smoverland
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Riley
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2019
- Threads
- 24
- Messages
- 214
- Reaction score
- 313
- Location
- United States
- Vehicle(s)
- 2021 Jeep Gladiator Mojave
- Build Thread
- Link
- Occupation
- Self-Employed
- Thread starter
- #1
Hey all,
Riley here. I couldn't find any information on separating the two-piece fenders on the Sport S w/ Max Tow package, so I decided to do it myself. Below, you'll find a step-by-step write up with pictures to guide you through the process yourself.
I'll be doing a similar process for the front fenders using American Adventures Lab's kit.
Step One: Remove the Inner Fender Liner
Looking into the wheel well, you will see three bolts.
Using a ratchet or socket screwdriver with an 8mm socket, remove all three.
Next, locate the push pin retainers. There will be five of them located around the interior of the fender liner. Remove them using a trim removal tool.
When you have the retaining pins out, find the nine retaining clips and, using a pin, small screwdriver, or another appropriately-sized tool, push in the center of each one.
Once you have pushed the center of each clip in, remove them using a trim remover tool.
You can now pull the inner fender liner free and remove it.
Step Two: Remove the Fender
With the fender liner removed, you will be able to see the white retaining clips that are securing the fender to the body of the vehicle. They look like this:
For this step, you will need some needle nose pliers and your trim remover tool. You will have to use them in unison (this can get frustrating due to the cramped space). Pinch the back of the clip with the pliers while simultaneously pulling it out with your trim removal tool.
You may find that one clip is impossible to reach with your pliers. If you manage to get it off, that's great. If not, simply slide the fender off that particular clip and attempt to remove it after the fact. If it breaks, you can replace it with one of the spares you'll have, so it's not the end of the world.
Now, remove the fender from the vehicle.
Step Three: Remove the Braces
You'll notice there are two braces still attached to the fender. You'll have to remove both in order to separate the two parts of the fender. Simply repeat the same process used for the other retaining clips with push-button centers.
Step Four: Separate the Fender Pieces
Now comes the fun and slightly terrifying part -- separating the two fender pieces. The pieces are held together by plastic welds and secured by little tabs.
Unfortunately, there's no way around this but to forcefully rip the two pieces apart. Try not to flex the outer piece too much, especially if you have painted fenders. If the tabs begin to tear -- and chances are they will -- just make sure the tears do not affect the fender itself. The end result will look like this:
Step Five: Replacing the Fender and Cutting the Tabs
I combined these two steps in my own process, but you may be better off cutting the tabs off before putting the fender back in place. Either way, you'll want to carefully trim the tabs off with a Dremel or razor blade, then simply snap the retaining clips back into their original holes.
Step Six: Bask in Your Accomplishment
That's it; you're done! You'll notice I didn't include a step to reattach the inner fender liner. That's because I didn't (yet). If I do end up putting it back in and trimming it, I'll be sure to update this thread.
Here are the final results:
And here are the approximate before and after measurements from the top of the tire:
Inner fender before and after
Exterior before and after
As you can see, separating the fenders on a Sport S w/ Max Tow package nets you approximately 2.5" of additional clearance in the wheel well and raises the fender about 2.75" on the exterior.
If you have any questions about this write-up or the process itself, feel free to ask! Also, make sure to follow my build through any outlet that works for you:
Instagram: @smokymountainoverland
Website: smoverland.com
Build Thread: https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/smoky-mountain-overland-build.18410/
Best,
Riley
Riley here. I couldn't find any information on separating the two-piece fenders on the Sport S w/ Max Tow package, so I decided to do it myself. Below, you'll find a step-by-step write up with pictures to guide you through the process yourself.
I'll be doing a similar process for the front fenders using American Adventures Lab's kit.
Step One: Remove the Inner Fender Liner
Looking into the wheel well, you will see three bolts.
Using a ratchet or socket screwdriver with an 8mm socket, remove all three.
Next, locate the push pin retainers. There will be five of them located around the interior of the fender liner. Remove them using a trim removal tool.
When you have the retaining pins out, find the nine retaining clips and, using a pin, small screwdriver, or another appropriately-sized tool, push in the center of each one.
Once you have pushed the center of each clip in, remove them using a trim remover tool.
You can now pull the inner fender liner free and remove it.
Step Two: Remove the Fender
With the fender liner removed, you will be able to see the white retaining clips that are securing the fender to the body of the vehicle. They look like this:
For this step, you will need some needle nose pliers and your trim remover tool. You will have to use them in unison (this can get frustrating due to the cramped space). Pinch the back of the clip with the pliers while simultaneously pulling it out with your trim removal tool.
You may find that one clip is impossible to reach with your pliers. If you manage to get it off, that's great. If not, simply slide the fender off that particular clip and attempt to remove it after the fact. If it breaks, you can replace it with one of the spares you'll have, so it's not the end of the world.
Now, remove the fender from the vehicle.
Step Three: Remove the Braces
You'll notice there are two braces still attached to the fender. You'll have to remove both in order to separate the two parts of the fender. Simply repeat the same process used for the other retaining clips with push-button centers.
Step Four: Separate the Fender Pieces
Now comes the fun and slightly terrifying part -- separating the two fender pieces. The pieces are held together by plastic welds and secured by little tabs.
Unfortunately, there's no way around this but to forcefully rip the two pieces apart. Try not to flex the outer piece too much, especially if you have painted fenders. If the tabs begin to tear -- and chances are they will -- just make sure the tears do not affect the fender itself. The end result will look like this:
Step Five: Replacing the Fender and Cutting the Tabs
I combined these two steps in my own process, but you may be better off cutting the tabs off before putting the fender back in place. Either way, you'll want to carefully trim the tabs off with a Dremel or razor blade, then simply snap the retaining clips back into their original holes.
Step Six: Bask in Your Accomplishment
That's it; you're done! You'll notice I didn't include a step to reattach the inner fender liner. That's because I didn't (yet). If I do end up putting it back in and trimming it, I'll be sure to update this thread.
Here are the final results:
And here are the approximate before and after measurements from the top of the tire:
Inner fender before and after
Exterior before and after
As you can see, separating the fenders on a Sport S w/ Max Tow package nets you approximately 2.5" of additional clearance in the wheel well and raises the fender about 2.75" on the exterior.
If you have any questions about this write-up or the process itself, feel free to ask! Also, make sure to follow my build through any outlet that works for you:
Instagram: @smokymountainoverland
Website: smoverland.com
Build Thread: https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/smoky-mountain-overland-build.18410/
Best,
Riley
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