Trans Am Fender Rubbing
10-24-2011, 01:39 PM
#1
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Trans Am Fender Rubbing My 1993 Trans Am driver's side fender is rubbing (and popping loudly) the door when I open the door. It only does it when the ambient temperature is below 50 or 60. I checked the fender and it looks like it just needs adjustment on the back of it to pull it out slightly at the bottom but I don't know where the bolts are to adjust it. I see two bottom bolts but they would need shims.
BTW, I know the car has never been wrecked because I have had it for 14 years and it has original paint and no damage other than a door ding or two and the passenger side door has some filler on the bottom that was there when I bought it in 1997. It could be a result of me jacking the car at that spot once or twice in the time I have owned it.
Thanks in advance!
BTW, I know the car has never been wrecked because I have had it for 14 years and it has original paint and no damage other than a door ding or two and the passenger side door has some filler on the bottom that was there when I bought it in 1997. It could be a result of me jacking the car at that spot once or twice in the time I have owned it.
Thanks in advance!
10-24-2011, 03:10 PM
#2
It is certainly a result of you jacking the car up from that spot. It is not a lift point. Period. The frame rails are the recommended lift points, and if not, then the pinch welds on the body... Not the fender mounting tab. It is a common mistake to make when working on these vehicles.
Remove the two bolts, pull the plastic fender section off of the metal tab, grab some channel-lock pliers, and bend the tab flat again. Once it is flat, loosely reattach the fender with the two bolts, and adjust it from there using the tools you have with you. Depending on how damaged the tab/plastic is, it may require extra finesse/jury-rigging to get it looking correct on the outside. A hair dryer on high and/or a heat gun on low might help speed up the process of bending the plastic back to shape, but be very careful and take as much time as necessary. Once, it took me about 30 minutes on a friends car.
Remove the two bolts, pull the plastic fender section off of the metal tab, grab some channel-lock pliers, and bend the tab flat again. Once it is flat, loosely reattach the fender with the two bolts, and adjust it from there using the tools you have with you. Depending on how damaged the tab/plastic is, it may require extra finesse/jury-rigging to get it looking correct on the outside. A hair dryer on high and/or a heat gun on low might help speed up the process of bending the plastic back to shape, but be very careful and take as much time as necessary. Once, it took me about 30 minutes on a friends car.
10-24-2011, 07:06 PM
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I have always jacked it on that black pad on the other side (inside towards the transmission) of the fender bolts. Is that not a good place to jack? I have never jacked it on the fender part and bent it.
I'll see if your recommendation works though. Thanks!
I'll see if your recommendation works though. Thanks!
10-24-2011, 07:18 PM
#4
Oh, I completely forgot that the earlier 4th gens had plastic lift points there. I would say start by adjusting it from the bottom two bolts where the fender bolts to the body, and go from there. If needed, there should be an additional fender adjustment point accessible if you swing the door open.
10-25-2011, 07:35 AM
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Do the fenders shrink over time? Just curious. The door does not sag at all and since it only does it when it's cold it makes me wonder if the fender is shrinking due to the cold weather.
