Strategies to combat rubbing while flexing.

[Sgt Beavis]

Hey everyone. Yesterday was a beautiful day and I just got my Jeep back from the dealer. We had to get a broken transfer case gear selector replaced. With that done, I decided to take an easy trail, just to test everything out. With that in mind we went to Peewink mountain, just outside of Boulder. Good times.

Anyways, there is a branch of the trail that takes you uphill and is very washed out with lots of opportunities for flex. I have 37s on a Metalcloak 3.5” gamechanger lift. During our climb I could hear rubbing. This is the first time challenging this rig so I don’t know it well and decided to back out. Afterwards I really could only find one source of rubbing where the rear passenger tire contacted the inner fender liner.

So that brings me to my question, what strategies or mods can I look at to reduce or eliminate rubbing when putting my Jeep through a good amount of flex. Do I HAVE to replace the fender liners or can I reshape them with a heat gun? If I do replace the liners (and potentially the fender flairs) what brands should I be looking at. Especially for the rear. At the moment I thinking about cutting the fenders and using American Adventure Labs kit to modify it.

I see that a lot of people cut their front flairs, can I also do this to the rear flairs? Any pictures of this would be great.. thanks..

It was a beautiful trail.. BTW, this is NOT the kind of flex I’m talking about. It was much greater. I wish I had gotten a picture.

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[Zandcwhite]

We just removed the lower piece of the fender liner entirely. Most people don't trim the rear fender falares as there's no need. Unlike the front, the rear doesn't turn and pretty much will only ever rub at the rear of the liner as you experienced. You could add more bumpstop as another option. Here's ours on 37's and 2.5" lift for reference. No rubbing at all.

 

[sourdough]

That is a very flexy suspension. You should contact Metalcloak about rubbing. You'll probably have to complete the incomplete system with aftermarket liners. Did you replace the driveshafts yet?

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

You can remove that lower liner piece. You can reshape it with a heat gun. You can cut out the “bump” button n the area where it rubs. You can replace with aftermarket fender liners. You can ignore it.

I have the same suspension and tires. It didn’t rub there until after I installed some 1.75” wheel spacers. I’ve wheeled it once with this setup and the spacers. It rubbed very hard (noise scared me at first because I didn’t know what it was) only on the first trail where I went up a significant incline. Then it stopped and I didn’t hear it again for the rest of the day.

 

[Headbarcode]

I chopped all 4 fenders and added the full AAL treatment all around. I've also got the 3.5" Gamechanger and 38x13.5's. I used the 8 adjustable control arms to center the axles fore and aft at normal ride height. I still have to trim the rear pinch seam, which is preventing full flex. Usually with 37's, and centered axles, only the lower corner of the pinch seam needs to be trimmed.

 

[Zandcwhite]

That is a very flexy suspension. You should contact Metalcloak about rubbing. You'll probably have to complete the incomplete system with aftermarket liners. Did you replace the driveshafts yet?

I'd hardly call slight rubbing on the fender liners indicative of an "incomplete system". It's a suspension kit, one of the most complete on the market, not a Jeep build in a box. No lift kit comes with fender liners, and there are far too many factors like back spacing, tire width, load, etc for a manufacturer to specify a one size fits all tire diameter. Add in the fact that metalcloak includes adjustable bump stops from 1" to 4" and specifies in their instructions that you may need to add or remove bump stops depending on your tire choice, and it is one hell of a stretch to try and blame them. Add in the fact that maybe the op's lower arms are adjusted out a little too far, causing the rubbing? Unless they sent the wrong springs or there is a huge amount of sag, I wouldn't even bother contacting them personally.

 

[TxJeepers]

No rubbing after this trimming.

 

[Sgt Beavis]

No rubbing after this trimming.

I'm going to try reshaping with the heat gun first. But this will be the next move..

 

[JRINGO77]

I'd hardly call slight rubbing on the fender liners indicative of an "incomplete system". It's a suspension kit, one of the most complete on the market, not a Jeep build in a box. No lift kit comes with fender liners, and there are far too many factors like back spacing, tire width, load, etc for a manufacturer to specify a one size fits all tire diameter. Add in the fact that metalcloak includes adjustable bump stops from 1" to 4" and specifies in their instructions that you may need to add or remove bump stops depending on your tire choice, and it is one hell of a stretch to try and blame them. Add in the fact that maybe the op's lower arms are adjusted out a little too far, causing the rubbing? Unless they sent the wrong springs or there is a huge amount of sag, I wouldn't even bother contacting them personally.

Zach, not to detour this thread off topic but curious if you're running wheel spacers to be able to run stock wheels? Looks like most manufacturers say you need 4.5" BS but I also saw MC lets you click a box if you want to run stock wheels now. Control arms bent in I'm guessing to make room? I think this may be a new offering from them. Anyway love that look would love to run 37" and stock wheels or at least a wheel with more than 4.5" back spacing to keep the tires tucked a little more if it's really possible.

 

[Zandcwhite]

Zach, not to detour this thread off topic but curious if you're running wheel spacers to be able to run stock wheels? Looks like most manufacturers say you need 4.5" BS but I also saw MC lets you click a box if you want to run stock wheels now. Control arms bent in I'm guessing to make room? I think this may be a new offering from them. Anyway love that look would love to run 37" and stock wheels or at least a wheel with more than 4.5" back spacing to keep the tires tucked a little more if it's really possible.

We wheeled it in moab without spacers, rubbed the inner fender liners above the rear wheels and rubbed the sway bar in front at full lock. Added 1.5" spacers after that and have no rubbing now.

 

[JRINGO77]

We wheeled it in moab without spacers, rubbed the inner fender liners above the rear wheels and rubbed the sway bar in front at full lock. Added 1.5" spacers after that and have no rubbing now.

Ok awesome thanks for the reply that's exactly what I was wanting to know.

 

[Black Jeep Convertible]

If the heat gun doesn’t work then just cut this bump stop to size https://amzn.to/2QvQjhc

 

[jdhunt0]

You can remove that lower liner piece. You can reshape it with a heat gun. You can cut out the “bump” button n the area where it rubs. You can replace with aftermarket fender liners. You can ignore it.

I have the same suspension and tires. It didn’t rub there until after I installed some 1.75” wheel spacers. I’ve wheeled it once with this setup and the spacers. It rubbed very hard (noise scared me at first because I didn’t know what it was) only on the first trail where I went up a significant incline. Then it stopped and I didn’t hear it again for the rest of the day.

You started rubbing after the spacers? I have a sport with a 2” lift, 37s, and the Motobilt inners. I am getting some rubbing in the rear. I was thinking some wheel spacers would solve the problem.

 

[Mx5red]

You started rubbing after the spacers? I have a sport with a 2” lift, 37s, and the Motobilt inners. I am getting some rubbing in the rear. I was thinking some wheel spacers would solve the problem.

Chocolate thunder was a great source but you’re not going to get a reply. He just recently passed away from cancer.

 

[jdhunt0]

Chocolate thunder was a great source but you’re not going to get a reply. He just recently passed away from cancer.

I hate to hear that. I’m not on here much but he’s one that I recognize the name.

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