Modifying Rear Bedsides

[Dodge68charger]

I'm Running a Porterbuilt Rear suspension. Level 3, Just Wondering If Anyone Has modified their Rear bedsides to get the tire to sit closer to the outside of the truck. How did you do it if you did. Thanks
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[Swar]

You mean like narrowing the bedsides? Probably wouldn't look right. I have offset rims and wide tires that come out even with the bed. I had to cut the wheel openings up higher and change the flare to accommodate. What year is your truck? I know the 67's/68's? have a narrower rear end housing.

[crakarjax]

He probably does mean modifying the inner lip area... I'm interested in how to do this as well. I know on the fronts you could roll the fender lip but in the back?

[Dodge68charger]

Yes meant Modifying the inner lip Area. Thank You
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[Gromit]

Some youtubes on this topic below - although still a lot of head scratching involved to convert what they are doing in the video to the shapes we need for out fleetsides..



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x-KOc20RXc

Metal Shaping: Fender Bead and Wire Edge Demonstration

It is the one with 159,650 views

Or not quite as good but still helpful this:

Wire edge technique

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IllbcB9sIY

[hewittca]

I modified mine for this exact reason. I wanted my wheels as close as I could get them to the wheel opening. I have about 1/2” clearance all the way up. I did this by cutting out the portion of the wheel tub that is tack welded to the fender lip and extends up to where the inner wheel tub bolts to the inner bed side. Then I had to gently roll in the remaining lip on the wheel arch.

[crakarjax]

If I were to do that, I'd want to replace the removed material with something to prevent junk from getting kicked up into the inside of the rear fender panel. The process seems to make a lot of sense though.

Eastwood sells a fender roller tool, anyone try something like that to do the lip rolling?

[hewittca]

Originally Posted by crakarjax

If I were to do that, I'd want to replace the removed material with something to prevent junk from getting kicked up into the inside of the rear fender panel. The process seems to make a lot of sense though.

Eastwood sells a fender roller tool, anyone try something like that to do the lip rolling?

Yeah, I thought about adding in a piece but for me it wasn't worth the effort. I try to only drive my truck when it's dry out, so not much gets kicked up. Plus, the original piece I cut out didn't seem like it would keep water out anyway. If anything, it made it worse because it doesn't completely seal and there's an opening behind it where stuff can settle.

Here it is right before I cut that piece off.



I don't think you even need to mess with a lip roller tool. The lip is already pretty much rolled up. It needed maybe an additional 30 degrees of bend. You can kind of see how it's rolled up in the pic above. If you roll it any more than vertical, it's just overkill because the wheel arch kicks out anyway.

[Swar]

I see what you mean now. Hewittca, your truck reminds me of mine when I got it, same color. My fender mods are little more unconventional.

[crakarjax]

Originally Posted by Swar

I see what you mean now. Hewittca, your truck reminds me of mine when I got it, same color. My fender mods are little more unconventional.

No offense, but what in the world are you doing with all that bondo?

[Swar]

Originally Posted by crakarjax

No offense, but what in the world are you doing with all that bondo?

I know the "proper" way to fix the body is to shape metal and weld it in, grind, then use minimal bondo. But this is working for me.

[hewittca]

Originally Posted by Swar

I see what you mean now. Hewittca, your truck reminds me of mine when I got it, same color. My fender mods are little more unconventional.

I was never really a fan of this color until I got this truck and realized I haven't seen many others that are dark green.

Originally Posted by Swar

I know the "proper" way to fix the body is to shape metal and weld it in, grind, then use minimal bondo. But this is working for me.

I definitely love the look of your truck and the shape of the wheel arches, but aren't you concerned about them chipping/cracking or even worse, breaking apart? I know my bedsides and fenders flex quite a bit if I lean on them or something similar.

[Swar]

Originally Posted by hewittca

I was never really a fan of this color until I got this truck and realized I haven't seen many others that are dark green.



I definitely love the look of your truck and the shape of the wheel arches, but aren't you concerned about them chipping/cracking or even worse, breaking apart? I know my bedsides and fenders flex quite a bit if I lean on them or something similar.

It's reinforced underneath the bondo. I attached steel mesh to the fenders before I covered them. The fenders have become rock solid, so I'd probably have to crash into something to break it. But thanks, I know it looks rough right now, but I think you'll be surprised and appreciate it much more when it's done and painted.

[hewittca]

Originally Posted by Swar

It's reinforced underneath the bondo. I attached steel mesh to the fenders before I covered them. The fenders have become rock solid, so I'd probably have to crash into something to break it. But thanks, I know it looks rough right now, but I think you'll be surprised and appreciate it much more when it's done and painted.

That makes sense. I'm not much of a paint/bodywork guy so I was just genuinely curious. Your truck definitely has one of the most unique vibes, in both configurations that you've had it. I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

[Swar]

Originally Posted by hewittca

That makes sense. I'm not much of a paint/bodywork guy so I was just genuinely curious. Your truck definitely has one of the most unique vibes, in both configurations that you've had it. I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

Thanks, much appreciated. I like what you've done with yours too. You're lucky the body was so unmolested, mine was frankensteined back together long before it found me, so I gotta work with what I got. But I have had good luck with bondo, the previous fender skirt mod I did was holding up great, over 10 years.