Removing the rear inner fenders - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Geos 72 · 08-11-2018, 12:00 AM

Hello to everyone, can anyone tell me how to remove the rear inner fenders or wheel wells on my 72 Chevy C10? I need to replace the wheel housings in the bed and I would assume I have to remove the inner fenders above the tires. I was looking for a video to watch but can't seem to find one. I don't have any access to a lift so I'll be doing this in my driveway. I sure would appreciate any help. Thank you, George

**jaros44sr** · 08-11-2018, 06:35 AM

I found it easier to tighten them till they snapped off, being carriage bolts they will only loosen so far and then the square will not engage the sheet metal. At this point you have to grab the top of the bolt with vice grips to stop it from turning....

The bolts are something like 3/8" so it doesn't take much torque to snap them

Geos 72 · 08-11-2018, 07:08 AM

I was wondering just how difficult it is to remove the rear inner fender or wheel well. Is there anything else I have to remove besides the bolts?

**Getter-Done** · 08-11-2018, 07:49 AM

Just the bolts need to be removed .
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but the 7 bolts that attach in to the fender can be a pain.
Make sure you spray these with PB Blaster from the top. Let it run down the fender well seam inside the fender. The weld nuts are not very thick and are easily twisted if rusty.
As suggested above by jaros 44 the carriage bolts in the floor I also found that tighting them is the best way. I had some that that did not work on so I center puched a mark in the top of the bolt. They I drilled it slightly smaller than 5/16 for only a 1/4 inch deep. Then I tightened them and they snapped right off.

Geos 72 · 08-11-2018, 08:20 AM

How hard is it to remove the wheel well above the rear tire?

hewittca · 08-11-2018, 09:12 AM

What else are you looking for exactly? The two previous users provided more than adequate information to give you an idea of what it takes to remove the inner fenders. On a scale of 1-10, it's about a 1 in terms of difficulty. You're just removing a few bolts, some of which may or may not give you trouble depending on the condition of your truck. Considering the age of these trucks, it's nothing out of the ordinary when it comes to removing old parts.

Geos 72 · 08-11-2018, 09:33 AM

Maybe I was asking the wrong way. I'm not just looking to remove the wheel housings in the bed but also the wheel wells above the tires. I've worked on plenty of cars and trucks in my time but I never did this.

CG · 08-11-2018, 09:37 AM

The wheel housing is also the inner fender. Its one piece, like the one pictured, not two pieces. You take that off, whaalaa, there is your tire poking up through the bed.

Geos 72 · 08-11-2018, 09:47 AM

Well I sure didn't know that, I thought it was two pieces. Ok, I thank you and to everyone that replied.

**Getter-Done** · 08-11-2018, 10:09 AM

Here is a little better visual.

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Geos 72 · 08-11-2018, 10:35 AM

I just went outside with a flashlight and looked up under there and CG was so right. I still had a tiny doubt until I seen the pics. For some reason I always thought there were two pieces. Thanks guys, I appreciate it very much.

Geos 72 · 08-11-2018, 10:48 AM

Ya know, if I just looked under there real good in the first place I would of noticed it was one piece. I wouldn't of had to ask all the questions and I would of found out for myself. I swear the older I get the less thinking I do. Thanks again everyone.

Geos 72 · 08-16-2018, 08:01 AM

Hello Getter-Done , I hope I'm not asking a stupid question but when your removing the carriage bolts from the inner fenders, tightening them and a few keep turning how does drilling them on the top stop them from turning.

**Getter-Done** · 08-16-2018, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geos 72

Hello Getter-Done , I hope I'm not asking a stupid question but when your removing the carriage bolts from the inner fenders, tightening them and a few keep turning how does drilling them on the top stop them from turning.

Same problem I had.I drilled the holes. Then tapped on the top too set it in a little deeper. With the hole being drilled it doesn’t take that much effort for it to twist off. I think some of them I had to just drill till the head of the bolt came off with a little bit bigger drill than 5/16 inch.
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Geos 72 · 08-16-2018, 12:37 PM

Ok Getter-Done, I'm going to go for it. I twisted most of them off but I have three on each side that turns. Thank you for the tip on spraying the top bolts with PB Blaster, I sprayed them late so the next day they all came out kind of easy. None of the weld nuts broke. Now I'll try drilling the holes, I'll let ya know how it came out. Thanks again Getter-Done

08-11-2018, 12:00 AM	#1
Geos 72 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 154	Removing the rear inner fenders Hello to everyone, can anyone tell me how to remove the rear inner fenders or wheel wells on my 72 Chevy C10? I need to replace the wheel housings in the bed and I would assume I have to remove the inner fenders above the tires. I was looking for a video to watch but can't seem to find one. I don't have any access to a lift so I'll be doing this in my driveway. I sure would appreciate any help. Thank you, George __________________ 1972 Chevy C10 Cheyenne shortbox/ 350, 3 speed on the floor

08-11-2018, 06:35 AM	#2
jaros44sr Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Philadelphia, Pa. 19454 Posts: 9,766	Re: Removing the rear inner fenders I found it easier to tighten them till they snapped off, being carriage bolts they will only loosen so far and then the square will not engage the sheet metal. At this point you have to grab the top of the bolt with vice grips to stop it from turning.... The bolts are something like 3/8" so it doesn't take much torque to snap them __________________ Semper Fi...Uncle Sam, you da man All parts offered to help are free, unless otherwise noted Dont try this stuff in my build thread, unless you have 55 years of mechanical OTJ training SAFETY FIRST AS usual, off topic They say your mind goes second, can't remember the first Jim

