trimming cladding

[Ldub]

Available at Harbor Freight...

[MSHardeman]

Dougie, depending on how big you go with your tires, and if you lift or not, you may end up cutting off even less of the cladding than is shown in the picture. When I was stock height and installed the Terra Grappler 285/60/18's I had to trim off just a tiny corner of the cladding, and that corner was just the tip of the cladding that sticks into the front of the wheel well. I didn't have to cut anywhere near the exterior lip of the cladding so unless I'm parked right next to an unaltered VX AND you stick your head into the wheel well and look at the front corner of the wheel well you would never know anything was removed. I ended up using a Dremel tool with a cut-off wheel to trim the cladding then used some sand paper to smooth everything out for a factory look.

[SomeBeach]

That picture Ldub sent looked like it would work but I didn't see the electrical cord. I think I got it not. I read where guys were cutting cladding and beating sheet metel so I got worried.

[MSHardeman]

You shouldn't have to do any serious trimming or sheet metal bashing until you get into some of the larger tire sizes (like Ldub's massive set up).

[Ldub]

(Ldub's massive set up).

...who told YOU?...

[Gussie2000]

Available at Harbor Freight...

LDUB are you serious ? This is nuts
Man you make me laugh so much I was close to piss my self hahahahaha
That machete looks like the ones my grandpa used to open the coconuts at the beach to make some tasty pina colada
I can just imagine dougie with this machete trimming the cladding

[Ldub]

LDUB are you serious ? This is nuts
Man you make me laugh so much I was close to piss my self hahahahaha
That machete looks like the ones my grandpa used to open the coconuts at the beach to make some tasty pina colada
I can just imagine dougie with this machete trimming the cladding

If you go on the Harbor Freight website, & find that particular instrument of certain destruction, you'll find that it's a Japan saw, which makes a straight, relatively smooth, cut.

They cut on the "pull" stroke, so they take a little getting used to...

Although I can definitely see the humor in trimming the cladding with a machete......

[Gussie2000]

If you go on the Harbor Freight website, & find that particular instrument of certain destruction, you'll find that it's a Japan saw, which makes a straight, relatively smooth, cut.

They cut on the "pull" stroke, so they take a little getting used to...

Although I can definitely see the humor in trimming the cladding with a machete......

I think dougie will have problem handling this saw since he's not japanese at all jejeje

[AK Falco]

If you go on the Harbor Freight website, & find that particular instrument of certain destruction, you'll find that it's a Japan saw, which makes a straight, relatively smooth, cut.

They cut on the "pull" stroke, so they take a little getting used to...

Although I can definitely see the humor in trimming the cladding with a machete......

Ldub is right these japan saw's are extremely sharp and will cut anything, wood, plastic, cheese, rib eye steak! probably your plate too.

[VX KAT]

I took the plunge today and ordered my 285/60-18 rubber.....so that means my cladding will need to have some trimming when I get them installed.

I've read several posts that mention a "triangle" shape cut out from the front of the front wheel well and then I saw the great pic Ldub attached above. Going to print that and take it to the install shop for their reference so they can do it.

Question: Hopefully wont have to be doing the BFH routine to any metal in there, is there any other cladding areas that need trimmed? (No lift, just the bigger tires above). Don't want any surprises if possible.

[Ldub]

I took the plunge today and ordered my 285/60-18 rubber.....so that means my cladding will need to have some trimming when I get them installed.

I've read several posts that mention a "triangle" shape cut out from the front of the front wheel well and then I saw the great pic Ldub attached above. Going to print that and take it to the install shop for their reference so they can do it.

Question: Hopefully wont have to be doing the BFH routine to any metal in there, is there any other cladding areas that need trimmed? (No lift, just the bigger tires above). Don't want any surprises if possible.

I can't take credit for the pic...just wish I could remember who to give photo cred to...
I horked it from another members gallery...

As long as you're mounting the new skinz on stock rims, you should be OK...but there are never any iron clad guarantees against "no surprises"...

Can't wait to see the pics...:_drool:

[MSHardeman]

Kat (Sue), with the tires that you are describing you should only have to trim the point off of the front cladding which is a MUCH smaller piece from what is shown in the picture Dub posted.

If you stand next to the front tire (let's use the drivers side as an example) and look right in front of the tire you will see that the cladding comes to a point. This point is at the very bottom of the cladding at the front of the wheel well. The only thing you really need to do with the 285/60/18's is knock that point off. I turned my wheels until they hit that point to give me a reference on where to start cutting. I HATE to maul my baby so I cut very little off to begin with and then kept sanding and sanding until I had just cleared the tire.

If you went with the Nitto Terra Grapplers that should be all you need to trim. I was stock height with the TG's for my first three Moab's and never had a rubbing problem. Moncha had the TG's and was stock height this year and I don't believe that he had any problems either.

You're going to LOVE your new tires.

[Marlin]

I didn't trim the front of my cladding at all, but rather behind the wheel. I used a craftsman razor blade pocket knife. You could probably use a pocket knife. I then took a 3lb sledge and banged in the body seams that were still in the way, I had to use an cutting wheel to modify my sliders as well. No problem...I had never done this either so don't worry, it can be done. Now I am making skid plates and soon starting a bumper. It is very addictive. From this:

To this:

[Triathlete]

I trimmed just a tad off of my cladding
A sawzall did the job like a hot knife cutting butter!




However when I had previously did some minor trimming for tire clearing a razor knife worked just fine.

[Moncha]

I held out for so long, when I got my Nitto TG's (285-60-18) I could bear it. Then I actually did it. It's very easy with a razor knife and you don't take very much off. Don't let some of these guys scare ya, they're harmless. Unless you're a VX