I've been wanting to but a set of flat fenders because mine have rust anyways and was wondering which would best the best? Obviously not looking for the most expensive. I also assume you have to make your own turn signals for them? The ones below are what I'm looking for but those do not have turn signals or anywhere to place turn signals. Is it legal to just still turn signals below your actual headlights without having the ones on the side? I don't know much about this so help Is appreciated. Sorry for the stupidity.
I think it's best to buy American. But as far as what's the best flat fender... It depends on what you want and the look you want. On my 97 I have MCE flat fenders. On my 03 I got Metal Cloak and on my 13 I put on a set of Bushwackers. My wife wont let me take the 13 out on anything but light trails till it gets a little older so the flats don't need to be strong. My 03 will be going anywhere I can take it so the fenders needed to be strong enough to hold up to rubbing and bumping. The MCE's on my 97 were picked only because they gave me the look I wanted. Look around on this forum and see the fenders others are using and just pick the ones you like.
100% bolt on, no cutting or modifying the body, includes inner fender. Cheaper than the others when you consider the inner fender which is usually extra from other companies.
The flat fender look is awesome, as Willys Jeeps are icons. The metal ones have a lot to offer, but must be painted and are susceptible to damage and transmitting damage to adjacent body parts when done on the trail. I am partial to MCE's fenders. They have taken the tire rubbing and brushes against snow banks very well. They are made in the USA and have several colors which go well with about any color. Some forum members have had good results painting theirs to match the body. On the lights, check your local laws- mine are 'CJ' type under the headlights with tiny led's punched through the sides of the fenders. Have fun shopping!
Look up ccfabs they are cheaper than smittybuilt American made and I haven't found a bad review of them yet. Mine are on the way now I'll post pictures
A lot of personal choice, I went with Genright Alum. Since I am an old guy I like the old school looks, I don't care for the arched fenders, just my choice.
I just installed some CCFABS front and rear. It does take some work to get them on. They are NOT direct bolt on so if you are hesitant in cutting sheet metal then I would go with something else. Also, finishing them yourself is tough as there are a lot of cracks and crevices to try and get paint into. I simply used rustoleum bedliner because it was cheap and very easy to touch up trail damage. I think getting them powder coated would be the way if you want it to look great.
I love my MCE fenders, they have a great look and do exactly what they claim. They are also one of the cheapest options out there. They do require some sheet metal trimming to mount, but it is extremely simple and straight forward, I think it took me longer to unbolt the old flares than it took me to install the MCE fenders. As far as lights go, I used harley turn signals but MCE also has led lights that go in the fenders to keep everything legal if you don't want to come up with your own.
So many good choices out there to choose from. Where and how you use your Jeep is a huge factor.
I've been happy with my MCE fenders. I chose them 4 years ago after bending the stock fenders. Some trails here are super tight with inches to spare in between the trees.
I also like the Metalcloak fenders and the added clearance they provide. But, the protruding bar on the front leading edge is not ideal in the conditions I wheel in. A buddy has them, his tub is showing some transfer damage.
My faves now are the highlined aluminum fenders with a tapered front edge like the Genrites or PSC.
Good luck with whatever you choose.
Another option not for the fainted hearted is to cut your fenders off. Yeah you won't have the cool looking metal cloaks but you will save a ton of money from not spending the $ where you could spend the savings on drive train upgrades. also you'll have a lot of clearance for bigger tires and it will lighten up your front end instead of weighing it down with heavy metal fenders. MCE is also a good option. Just my two cents
When I was choosing aftermarket tube fenders I only looked at full replacement fenders. If you have rust forming on your stock fenders already, you won't want to buy partial replacement tubes just to find the remainder of the stock ones that you left is still rusting.
Also, read the fine print of the manufacturers. Do they require you to drill all the little holes in the inner fenders to mount all of the under-hood items? Do they allow you to use the stock air box? Those kinds of things may seem small but it adds significantly to the time and attention required for install. When it was all said and done, I chose Metalcloak fenders because they included the inner fender, I could keep my stock air box, and all of the holes for every item in the engine bay were already drilled. Made re-install a snap.
There's also claims from different companies that they provide more clearance behind the tire than others... That is, in my opinion, more subjective than objective. But you might still think about it.
Considering P.S. started the tube fender craze, everyone copied and they moved on to rolled steel, I will take their new models as an improvement. Not to mention, even if tubes don't dent, you now have no welds to crack between the tube and the flat steel on top. They look better than the bubbly tube look too IMO
Sure would. Running bilstein 5100s though, I would assume most set ups aren't going to have much more uptravel outside of those who specially fabricated for long travel
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