80 series Fender flares, leave or remove?

[Tahoe]

What is the consensus on the 80 series LC's fender flares? I personally think the truck would look better without them but are there any really good methods of cleaning the holes up after removal? Is putty or whatever it's called sufficient or would that be too unstable considering the stress of 4x4ing?

@ButteryHips / Tahoe

 

[Rubicajon]

I like the flairs on that model personally. The end decision is yours to make and as long as your happy with it go for it. I drive a JK and see people running them without flairs not my cup of tea. I look at flairs as vehicle protection. I had a rock leave the lug of my boggers i had on a ranger and as it threw the rock forward (about 45 mph) you could watch its momentum slow down as it crashed back into my windshield. Wider flairs probably would have caught it.

 

[Sparky]

I left mine. I'm sure they'll get torn off at some point but until then I figure there's no reason to mess with it.

Are you thinking of painting over the filler or no? What I've usually seen is them welded-in and either painted or bedlined. The bedlining just over the wheel arches is probably the cleanest method I've seen.. not the whole body, just the arches and maybe lower sills. This is the closest image I could find online, it's really personal preference though:

 

[Dana]

What is the consensus on the 80 series LC's fender flares? I personally think the truck would look better without them but are there any really good methods of cleaning the holes up after removal? Is putty or whatever it's called sufficient or would that be too unstable considering the stress of 4x4ing?

@ButteryHips / Tahoe

Tahoe,
Did you see the YouTube video just made by OLB? Although not sure that coating/look would look ok on your rig. Sorry I would post the video link here but I am techno challenged.

 

[Tahoe]

I left mine. I'm sure they'll get torn off at some point but until then I figure there's no reason to mess with it.

Are you thinking of painting over the filler or no? What I've usually seen is them welded-in and either painted or bedlined. The bedlining just over the wheel arches is probably the cleanest method I've seen.. not the whole body, just the arches and maybe lower sills. This is the closest image I could find online, it's really personal preference though:

View attachment 38113

I love this look!

 

[Tahoe]

Tahoe,
Did you see the YouTube video just made by OLB? Although not sure that coating/look would look ok on your rig. Sorry I would post the video link here but I am techno challenged.

did you mean this one?

 

[VCeXpedition]

I've repaired 3 of my 4 flares and one I've done twice! I like the look, but they are a bit of a pain.
Twice, it happened when I was backing up and caught my mud flap between my tire and a rock and it ripped the flare right off. The other time I came off a ledge and landed on the mud flap behind my right front tire and it ripped off the flare. I've since shortened up my mud flaps.

If you remove them, you have to either weld up the holes (this is the right way) or put tape on the back of the holes and use a heavy bedliner (the cheap-o way). Or do nothing, leave the holes and wheel it! (the usual way).
I don't like the look of a wide tire/wheel w/o flares, and like @Sparky said, until something happens, don't mess with them.

Dan.

 

[Dana]

did you mean this one?

Yes I did mean that one.

 

[Tahoe]

well I'm at the point of needing to do something about it, I think I will remove them. I'll take pics. I don't have wide tires either though I expect I will at some point, at least 33"...

I've repaired 3 of my 4 flares and one I've done twice! I like the look, but they are a bit of a pain.
Twice, it happened when I was backing up and caught my mud flap between my tire and a rock and it ripped the flare right off. The other time I came off a ledge and landed on the mud flap behind my right front tire and it ripped off the flare. I've since shortened up my mud flaps.

If you remove them, you have to either weld up the holes (this is the right way) or put tape on the back of the holes and use a heavy bedliner (the cheap-o way). Or do nothing, leave the holes and wheel it! (the usual way).
I don't like the look of a wide tire/wheel w/o flares, and like @Sparky said, until something happens, don't mess with them.

Dan.

 

[4wheelspulling]

I have asked myself the same questions about my fender flares. I am running 265/70/16s stock size tires on my 80. The flares do help keep mud and the winter mess off the sides of your truck. I do not like the price, but the bushwhacker flat fares are an option? For now I will leave my fender flares on my 97' FZJ80. Benz.