Fender suggestions: gap between hood and grille

[WhereisDukeDog]

Hi All,

I am relatively new in my Jeep ownership and certainly not that savvy. I replaced rusted fenders last year with fenders that I purchased from carparts.com. The result, though, is a significant gap between the grille and the hood. I plan to get the jeep repainted but do not want to do that until I get this figured out. My guess is that the issue is the fender. The predrilled holes in some places were not exact. In particular, I needed to drill new holes to attach to grille in order for the fender and the side of the hood to have a consistent gap (as drilled, the fender bent towards the ground as it reached the grille). Any thoughts on what I may have done wrong or know of fenders that are a good fit, would be very helpful. I am out of ideas. Thank you!

 

[jjvw]

Looks like the entire fender needs to move down

 

[mrblaine]

Looks like the entire fender needs to move down

If you look at the body line and top of fender, it looks like it is as far down as it can go in the slots and is way too low at the firewall end.

 

[WhereisDukeDog]

I don't know how I would move it up on the firewall side. I'd have to drill new holes for every single bolt.

 

[jjvw]

If you look at the body line and top of fender, it looks like it is as far down as it can go in the slots and is way too low at the firewall end.

Move the grill up, perhaps

 

[hosejockey61]

Is there a body lift everywhere except the grille?

I didn't see the rubber snubbers either...

 

[macleanflood]

Is the frame straight?

-Mac

 

[Vtx531]

Is the frame straight?

-Mac

Bingo

I think I see a frame rail repair? It might have been welded on without straightening the frame. The frame will sag down in the middle when rusted out and it needs to be straightened back up

 

[mrblaine]

Bingo

I think I see a frame rail repair? It might have been welded on without straightening the frame. The frame will sag down in the middle when rusted out and it needs to be straightened back up

Wrong direction. Almost any assumption about how it was done points to the belly section sagging lower in the middle which pivots on the spring perches which then forces the front frame crossmember upward. Exactly the opposite of how it appears. Almost any rust repair like the torque boxes points to similar. Body sagging on the mounts, moves the front lower. None of it makes any sense.

 

[WhereisDukeDog]

So what does this mean?

 

[WhereisDukeDog]

Is there a body lift everywhere except the grille?

I didn't see the rubber snubbers either...

The grille has bumpers and not touching the frame. Seems raised.

 

[hosejockey61]

View attachment 624010
The grille has bumpers and not touching the frame. Seems raised.

Well, that makes this story even more confusing...

 

[hosejockey61]

Comparing other front shot pictures, how do your fenders line up to the headlights compared to others? Do you have a straight on pic of yours?