mikster
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I just installed my Smittybilt front inner fender liners – part# 77984. I did not have to take the wheels off or jack the Jeep up for the install – it might have made it slightly easier, but otherwise the install is not difficult with the wheels on. I painted the vent plates to match the colour of my jeep. Here are a few things I did and experienced during the install, for anyone who may be installing the same inner fenders in the future.
To paint the vent plates, I first scuffed down the plate side that would be visible, using abrasive grit pads for automotive sanding – 300 grit, then 400 grit, and then the ultra-fine Scotchbright pad (probably overkill using the Scotchbright). Once washed and dried I sprayed 3 layers of self-etching automotive primer. Each layer dried/cured for 24 hours and then lightly sanded prior to applying the next layer. Next – the paint. I purchased the colour match spray paint from my Mopar dealership and sprayed 3 layers of colour paint on the vents – each layer being allowed to cure for 24 hours before the next application. I only needed on can of colour match paint – it was $23 CDN, and I have a little left over. Once cured, I bolted in the vents to the Smittybilt inner fenders – which took forever.
Install. The most difficult part of installing the front inner fender liners, was removing the Christmas tree plugs. MAKE SURE TO HAVE THE RIGHT TRIM TOOL – I did not, and it was the biggest pain in the backside…. literally. Also, when trying to remove the plugs you will want to hold on to something to give you leverage – be careful not to hold onto the fender flare. I accidentally did and I almost pulled the fender flare out of the tabs that are holding it in place – I have OE fenders and not aftermarket ones. Hold onto the tire or brace yourself on the ground and then work the Christmas tree plugs out.
Once the OE inner fender liners are out, the install of the Smittybilt fenders are easy ( I say easy and I am not a mechanic or super technically inclined) – the instructions are fairly good, compared to other Smittybilt products I’ve purchased. You require a 1/8 drill bit – buy 2-3 in case you end up snapping a bit, which I did. When lining up the inner fender to mark off and counterpunch where you will be drilling the holes there are two things that are absolutely key. 1 – make sure to follow the instructions and install the button head screw on the back end of the inner fender. This helps align the inner fender properly, prior to marking where you will counterpunch and drill. Not doing this will lead to having to redrill new holes and nobody wants that. After drilling all the holes and bolting the inner fender on, you are almost done.
In the pictures included in this post you will see bare wiring lining the inner fender flare and the bulb and bulb wiring for the DRL and turnsignal. I didn’t want this wiring left bare and exposed to the elements, so I measured and cut the OE inner fender liners to fit back in and cover the wiring and bulbs. To cut the OE inner fender liners I used a Dremmel with the cutting wheel and an industrial knife. When you measure how much to cut off your inner fender liner, add at least an 1” to your measurement. If you make a mistake and cut too much off the first time, you can always trim a little more….YOU CAN NEVER GET BACK WHAT YOU ALREADY CUT OFF! It took me about 5 trims to get the perfect dimensions that would cover all my wiring. I reinstalled the trimmed OE inner fender liner using the bolts and Christmas tree plugs I removed originally. And that is it! Job complete.
To paint the vent plates, I first scuffed down the plate side that would be visible, using abrasive grit pads for automotive sanding – 300 grit, then 400 grit, and then the ultra-fine Scotchbright pad (probably overkill using the Scotchbright). Once washed and dried I sprayed 3 layers of self-etching automotive primer. Each layer dried/cured for 24 hours and then lightly sanded prior to applying the next layer. Next – the paint. I purchased the colour match spray paint from my Mopar dealership and sprayed 3 layers of colour paint on the vents – each layer being allowed to cure for 24 hours before the next application. I only needed on can of colour match paint – it was $23 CDN, and I have a little left over. Once cured, I bolted in the vents to the Smittybilt inner fenders – which took forever.
Install. The most difficult part of installing the front inner fender liners, was removing the Christmas tree plugs. MAKE SURE TO HAVE THE RIGHT TRIM TOOL – I did not, and it was the biggest pain in the backside…. literally. Also, when trying to remove the plugs you will want to hold on to something to give you leverage – be careful not to hold onto the fender flare. I accidentally did and I almost pulled the fender flare out of the tabs that are holding it in place – I have OE fenders and not aftermarket ones. Hold onto the tire or brace yourself on the ground and then work the Christmas tree plugs out.
Once the OE inner fender liners are out, the install of the Smittybilt fenders are easy ( I say easy and I am not a mechanic or super technically inclined) – the instructions are fairly good, compared to other Smittybilt products I’ve purchased. You require a 1/8 drill bit – buy 2-3 in case you end up snapping a bit, which I did. When lining up the inner fender to mark off and counterpunch where you will be drilling the holes there are two things that are absolutely key. 1 – make sure to follow the instructions and install the button head screw on the back end of the inner fender. This helps align the inner fender properly, prior to marking where you will counterpunch and drill. Not doing this will lead to having to redrill new holes and nobody wants that. After drilling all the holes and bolting the inner fender on, you are almost done.
In the pictures included in this post you will see bare wiring lining the inner fender flare and the bulb and bulb wiring for the DRL and turnsignal. I didn’t want this wiring left bare and exposed to the elements, so I measured and cut the OE inner fender liners to fit back in and cover the wiring and bulbs. To cut the OE inner fender liners I used a Dremmel with the cutting wheel and an industrial knife. When you measure how much to cut off your inner fender liner, add at least an 1” to your measurement. If you make a mistake and cut too much off the first time, you can always trim a little more….YOU CAN NEVER GET BACK WHAT YOU ALREADY CUT OFF! It took me about 5 trims to get the perfect dimensions that would cover all my wiring. I reinstalled the trimmed OE inner fender liner using the bolts and Christmas tree plugs I removed originally. And that is it! Job complete.
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