set of Rusty's flex flares and call it good. But there's that skinkin plastic wrap around bumper that hides the irregular rear quorter pannels that the rusty's flares won't mount up to.

This is my idea, C4x4 Fab has these cool little pieces that mount up on the back quorter pannels for protection and to cover where the stock bumper did. Could i get these pannels and mount my flex flares to them? i've looked around a lot but i can't find anyone who has done this before. This way i can take out the blocks and spacers, cut a ton of bump stopping and have a jeep that can flex, not to mention the pinion angle is WAY off, as in the pinion is aimed at the sky, so i'm getting vibes so romoving the blocks will fix that as well... What do you think? Pictures........

A set of the pannels installed...
IMG_3432.jpg

IMG_3448.jpg

IMG_3450.jpg


A pic of the flares on an old xj (What i want to mimic)

l_40b473812e854c19ac46735a39bb22e3.jpg


How Rusty says to mount the flares on a 97+ Notice how the flare is cut off at the bumper, THIS is what i'm trying to avoid (not the picture i was looking for, but they still had to cut the flare to make room for the bumper, a better option than having the flare just stop where the stock one does.

933-2.jpg



This guy did something to make it work like i want it to but i can't see what he did. :(

851-2.jpg


So what's the verdict? Is it possible or am i going to need to do some custom stuff to make it work?
 
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I have a set of caps that are trimmed to match those flares. (They are cut shorter to work with trimmed bodies.

(I have the same bumper)

Wanna trade?
 
Sorry, i should have been more clear. Only the picture of the 89 is my jeep. The rest i pulled off line. My 01 is red. Sorry. : /
 
Why not cut and fold the rear quarter?
I'm not quite sure what you mean.... Like, cut off everything the end caps cover up?

If that is what you're talking about, i've never been in something that i even came close to hitting my quarter panels on. And then i'd have a big empty gap between that and my rear bumper...
 
This is not exact, but this is what I did keeping my stock endcaps. I shaped them into the flare. That way the flare can follow the body. Could it done with the armor?
_DSC0247-1.jpg
 
This is not exact, but this is what I did keeping my stock endcaps. I shaped them into the flare. That way the flare can follow the body. Could it done with the armor?
_DSC0247-1.jpg

Yeah, that's what i was wondering. is if it could be done with the armour. because when the $ comes i will want to go with the C4x4 bumper as well. does anyone have a good picture of what's under the end caps?

Whitexj98,
I don't have the dough for a bumper like yours. :/ Nor do i have the skills to make one, i'm just now learning how to weld. (as in i've laid down only a handfull of beads on flat metal) I like your shackle mounts btw :)
 
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Yeah, that's what i was wondering. is if it could be done with the armour. because when the $ comes i will want to go with the C4x4 bumper as well. does anyone have a good picture of what's under the end caps?

Whitexj98,
I don't have the dough for a bumper like yours. :/ Nor do i have the skills to make one, i'm just now learning how to weld. (as in i've laid down only a handfull of beads on flat metal) I like your shackle mounts btw :)

This is what's under the end cap:
_DSC0220.jpg

Here is the link to my build:http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/black-99-build-stevieboy-822227/
 
That is a very nice lookin xj you've got! It's that kind of approach i want to take with my 01, the clean and attention to detail kind of approach. My 89 isn't bad... But you can only do so much when everything is so old ya know. Thanks for the picture and the thread link, i saw you did a piece on a sterio upgrade. That will come in handy cause i just bought a new deck for my 01. ;) now i've got to figure out what to do about the flares... I'd like to eliminate the end caps all together if possible which means new bumper... Gulp... Anyways i'll think it through, thanks!
 
That is a very nice lookin xj you've got! It's that kind of approach i want to take with my 01, the clean and attention to detail kind of approach. My 89 isn't bad... But you can only do so much when everything is so old ya know. Thanks for the picture and the thread link, i saw you did a piece on a sterio upgrade. That will come in handy cause i just bought a new deck for my 01. ;) now i've got to figure out what to do about the flares... I'd like to eliminate the end caps all together if possible which means new bumper... Gulp... Anyways i'll think it through, thanks!

Your welcome! Keep us posted...would love to see it progress.
 
just ordered the flex flares and some other goodies today! :D I'm thinking of maybe designing my own rear bumper and building it and a front that i've had designed for probably a year.... Here's my thread with rough drawings of the front... http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=985210 it was the first time i up loaded pictures lol. Just so you don't think less of me. And like i said, those are rough drawings but i have a mental picture that is quite vivid. The drawings are more for visualization. I'll work on getting a rear one drawn up and post it up here to see what you guys think.
 
I hated Rustys flares. They're made by a company from down under. They didn't fit to damn hot and still couldn't fully flex without grabbin 'em. So i had to cut them. i ended up with these! lol They're worth about $25 each but they sell 'em for stupid prices. I like my version better. -B



Good luck with yours.
 
I'm using pre 96 bumper end caps on my 01 XJ. Should leave plenty of room for rustys flares when I get them.
004-4.jpg
 
I'm using pre 96 bumper end caps on my 01 XJ. Should leave plenty of room for rustys flares when I get them.
004-4.jpg
ya know, ive wondered about that... do the pre 96 end caps just bolts right up the the 97+ bumpers? i have no desire to buy new bumpers but want a little cleaner look up front than trimming the plastic peices on my 99 to fit hannemans. i think the end caps would do the trick up front. i like the look on the rear too.
 
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