Front Fender Removal

[ghcoe]

I am trying to get the fenders off my '77 Cherokee. I got all the bolts out and it is loose, but it looks like I would have to remove the door to get the fender off. Does that sound right or is there a secret sauce to remove the fender? The main issue is where the radiator support fits to the front edge of the fender. Can't move the fender forward or out because of the way it fits together. Looks like to me it has to swing out from the firewall and then forward to clear the sheet metal properly, but the door is in the way for that.

[Srdayflyer]

as i recall i only removed 8-10 bolts, how ever ive got a narrow track chero, i dont know what you have my friend has a wide track and told me the fenders are different on a w.t. as i had a spare fender and was going to give him as i thought the flares were a superficial add on so clearify as the type you have there may be a slight difference , my fyi

[ghcoe]

as i recall i only removed 8-10 bolts, how ever ive got a narrow track chero, i dont know what you have my friend has a wide track and told me the fenders are different on a w.t. as i had a spare fender and was going to give him as i thought the flares were a superficial add on so clearify as the type you have there may be a slight difference , my fyi

Wide track. The flare is not really the issue. I have all the bolts out at this point. Just can't figure out how to clear the sheet metal at the leading edge of the fender and the radiator support. Looks to me like it has to wrap around the radiator support in a way that the door would need to be removed to allow enough fender movement to clear it. I have been wrong before so thought I would ask before making more work for myself.

[letank]

I did a fender swap some years ago, it slipped will a little persuasion, don't forget the hidden bolts at the lower end of the front addition going to the valence.

This is the only pict I have at this time

FenderOffBlobDSLx.jpg

there might be one bolt accessible from the headlight -remove grille- the one with the ?

FenderByeOldDSL.jpg

[sierrablue]

You'll have to pull your bumper, but the door shouldn't be a problem.

As was previously stated, make sure you get the bolts inside the headlight holes too...

[ghcoe]

Yup! Got all the bolts out and the fender is loose. I can move the fender around just can't figure out how to get the fender off the radiator support sheet metal without removing the door. The sheet metal with the headlights has been removed already.

[letank]

I took a peek at the TSM, they only mention to remove the bumper. In my case I did not remove the bumper nor the door, but had to find a way to twist the fender around the door and the bumper.

thinking about it, I may have bend something to extract the fender.

If you are 1/4" short, you can loosen the brackets adjusters behind the cardboard door panel, such as to move the door rearward. Support the door with a bumper jack and a 2x4 under the door bottom to avoid body/door damage

Updated the pict above, to add the 2 bottom bolts that I have forgotten

[ghcoe]

Here are a couple of pictures to explain the issue. You can't move the fender out or forward because the flange where the bolts go through to the inner wheel well hit the radiator support. You can't move the fender out to clear the flange because of the way the sheet metal juts into the front edge of the fender.

drawing.png

The only way I can think that the fender will come off is to swing the back edge of the fender out to clear the flange for the wheel well bolts. This would allow the fender to unfold from where the radiator support juts into the leading edge of the fender. To do this though you have to remove the door to clear the rear of the fender. It seem more complicated than it should be.

drawing 2.png

I will probably just unbolt the radiator support so it can move forward enough to clear the back of the fender. It has to be removed anyway. I was just hoping that it would be easier than that. I did not want to dismantle it that far to get the motor out.

[tgreese]

Looking at the '82 TSM (free to read and download on the Tom COllins site), there is a procedure for removing the front fenders at 3F-11. The book could be wrong (It happens) or it could have changed '77 to '82 ... however by '82 I'd think the errors would have been addressed. Lots of bolts to remove. Only instructs that you open the door to remove the fender.

[ghcoe]

Looking at the '82 TSM (free to read and download on the Tom COllins site), there is a procedure for removing the front fenders at 3F-11. The book could be wrong (It happens) or it could have changed '77 to '82 ... however by '82 I'd think the errors would have been addressed. Lots of bolts to remove. Only instructs that you open the door to remove the fender.

Thanks! I'll take a closer look at that this weekend.

[rocklaurence]

Believe it or not that section of the fender that wraps around the valance is flexible. First, pull out the rear of the fender at the door. This will create some separation from the inner fender. Then you should be able to pull the nose out and push it down to get the fender out.