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Our problem was not unique: After adding a suspension lift and wider tires and rims, the side of our truck was impossible to keep clean.
A muddy truck might be great for impressing your buds, but it isn"t much fun when you get dirty every time you get in and out or need to get something out of the bed.
Based in the perpetually wet climate of Oregon, the good folks at Bushwacker are all too familiar with this scenario and have over 450 applications dating back to the Early Bronco.
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| Flares are made from Dura-Flex ABS plastic. As the name implies the material is both durable and flexible enough to withstand a wide variety of temperatures and conditions. |
This particular truck is an "06 Dodge 2500 Quad Cab with a 4" Fabtech lift and 35x13.5R20 Toyo Open Country M/Ts mounted on 20x10 Eagle Alloy rims. The owner lives on a rural dirt road, and during the winter he has no chance of keeping his truck clean.
He was looking for a solution that required minimal cutting and drilling, matched the aesthetics of his truck.
Bushwacker"s Pocket Flares were chosen for their 2 1/2" of extra tire coverage and aggressive appearance.
The Pocket Flares have a bolted look, but actual installation requires no drilling of the fenders. The flares are located with screws that fasten into the stock inner fender hole locations.
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| The only drilling necessary is on the flares themselves to add the bolt heads. The fenders remained untouched and the flares can easily be removed if necessary. |
The "bolts" are cosmetic and attach only to the fender flare.
The only drilling necessary was of the flares themselves in order to accommodate the bolts. Dimpled holes in the back of the flares (instead of just a flat surface) made this an easy task.
The flares are made from Dura-Flex ABS material that comes in a matte black finish that resists fading or cracking.
They can be paint matched to your vehicle, but we opted to leave them black for this installation. We recommend working with the Pocket Flares on a soft surface like a blanket or towel to keep scratches to a minimum.
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| The bolts were added prior to installation. |
Drilling and adding the bolt heads to the flares is really the most time consuming part of the process. Actual installation took only a few minutes, although for our application it was necessary to remove the Cummins emblems from the front fenders.
This took a little bit of extra time, as we tried to preserve the emblems so that we could relocate them.
As mentioned above, the flares physically attach to the truck using factory and supplied clips in the inner fenders.
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| We did not lift the truck or remove the wheels which made space tight in some spots. A stubby screwdriver was all that was needed to remedy the situation. |
These clips are not visible once the installation is completed and they are placed approximately every 8-10 inches to fully support the flares.
A stubby screwdriver was all that was necessary for installation, although an extra pair of hands can come in handy for fitment.
The difference after installing the flares is like night and day. No longer does the Dodge become filthy the moment it travels down a dirt road.
Additionally, the paint is faring much better since the big Toyo Open Country M/Ts have a habit of picking up rocks and tossing them at the truck.
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| Even with a 4" suspension lift, the 35" Open Country M/Ts contact the rear of the fender at full steering lock. Both the factory fender and the flares had to be trimmed in this area to prevent rubbing. |
Contact:
Bushwacker
www.bushwacker.com
