Tire rub on front fenders

[Lugnutt]

Hi all,

I've got a stock 72 4x4 with 31 10.50x15 tires with no problems at all... except they are worn out. I've had the truck since it was brand new and in the old days I used to run 12.00x 16.5 tires and rims that worked well except they used to rub on the front/bottom portion of the front tires when backing up and turning the wheel at a certain angle; they used to make a hellofa noise.

I'm looking to buy new tires and wheels and would like to go with MT 32 11.50x15 TA's but don't want to have that problem with them rubbing. I can't jack the truck mostly because it won't fit past my garage door, so I was thinking about knocking back that part of the fender that hits the tire. I'm also going to have some bodywork & paint done so now might be a good time. I like the idea of keeping my truck as stock looking as I can, but function is important too. Have any of you done this kind of fender modification before? If so, how much work was it and what did it look like when you were done?

I would appreciate any input on this.

Thanks,

Gary

[72longbed]

Just my opinion but here goes:

to stay in concert with your statement, "would like to keep the truck as stock looking as possible" .... knocking back any fenders is just not acceptable for those of us who know what to look for in a "stock" truck.

It's your truck, and you can do to it what you want ... but if the garage door is the limiter on height, I would put tires on it that only brought the truck up to that limit, and not cut the original fender openings.

There's a value to collectors to find an "un-molested / un-altered" truck, and once you cut those fenders ... it's a ton of work to repair them.

... just my opinion.

72longbed

[msgross]

how close is your garage? If you have 2" to spare then a new set of springs would be the best bet... 4" lift would be perfect...

[Lugnutt]

Unfortunately, I have to agree with you on modifying my fenders, It would pain me to do it.

Right now my truck measures about 6 feet even. My garage door measures about 6' 2 3/4" high at the lowest point. It's a wood garage door with 2x6 top & bottom so I can trim some; maybe an inch or so. The tires alone will raise the truck 1/2" (31" tire to a 32" tire) with an additional 3/8" for the lost tread. Can any of you suggest the best product item brand to raise my truck the 2" so the tires will clear the fenders?

Thanks

[msgross]

With no weight on the spring I added 1.5" with a rancho add-a-leaf. ORD makes zero rate leafs which had 1" exactly. They bolt to the leaf pack so there is no worry in them moving around...

[72longbed]

... there is another option.

Send us pictures of the garage door opening .... I'm sure we can come up with a plan to bring that opening up to 7 ft. where it should be. Then you can put the Tuff Country 4" E-Z Ride all spring lift on there and put the tires that you want on there too. Yeah baby ... now that's a solution!!

[Lugnutt]

Oh, yea... I forgot to mention one thing. My little short Italian wife needs to be able to climb into this thing once in a while. And if she falls out, whose gona cook me dinner? So no more of this talk about 4" or 6" lifts; dis is serious business here.

Actually, I like the feel of a low center of gravity truck both on the road and off. A couple of inches is ok, but I'd like to keep it lower rather than higher.

Thanks

[72longbed]

Very considerate of you to be thinking of the wife. Good point.

Tuff country also makes a sweet 2" lift ......

just a thought .......