Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Wheels & Tires So you want to know what to roll on your fenders?

MODERATOR PLEASE MAKE THIS A STICKY AS THIS QUESTION COMES UP EVERY OTHER WEEK AND SO FAR NO PICS HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE - THANKS

Here's is the ONLY problem area on the car when it comes to wider tires - this is the little bugger that slices up your sidewall. NO OTHER PLACE IN THE WHEELWELL TOUCHES. It's just this lip on the rear wheel well where the rear bumper cover meets up with the wheel well.



Here's how the nasty slicer looks before, like the blade on a salami slicer at the deli:


Then with a little coaxing with a baseball bat between the tire and the lip it'll look like this:


See how it's folded closer to the rear bumper cover???? That's all you need to do to make sure it doesn't dice'n' slice when you go over a bump or weight the rear of the car down.

Your good to go now!

Stazi, thanks for the insightful post. Can I use my angle grinder to completely annihilate the thing, or will it compromise structural stability? Just thought it be better than an anger management session with my rear inner fender. Share your thoughts...

XL

I wouldn't as it'll become a point of rust propagation!

If you want to really punish it. Take off the wheels and hit it flatter to the bumper with a rubber mallet.

Man I really need to spray my wheelwells!

after those damn things sliced up my brand new tires i went to town with the good ole Louisville Slugger. wasnt enough. used a grinder. wasnt enough. still cutting in! i need to schedule another grinding session.

With 225's and 1/2 spacers in the back I figured this one out awhile ago.

A suggestion though when doing this. First jack up your car and remove the wheel. Then get a block of wood and wrap the end of it in a thick cloth. Put this up against the outside paint side and then proceed to bang the inside lip flat with a metal hammer. I did need a wee bit of grinding to finish off a "stubborn" section.

Stazi, I visited my car at the shop on Saturday, and to my piece of mind, noticed that the "killer knife" has been proffessionally removed. It looks like a cut-grind-sand-paint job, but it's super nicely done. Don't exactly know why it had it done since I purchased my car in stock height with stock rims, but good to know. I will take pics when I get the car back, whenever that is...

XL

Oh yes. Thank you Stazi. This is exactly what I need to stop me 225/40/R18 Sumitomo's from rubbing every time someone sits in the back seat. Thank you.