When will it stop?

[josh86k10]

Well, just when I thought I was done changing my truck, I got a bug up my a$$ again. Anyway, now I'm thinking of ditching the bushwackers in favor of a more trail friendly set-up. Thinking about cutting around the perimeter of the flares to make my fender openings huge (and get rid of all the holes the bushwackers will leave behind), and building some inner fenderwells out of 18 gauge or something. Anybody got any pics of homemade inner fenderwells? If so I'd like to see them. Then I'll throw some 2.5" lift or so 52's up front and some 56's out back of the same lift to compliment the shackle flip for a total of about 6.5"- 7". The 52's will move the front forward 2" and the 56's 2" back, right? Then some 42" TSL's and call it good (for now). What do ya'll think of my proposed cut line? Will the 42's fit with the axle moved 2" forward with how much those 52's will flex? Any other ideas? It all started with the desire to remove the flares and it keeps growing.

 

[sled_dog]

Vicious cycle once you start, huh? 56s will move your rear axle back 4" as far as I know. The extra 4" is after the spring pad, so if you mount them stock, it doesn't move the center pin at all. If you flip them around the axle is moved 4" back. 52s have the center pin, centered. so 26" either way. 56s are 26" one way and 30" the other.

 

[josh86k10]

Cool, even better! Is it much more involved than just swapping sides with the ORD flip brackets (and driveshaft mods of course)? Thanks for the reply.

 

[mikey_d05]

Cool, even better! Is it much more involved than just swapping sides with the ORD flip brackets (and driveshaft mods of course)? Thanks for the reply.

I think all you have to do is swap the shackle flip sides. I don't know how your pinion angle will be effected but that's easy enough to fix. Your shackle angle probably won't be the best but there are ways to fix that also. Your cut line looks good to me, although those are gonna be some huge fenderwells. There are some guys running 42's on 6" lifts around here and I seem to remember them modifying the "corner" (you'll know it when you see it) of a rail that runs up and down the firewall. Also, I don't know how good you are with sheetmetal but if you don't want to make your own fenderwells you could use dragster wheel tubs for the rear. Just some ideas, if you go ahead with it make sure you post up pictures in progress and when you're done, people like me with factory length springs front and rear need motivation to do spring swaps.

 

[josh86k10]

Yeah, I figured I'd just use some drag car tubs outback if I need to, maybe I won't have to with only 2.5" backspacing. It's building the front inners that I'll have to put a little thought into. I have access to industrial shears and breaks, so once I have a plan it should be no problem to make 'em, its just getting the plan that's gonna take some head scratching.

 

[mikey_d05]

2.5" of backspacing with 42's on 6-7" of lift, I doubt you'll need to modify the rear wheel wells. I haven't had a chance to get my truck out yet, but I'm running 6" and 39.5's with 4.25" of backspacing and there's a very very minimal chance that the rears will make contact, and that could be solved by less backspacing in the rear or spacers to put the rear tires out an inch or two.

 

[coptezr]

Well, just when I thought I was done changing my truck, I got a bug up my a$$ again. Anyway, now I'm thinking of ditching the bushwackers in favor of a more trail friendly set-up. Thinking about cutting around the perimeter of the flares to make my fender openings huge (and get rid of all the holes the bushwackers will leave behind), and building some inner fenderwells out of 18 gauge or something. Anybody got any pics of homemade inner fenderwells? If so I'd like to see them. Then I'll throw some 2.5" lift or so 52's up front and some 56's out back of the same lift to compliment the shackle flip for a total of about 6.5"- 7". The 52's will move the front forward 2" and the 56's 2" back, right? Then some 42" TSL's and call it good (for now). What do ya'll think of my proposed cut line? Will the 42's fit with the axle moved 2" forward with how much those 52's will flex? Any other ideas? It all started with the desire to remove the flares and it keeps growing.

if you want to sell those bushwackers ill buy em

 

[tRustyK5]

Well, just when I thought I was done changing my truck, I got a bug up my a$$ again. Anyway, now I'm thinking of ditching the bushwackers in favor of a more trail friendly set-up. Thinking about cutting around the perimeter of the flares to make my fender openings huge (and get rid of all the holes the bushwackers will leave behind), and building some inner fenderwells out of 18 gauge or something. Anybody got any pics of homemade inner fenderwells? If so I'd like to see them. Then I'll throw some 2.5" lift or so 52's up front and some 56's out back of the same lift to compliment the shackle flip for a total of about 6.5"- 7". The 52's will move the front forward 2" and the 56's 2" back, right? Then some 42" TSL's and call it good (for now). What do ya'll think of my proposed cut line? Will the 42's fit with the axle moved 2" forward with how much those 52's will flex? Any other ideas? It all started with the desire to remove the flares and it keeps growing.

Mine are trimmed like that and I still have the factory inner fenders (barely)

Rene

 

[mikey_d05]

Mine too, but I've posted this same picture a bazillion times now, I guess one more can't hurt.

It's completely painted now so it doesn't look like such a pile anymore.

 

[josh86k10]

Unfortunately, getting rid of the holes that the bushwackers will leave behind will put me above the inner fenderwells, so they gotta go. I guess there'll be about an inch or so of material below the body line.

 

[Sandman]

The cutting will never end!