How To: Fix Your Fender Gap *Pics*
08-16-2011, 11:07 PM
#1
How To: Fix Your Fender Gap *Pics* Does your fender look like this?
Well, keep reading, it's an easy fix.
So I've seen quite a lot of cars here on tech that have this fender gap, down at the bottom of the fender, where it meets the door. I don't know if people don't care about it, don't know how to fix it, or what! But it's an EASY fix, and figured I'd post up the process.
Now you may all already know about this and I might just be making a useless post, but oh well. The fender gap comes from using an improper lifting/jacking point on the car. Rather than using the frame, a shop (or maybe you, I won't tell
) lifted from the undercarriage where the bottom fender bolts meet the mounting bracket. It then gets bent upwards and out, which pushes the fender out. Sometimes the bolts might even break, in this case you'll need new bolts and a solid spot to bolt/drill into.
Anyway, lets get started.
MATERIALS NEEDED
-Good set of vice grips
-Hammer, any should do
-Block of wood
This is what you should have in front of you
Look under the car right below the fender. This bracket is what's bent!
So if you haven't already, jack the car up just enough so you can comfortably get to the bracket. Set your jack stands under the car.
Get your vice grips and clamp them on tight
*Make sure you've clamped both the plastic from the fender AND the metal bracket*
EDIT: To avoid the risk of cracking your fender tab, unbolt the fender from the metal plate so you can bend the metal back by itself. If you don't care, grab onto both of them together and bend them back.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Now, GENTLY push the tabs back. You should see the fender pull back into place
But of course with my luck, the fender was still sticking out a bit. If yours is too, even after straightening out the tabs, grab your hammer and a decent sized piece of wood.
Set the block of wood flush up against the brackets.
A few good hits should get it right back into place. BE CAREFUL, the bracket CAN break off
I was able to hold it with one hand, and hammer with the other. If you feel safer with someone holding it, go for it.
Now your fenders should look something like this!
(Sticking out a little on the bottom, but i'll take it)
Driver's side was just as bad as the passenger side. All fixed now!
All in all it took me about 30/40 minutes. My drivers side bent back perfectly with just the vice grips, and I needed the block of wood for the passenger side.
Hope this helps some people, thanks for looking!
Well, keep reading, it's an easy fix.
So I've seen quite a lot of cars here on tech that have this fender gap, down at the bottom of the fender, where it meets the door. I don't know if people don't care about it, don't know how to fix it, or what! But it's an EASY fix, and figured I'd post up the process.
Now you may all already know about this and I might just be making a useless post, but oh well. The fender gap comes from using an improper lifting/jacking point on the car. Rather than using the frame, a shop (or maybe you, I won't tell
) lifted from the undercarriage where the bottom fender bolts meet the mounting bracket. It then gets bent upwards and out, which pushes the fender out. Sometimes the bolts might even break, in this case you'll need new bolts and a solid spot to bolt/drill into.Anyway, lets get started.
MATERIALS NEEDED
-Good set of vice grips
-Hammer, any should do
-Block of wood
This is what you should have in front of you
Look under the car right below the fender. This bracket is what's bent!
So if you haven't already, jack the car up just enough so you can comfortably get to the bracket. Set your jack stands under the car.
Get your vice grips and clamp them on tight
*Make sure you've clamped both the plastic from the fender AND the metal bracket*
EDIT: To avoid the risk of cracking your fender tab, unbolt the fender from the metal plate so you can bend the metal back by itself. If you don't care, grab onto both of them together and bend them back.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Now, GENTLY push the tabs back. You should see the fender pull back into place
But of course with my luck, the fender was still sticking out a bit. If yours is too, even after straightening out the tabs, grab your hammer and a decent sized piece of wood.
Set the block of wood flush up against the brackets.
A few good hits should get it right back into place. BE CAREFUL, the bracket CAN break off
I was able to hold it with one hand, and hammer with the other. If you feel safer with someone holding it, go for it.
Now your fenders should look something like this!
(Sticking out a little on the bottom, but i'll take it)
Driver's side was just as bad as the passenger side. All fixed now!