08-11-2018, 07:08 AM	#3
Geos 72 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 154	Re: Removing the rear inner fenders I was wondering just how difficult it is to remove the rear inner fender or wheel well. Is there anything else I have to remove besides the bolts? __________________ 1972 Chevy C10 Cheyenne shortbox/ 350, 3 speed on the floor

08-11-2018, 07:49 AM	#4
Getter-Done Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: TN. Posts: 8,429	Re: Removing the rear inner fenders Just the bolts need to be removed . . but the 7 bolts that attach in to the fender can be a pain. Make sure you spray these with PB Blaster from the top. Let it run down the fender well seam inside the fender. The weld nuts are not very thick and are easily twisted if rusty. As suggested above by jaros 44 the carriage bolts in the floor I also found that tighting them is the best way. I had some that that did not work on so I center puched a mark in the top of the bolt. They I drilled it slightly smaller than 5/16 for only a 1/4 inch deep. Then I tightened them and they snapped right off. __________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________ 84 Chevy K-20 63 Impala (my high school car) http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...Crew Cab Build

08-11-2018, 08:20 AM	#5
Geos 72 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 154	Re: Removing the rear inner fenders How hard is it to remove the wheel well above the rear tire? __________________ 1972 Chevy C10 Cheyenne shortbox/ 350, 3 speed on the floor

08-11-2018, 09:12 AM	#6
hewittca Registered User Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Mocksville, NC Posts: 1,765	Re: Removing the rear inner fenders What else are you looking for exactly? The two previous users provided more than adequate information to give you an idea of what it takes to remove the inner fenders. On a scale of 1-10, it's about a 1 in terms of difficulty. You're just removing a few bolts, some of which may or may not give you trouble depending on the condition of your truck. Considering the age of these trucks, it's nothing out of the ordinary when it comes to removing old parts. __________________ Builds: Green Gus the 68 C10 \| Bluey the 72 1500 \| Lowly the 70 C10 - Instagram: @dr.hewitt - C10 Concept/Development Photos: Master Thread

08-11-2018, 09:33 AM	#7
Geos 72 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 154	Re: Removing the rear inner fenders Maybe I was asking the wrong way. I'm not just looking to remove the wheel housings in the bed but also the wheel wells above the tires. I've worked on plenty of cars and trucks in my time but I never did this. __________________ 1972 Chevy C10 Cheyenne shortbox/ 350, 3 speed on the floor

08-11-2018, 09:37 AM	#8
CG BlahBlahBlah Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wa. Posts: 20,033	Re: Removing the rear inner fenders The wheel housing is also the inner fender. Its one piece, like the one pictured, not two pieces. You take that off, whaalaa, there is your tire poking up through the bed.

08-11-2018, 09:47 AM	#9
Geos 72 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 154	Re: Removing the rear inner fenders Well I sure didn't know that, I thought it was two pieces. Ok, I thank you and to everyone that replied. __________________ 1972 Chevy C10 Cheyenne shortbox/ 350, 3 speed on the floor

08-11-2018, 10:09 AM	#10
Getter-Done Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: TN. Posts: 8,429	Re: Removing the rear inner fenders Here is a little better visual. __________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________ 84 Chevy K-20 63 Impala (my high school car) http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...Crew Cab Build

08-11-2018, 10:35 AM	#11
Geos 72 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 154	Re: Removing the rear inner fenders I just went outside with a flashlight and looked up under there and CG was so right. I still had a tiny doubt until I seen the pics. For some reason I always thought there were two pieces. Thanks guys, I appreciate it very much. __________________ 1972 Chevy C10 Cheyenne shortbox/ 350, 3 speed on the floor

08-11-2018, 10:48 AM	#12
Geos 72 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 154	Re: Removing the rear inner fenders Ya know, if I just looked under there real good in the first place I would of noticed it was one piece. I wouldn't of had to ask all the questions and I would of found out for myself. I swear the older I get the less thinking I do. Thanks again everyone. __________________ 1972 Chevy C10 Cheyenne shortbox/ 350, 3 speed on the floor

08-16-2018, 08:01 AM	#13
Geos 72 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 154	Re: Removing the rear inner fenders Hello Getter-Done , I hope I'm not asking a stupid question but when your removing the carriage bolts from the inner fenders, tightening them and a few keep turning how does drilling them on the top stop them from turning. __________________ 1972 Chevy C10 Cheyenne shortbox/ 350, 3 speed on the floor

08-16-2018, 12:37 PM	#15
Geos 72 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 154	Re: Removing the rear inner fenders Ok Getter-Done, I'm going to go for it. I twisted most of them off but I have three on each side that turns. Thank you for the tip on spraying the top bolts with PB Blaster, I sprayed them late so the next day they all came out kind of easy. None of the weld nuts broke. Now I'll try drilling the holes, I'll let ya know how it came out. Thanks again Getter-Done __________________ 1972 Chevy C10 Cheyenne shortbox/ 350, 3 speed on the floor



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