['92 vegas YJ]

well i FINALLY got my fenders done so i figured i'd post it up and do a little write up.


I've wanted tube fenders for a while now seeing that everytime i go wheeling my tires are always STUFFED into my fenders and now my fenders are all cracked and out of shape. i know i should invest in some bumpstops, but what fun would that be. another reason i wanted to get some tubes was to get rid of the stupid bushwackers i put on when i was like 16 or 17.

so its decided, i should get some fenders. but what now? do i make some or buy some? well im cheap and i like to try to pretend i can fabricate. so i decided to make some. now i was in the same boat as everyone else "this would be so easy if i had a tube bender". originally i was going to order the prebent tubes from jeeptubes.com. then one day i figured i'd run to the local steel supplier and see how much it would be if i bought it myself and had it bent. well i was able to purchase all of the tube i needed for $20 and went to a local fab guy and he bent two 90 degree bends for me for $30. so i got it done locally and the same day for $30 cheaper than jeeptubes not including shipping. i spent another $20 on the flat plate for my sides.

for the tube i went with 1 1/2" .090" HREW and some 1/8" steel plate for the sides.

my big issue now was i wanted to use my stock inners, now how am i going to cut and chop up my fenders while still driving to work everyday? thats where having a 2nd jeep comes into play. i have a very nice looking '95 tub sitting in my garage that decided to lend me his fenders.

i started by chopping off all of the material i didnt need. i decided for now that im going to keep the sheetmetal top. i might switch to plate at a later date if i feel the need.

 

['92 vegas YJ]

so over the next couple weekends whenever i had time i was out chopping up fenders and making the grill and tub mounts. i just used some flat plate i had laying around. i dont have any pics of this stage. forming the bend for the grill was easier than i thought. i just layed it against a brick and whacked it till it bent to where i wanted it.

after i did all that i could on my spare tub i decided that i need to make it to my '92 YJ's actual specifics. so late one fri night a friend and i started taking off my stock fenders.

this is what it looked like the next morning in the daylight.

i had a bunch of pictures from the mock up on the passenger side but somehow i lost them all when i tried to transfer them from my phone to the computer. im quit upset.

this is where my dad(came in town for the weekend) helped me mock up the driver and i tacked it in place

then i used the old tape trick to get my template to cut the plate for the side.

 

['92 vegas YJ]

after i had everything mocked and tacked in place where i wanted it to be i pulled it apart and welded it.

i just tacked the top piece all the way around to the tube then ground it smooth and tacked some more

then i added a little gusset

 

['92 vegas YJ]

once everything was all welded up i decided i'd try my hand at body work. BEWARE I HAVE NEVER DONE BODY WORK OR EVEN WORKED WITH BODY FILLER IN MY LIFE!!!!

i went and got some of this

and lots of this haha

using body filler really wasnt hard at all. im not gonna say im good at it but it wasnt hard. here is some of the body filler after i just applied it and waiting for it to cure

i applied it to both fenders and spent A LOT of time sanding. no joke i spent a couple good hrs trying to get everything all smooth. i eventually got tired of sanding and said screw it. they look good enought to go beat up on the trail.

 

['92 vegas YJ]

here they are side by side after the sanding

before paint i figured id do a last minute mock up and see if everything still fits after welding. to my surprise it all fit and there really wasnt much warping or anything

 

['92 vegas YJ]

then i took them out back to my little paint booth. aka gazeebo hahaha. when its windy outside i wrap clear painters plastic around the outside of the gazeebo, throw a tarp on the ground, wear a respirator and wala i have a perfect paint booth. ive used it from everything from my quad frame to my rockers and now my fenders

after 3 coats of primer, 3 coats of white paint and a clear coat i think im ready to install

 

['92 vegas YJ]

 

['92 vegas YJ]

and thats how i made my tube fenders. sorry i dont have as many pictures as i wouldve liked but oh well.

at first i started by just doing a little at a time on the weekends and then the last 3 days straight ive spent all of the daylight on these bad boys.

i had to hurry up and get them finished as i leave on fri for king of the hammers.

im pretty content with them.

i took my rear bushwackers off and am debating on throwing on the tj flares i have(thanks again jeff) or just leaving it flareless with my s****y hack job i did a couple yrs ago until i get my rear corner armor.

it went from this

to this

-chris