How To Fill Your Rear Wheel Wells
07-27-2010, 06:57 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: 04-06-2010
Location: Riverside, California
Posts: 655
How To Fill Your Rear Wheel Wells
I really wanted to get the absolute largest tire that I could under the rear of my '08 panel while keeping it as low as possible. I started out installing a set of Eibach springs. The front Eibach springs had 8" of the top coil cut out to lower the front an additional 3/4" past what the Eibach's would do.
Since my Panel has neither ABS or Traction Control, The different tire sizes were not a factor. This process will only work on non ABS/Traction Control vehicles.
The trick came by cutting the rear "box" area out of the rear wheel wells. I went to my local Chevy dealer and asked them what was inside these areas. The pulled it up on the computer and they are empty....no apparent reason for them. So I removed the the plastic inner fender panels and took a cut-off tool and removed the area that stood out.
Then I fabricated a 19 ga. patch and welded it in. (watch your heat here, the factory caulking will catch on fire from the heat. This is NOT where you want to start a fire) After it cooled I took some silicone an caulked the area.
The stock plastic inner fender panels need to be cut in the area that is marked in yellow and then "welded" back flat with a plastic welder. (available at Harbor Freight...cheap)
Once it is welded back together it will be flat and look something like this.
Once you re-assemble everything it will give you more room inside the rear of the fender to mount a much taller rear tire.
The top photo was taken before the plastic wheel wells were re installed.
Here is the stance of my panel as it sits today.
Since my Panel has neither ABS or Traction Control, The different tire sizes were not a factor. This process will only work on non ABS/Traction Control vehicles.
The trick came by cutting the rear "box" area out of the rear wheel wells. I went to my local Chevy dealer and asked them what was inside these areas. The pulled it up on the computer and they are empty....no apparent reason for them. So I removed the the plastic inner fender panels and took a cut-off tool and removed the area that stood out.
Then I fabricated a 19 ga. patch and welded it in. (watch your heat here, the factory caulking will catch on fire from the heat. This is NOT where you want to start a fire) After it cooled I took some silicone an caulked the area.
The stock plastic inner fender panels need to be cut in the area that is marked in yellow and then "welded" back flat with a plastic welder. (available at Harbor Freight...cheap)
Once it is welded back together it will be flat and look something like this.
Once you re-assemble everything it will give you more room inside the rear of the fender to mount a much taller rear tire.
The top photo was taken before the plastic wheel wells were re installed.
Here is the stance of my panel as it sits today.
Last edited by lasater; 07-27-2010 at 07:36 PM.
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07-29-2010, 07:10 PM
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 04-06-2010
Location: Riverside, California
Posts: 655