All in all it took me about 30/40 minutes. My drivers side bent back perfectly with just the vice grips, and I needed the block of wood for the passenger side.
Hope this helps some people, thanks for looking!
Last edited by 98 WS6; 06-03-2014 at 10:16 AM.
08-16-2011, 11:28 PM
#4
We were doing this to my friends car as well. 160K miles, underbody was pretty shot. When we were hitting it in with the wood, the bracket split off 1/4 of the way. It didn't affect anything at all, but I'm just telling you guys to be careful and not go incredible Hulk on it.
Thanks! It's a quick fix to do on a slow day.
08-16-2011, 11:47 PM
#5
On The Tree
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When having your F-body worked on always tell the shop to not jack under the front fender where this flimsy support is located. Both of my fenders were pushed out when I had tires put on at Costco. You can easily push the brackets back as the OP states and straighten up with vice grips. One of my fenders is broken near the flange and I will have to make a repair. Best thing is to be careful and not let someone damage the fender in the first place. Only some shops seem to be aware of this fragile area.
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08-17-2011, 04:39 AM
#10
Oh, also want to add. One of the brackets was way bent out of the shape compared to the fender's tab, so I unbolted those two bolts (10mm) to separate them and straightened out the metal. Just keep lining up the fender tab as you bend the bracket, you want those bolts to line up don't you? 
You think someone working at a shop would be able to tell where the frame is.
Exactly! None of my cars have ever been on a lift, or even moved without me watching.
Haha well I guess this worked. Good luck!
I would bet that's what it is.
Thanks Tony. ...cell phone pictures aside...
When having your F-body worked on always tell the shop to not jack under the front fender where this flimsy support is located. Both of my fenders were pushed out when I had tires put on at Costco. You can easily push the brackets back as the OP states and straighten up with vice grips. One of my fenders is broken near the flange and I will have to make a repair. Best thing is to be careful and not let someone damage the fender in the first place. Only some shops seem to be aware of this fragile area.
Haha well I guess this worked. Good luck!
Last edited by 98 WS6; 08-17-2011 at 04:46 AM.
08-17-2011, 12:01 PM
#11
It's not just the shops. I've watched plenty of people jack their cars (not F-bodies) from that tab thinking it's a pinch weld seam. It quickly bends and they say "well ain't THAT just bullshit, you'd think a lifting point would be stronger!" Obviously they never read their manuals to see NOT to jack from the "Fender Mounting Bracket." durre
08-17-2011, 12:22 PM
#12
Launching!
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It's not just the shops. I've watched plenty of people jack their cars (not F-bodies) from that tab thinking it's a pinch weld seam. It quickly bends and they say "well ain't THAT just bullshit, you'd think a lifting point would be stronger!" Obviously they never read their manuals to see NOT to jack from the "Fender Mounting Bracket." durre
It apparently does not seem to effect the Trans Am's as bad as far as fender alignment goes though.
08-17-2011, 12:40 PM
#13
TECH Fanatic
Very nice, seems easy enough. I've been meaning to do this to my car but haven't got around to it, my passenger side fender looks just like yours did before you fixed it.
Would you recommend doing this in a warmer climate where the car is relatively warm or does it not really matter?
Would you recommend doing this in a warmer climate where the car is relatively warm or does it not really matter?
08-17-2011, 01:17 PM
#14
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I bought my car a couple months back and I saw that towards the bottom of my fenders they seemed to not really line up, this explains why now. Makes alot of sense. Next time I have it up on the lift ill give it a try. Thanks.
08-17-2011, 01:34 PM
#15
Very nice, seems easy enough. I've been meaning to do this to my car but haven't got around to it, my passenger side fender looks just like yours did before you fixed it.
Would you recommend doing this in a warmer climate where the car is relatively warm or does it not really matter?
Would you recommend doing this in a warmer climate where the car is relatively warm or does it not really matter?
Glad I could help!
08-17-2011, 02:32 PM
#17
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I skipped the vise grip part and went strraight for the 5 lb hammer. 3 good smacks on each side and I was done. I did this about 3 months ago and the fenders are still aligned perfectly
