TECH: Fender rolling - with a rubber hammer
TECH: Fender rolling - with a rubber hammer Problem at the rear, on the passenger side: my tire rubs against the fender when I drive over a pothole with the car fully loaded (I have 17x10.5" wheels at the rear):
The thing to do is of course to roll the fender. Usually that's done with a $250 tool (it can be rented), which pushes the sharp lip upwards. I chose to do it with a rubber hammer, and it worked great. In fact, with a hammer you can push the lip even more out of the way of the tire than with the proper tool.
Please keep in mind this is risky business. You don't want to dent your quarters! But for those of you brave enough, here's how it's done:
First thing to do is to protect the lip with 2 layers of duct tape. You have to heat the lip with a heat gun. This will soften the paint and prevent it from cracking. Don't heat it too much, you don't want to cook the paint!
With the lip hot, hit it with the hammer, but not too hard! Alternate between a series of a dozen or so blows and more heat gun. Here my left hand was shooting the pic but normally it would be against the fender to absorb the shock waves. The whole process took me an hour but was quite tiresome. You may want to take a break in between because, if you're tired, you're more likely to miss the lip and dent the fender. Also, your wrist will start to hurt, unless you're built like a woodchopper
...and don't forget ear protections!
The final result was perfect, and the paint didn't crack at all. Problem solved! I hope this will help some of you guys who don't have easy access to the tool.
Watch out: what worked for me may not work for you! Do it at your own risk
The thing to do is of course to roll the fender. Usually that's done with a $250 tool (it can be rented), which pushes the sharp lip upwards. I chose to do it with a rubber hammer, and it worked great. In fact, with a hammer you can push the lip even more out of the way of the tire than with the proper tool.
Please keep in mind this is risky business. You don't want to dent your quarters! But for those of you brave enough, here's how it's done:
First thing to do is to protect the lip with 2 layers of duct tape. You have to heat the lip with a heat gun. This will soften the paint and prevent it from cracking. Don't heat it too much, you don't want to cook the paint!
With the lip hot, hit it with the hammer, but not too hard! Alternate between a series of a dozen or so blows and more heat gun. Here my left hand was shooting the pic but normally it would be against the fender to absorb the shock waves. The whole process took me an hour but was quite tiresome. You may want to take a break in between because, if you're tired, you're more likely to miss the lip and dent the fender. Also, your wrist will start to hurt, unless you're built like a woodchopper
...and don't forget ear protections!The final result was perfect, and the paint didn't crack at all. Problem solved!
I hope this will help some of you guys who don't have easy access to the tool. Watch out: what worked for me may not work for you! Do it at your own risk
Last edited by mindreaper; Feb 17, 2009 at 09:36 AM.
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Thanks! 
The TTM rims 17x9" and 17x10.5" are wrapped in Kuhmo Ecsta Spt's 255 and 285. That's the minimum tire sizes for both wheels.
I can believe that. It takes hundreds of blows and the danger comes towards the end when you're tired and less concentrated. It's easy to miss the lip, or to forget to dampen the shock with the other hand. Also, it's better to give hundreds of medium strength blows rather than dozens of harder blows. Once you're fed up, the tempation to hurry the job is great. That's why I'd really recommend doing it over a couple of days.
Here in Belgium I didn't know who to rent the proper tool from. That's why I did it like this. But of course, using the tool is the safest.
The TTM rims 17x9" and 17x10.5" are wrapped in Kuhmo Ecsta Spt's 255 and 285. That's the minimum tire sizes for both wheels.I can believe that. It takes hundreds of blows and the danger comes towards the end when you're tired and less concentrated. It's easy to miss the lip, or to forget to dampen the shock with the other hand. Also, it's better to give hundreds of medium strength blows rather than dozens of harder blows. Once you're fed up, the tempation to hurry the job is great. That's why I'd really recommend doing it over a couple of days.
Here in Belgium I didn't know who to rent the proper tool from. That's why I did it like this. But of course, using the tool is the safest.
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Looks like you did a nice job, but I have to ask, did you think about getting an adj. PHR to center the car over the rearend? Not to sound like Capt. Obvious, but if it's hitting only on one side it's not centered.
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From: Vancouver,[KITSILANO].B.C. Canada *WestCoast*
I actually used VICE GRIPS..[2]...small and a medium size...took me all of 15 minutes a side..nice write up...
....although vice grips are much easier/faster.....
....although vice grips are much easier/faster..... 
