widening a fender

[Aint2Proud]

I am looking at Kit style fenders for my build and found some that are reasonably priced but are about an inch to narrow. I need them about 9 1/2" wide (from the side of the tear to the outside of the tire). What is the best way to widen them or can you build a spacer of sorts to attach them so they cover the wheel (if this is even suggested or feasible)? I will have aluminum skin and the fender I am looking at is fiberglass. Thanks.

Ryan

[NathanL]

Edit - nm saw you said a fiberglass fender. I'm guessing it's not a straight fender but rather is shaped from the inside to the outside. Even if you cut and glass in a patch piece you'll likely loose your shape.

You might can add a spacer next to the trailer but you might have to shape it in/out as well or it will look like a fender stuck on with a spcaer instead of a 1" wider fender...if that makes sense.

Just have to see the fender to know.

[glassgrasshopper]

I dont' know what you are paying but there a seller on e bay that sells the 11" for 200 to 225 a set that looks very well made

[Dale M.]

The is also possibility you can add a spacer between fender and trailer body..... Done right it can look pretty good and can actually be a feature of build....

Dale

[madjack]

The is also possibility you can add a spacer between fender and trailer body..... Done right it can look pretty good and can actually be a feature of build....

Dale

...that would probably be my choice...cut two pieces per side outta 1/2" ply, EPOXY 'em together and seal them heavily with epoxy...relieve the edges(slightly) since epoxy doesn't like 90* angles...rough up the back side of the fender flange and epoxy them together...use some micro balloon filler(or Bondo) in the epoxy to smooth out any discrepancies in the two, paint and mount...or something similar................................
madjack

[grant whipp]

Ryan!

You might need to go a bit more than an inch! Depending on who the mfg. is and whether or not they modified the fender from the original, you actually only have about 8" to 8-1/2" of useable inside width on a KIT fender because of the way the fenderwell lip curls in at the top of the opening. The other thing is, if they are from molds taken from the original KIT fenders, then the overall widths are different left and right, and neither is a true 9". (Shameless plug, here: my 9" KIT-style fenders are a true 9" overall width, and they have the most available useable inside width at just a hair under 8-1/2")

It might be easier to narrow a set of 11" wide fenders by about 3/4" or so (Doug Hodder posted an excellent tutorial, here, on how to do just that a while back!), or simply put 1/2" spacers between the wheels & hubs to push those tires out further to fill out the 11" wide versions ... ...

Hope this helps! Good Luck, and in the meantime ...

CHEERS!

Grant