homemade fenders

[doug hodder]

Hey Ira.....whether you think you can or think you can't, either way you're right.....Words of wisdom from someone who has learned most of their crap the hard way.....Doug Hodder

[IraRat]

I know Doug, but I'm tired of the hard lessons.

So I bought Northern Tool fenders and just plan to paint them. Maybe down the road, I can revisit this part of the build and replace them.

[cracker39]

Two topics:

First Fenders:

I am still planning. I thought about putting on cheap metal fenders and then putting my custom made wood fenders over them, attached to the side of the trailer. This method would allow you to put on the cheap fenders and camp now, and install custom fenders later. I’ll undercoat my custom fenders with auto undercoating sealer, but the metal fenders should take all the wear and tear from road debris. I wondered if there would be room to change a tire myself. I can check clearance before building the fenders, and if there looks like there won’t be clearance, make them so that the outside skin can be removed. This will work for wooden fenders, and possibly for aluminum if you leave the trim unfastened on top, or just take out the screws if you have to remove the side. In the first diagram, I failed to show the screws holding the frame to the trailer side. Use your imagination...




This diagram does not include the metal fenders underneath. This method hides the bolts used to hold the outside skin in place.

Second, Aerosol foam. Yes, it will expand WITH POWER. I put in new vinyl windows in a house once, and put foam between the bottom of the window and the sill beneath. I made one mistake. I didn’t lock the windows shut first. The foam forced the center of the frames upward enough that the windows would not close enough to lock. I had to dig out the foam with a sharp knife and start over.

[IraRat]

Good idea, Dale. But to really clarify:

Do you mean install a "standard" fender now (I replaced the square ones with rounded), and then build a wood one over the stell one, that remains installed as is?

This is really interesting, and sounds EASY.

And I HATE that foam.

[cracker39]

Yes, Ira...that' what I meant. The steel fender would remain and be the actual functional fender. The custom built fender would be for appearances mainly. You could just do the custom maid fender and leave out the other. I just like knowing that there is steel under my pretty fender to absorb impacts from rocks and other debris. This one of my few concessions to adding unnecessary weight.

[IraRat]

Yes, Ira...that' what I meant. The steel fender would remain and be the actual functional fender. The custom built fender would be for appearances mainly. You could just do the custom maid fender and leave out the other. I just like knowing that there is steel under my pretty fender to absorb impacts from rocks and other debris. This one of my few concessions to adding unnecessary weight.

FANTASTIC!!!

All I'm gonna do now is paint 'em black--and start dreaming about what I'm gonna drill onto them later!!!