84-96 fender flare retainer repair, write up

So how many of you have removed your flares and while doing so, snapped the studs in the retainers due to rust?

I know it has happened to me a good bit with 4 XJ's and a MJ in the driveway. So here is my solution;

After removing the flare/retainer, remove the retainer from the flare that has the broken stud.

The studs are spot welded to the retainers and will come out easy if you spread the jaws on your vise just wider than the head of the stud, thenwith the retainer/stud center into the opened jaws, pound the old stud out with a hammer. It takes about 2 seconds. Then pound the area flat with the hammer and with the retainer laying on the flat "anvil" surface of the vise.

Now, take a trip to the hardware store and pick up some 5MMx.80x15mm bolts. These are almost always all-threaded at this length, do not get zinc plated or SS bolts, you need to be able to weld the new studs in. Don't forget the nuts and washers as well.

Now insert the new bolt into the hole that the stud came out of, run a nut down to secure it.

Crappy cell phone pics but you get the idea;


Now with the new bolt inserted THE CORRECT DIRECTION! Set your MIG welder to the lowest heat setting and spot weld the head of the bolt to the retainer.
More crappy cell phone pics;


Now remove the nut, insert the retainer back into the flare and its ready to go! I recommend using some never seize on the studs during re-installation.

I was able to repair 10 broken studs in less than 30min using this method just today. I removed the flares from my 94 Country to repair the chips(with Chomelite) and repaint them.

It turned out not too bad

I grind the round head off the broken studs. JB Weld epoxy also works to secure the repair, and you can fix 97-01 brackets the same way.

Tim_MN said:

I grind the round head off the broken studs. JB Weld epoxy also works to secure the repair, and you can fix 97-01 brackets the same way.

Click to expand...

I have a 2000 but I have never had the flares off of it or any other 97+ XJ. Thanks for adding that.

I can see where grinding the head of the stud off would work if you don't mind the sparks.

Moral of the story, get the stud out without destroying the retainer!

I guess this works OK - assuming you happen to have welding equipment. But it doesn't solve the basic problem - that the securing nuts and bolts seize solid, and also that the retaining strips rust. A repair job like this will have to be repeated every few years.

I went a different route on my 93 XJ, and not just because I don't have welding kit. Basically I replaced the OEM retainers (or mounting strips) inside the flares with plastic ones, cut to shape from spare rainwater guttering. I replaced the steel bolts, nuts and washers with nylon ones. No risk of rust, and makes future removal of the flares much easier.

I took no pics, but there's a write-up here.