Jeep Wrangler TJ MetalCloak Fenders - Stuffage Without Sacrifice

2. For the next phase of our testing, we removed the 35-inch Goodyear MT/R and replaced it with a 37-inch Goodyear MT/R with Kevlar. We use the forklift to recreate the same test again and found the larger tire made contact in the exact same location at just 201/2 inches off the ground.

3. This is how the front Overline passenger-side front fender looked prior to installation. Notice the aluminum inner fenderwell and battery relocation mount; these parts were designed to make life simple for the purchaser. While other tube fenders require you to cut up your original fenders to allow fitment, the MetalCloak fenders do not. We like this arrangement because it allows you to retain the factory parts in case you decide to sell the vehicle later on down the road. The installation of MetalCloak's front fender system requires only basic hand tools. No drilling, welding or grinding is necessary.

4.The first step of installation is removal of all under-hood items that mount to the inside of the factory metal fenders. Here you can see the OE fuse distribution block as it was being removed.

5.Next, each of the factory bolts securing the rear portion of the fender to the tub were removed. To do this, the battery was removed from the engine compartment to allow access.

6.After the rear-most bolts were removed, the fasteners securing the front half of the fender to the grille were removed. In addition, there were a few wire loom fasteners and hose isolation retainers to remove. Also, the wiring for the turn signal had to be disconnected prior to extracting the fender from the vehicle.

7.The powdercoated MetalCloak battery mount moves the battery down and over slightly to provide additional clearance between the inner fenderwell and the tire. The original mount is also shown for comparison.

8. With the new aluminum inner fenderwell roughly in place, the new fender frame assembly was installed. The easiest way to do so was to loosely install one bolt in the tub side, and then another to the grille side, to get everything lined up properly. Once each bolt hole was lined up, each of the additional mounting bolts was installed on each side of the fender. Note that the access panel was not present during this step-this allowed for easy access to the mounting bolts at the tub side.

9. Here you can see how the interior aluminum fenderwell interfaces with the tubular fender frame assembly. At this point, the bolts used for securing the aluminum panel to the fender frame assembly could be installed. We just love the clean look of these inner fenders.

10. A simply modification was necessary to secure the power distribution block. The block mounting bracket required a slightly more acute angle to match that of the new aluminum inner fenderwell. This was performed with a pair of pliers. Once the power distribution block was mounted, the factory airbox could be replaced. The new Overline fender flare was now ready to be mounted on the fender frame assembly.

11.This is the completed front Overline front fender on the passenger side of our donor TJ. The driver's-side fender installs in much the same fashion, though the windshield washer reservoir and (in some models) a charcoal canister take the place of the power distribution block and air filter housing.

12.With the new Overline front fender securely mounted, we were excited to performed the same flex test as before with the forklift and see what the results were. The 37-inch Goodyear MT/R tire was able to stuff much further into the fenderwell, allowing the front tire to move up 341/2 inches before the rear tire started to lift off the ground. We could have gone further in terms of tire clearance, but the bump stop was already touching and we didn't want to risk rolling our donor Jeep. The rear portion of the inner fenderwell was no longer an issue, and the backside of the 37-inch Goodyear MT/R no longer came into contact with it at full right turn while flexed out. Besides adding functionality, the fender's looks gave the Jeep an aggressive appearance that we just love.