Removing Stock Fender Flares

[Travo03]

Currently trying to remove stock fender flares and am having some trouble removing the screws that feed into nutserts. THEY WONT STOP SPINNING. Any suggestions on removing these? Especially the the three behind front tire where hard to reach. Have to drill them out? Would prefer not to rip nutserts out

Thanks in advance

 

[Vtx531]

I think you can reach up underneath to access the nutserts for the front? Should be able to get a wire brush on the threads, WD40 and Vice Grips. Otherwise maybe a small grinder/ cutoff wheel to the screw heads.

 

[TJ4Jim]

Currently trying to remove stock fender flares and am having some trouble removing the screws that feed into nutserts. THEY WONT STOP SPINNING. Any suggestions on removing these? Especially the the three behind front tire where hard to reach. Have to drill them out? Would prefer not to rip nutserts out

Thanks in advance

Tackled that issue several times and found I was able to get a small pair if needle nose Vice Grips (with sharp jaws) up behind the fender lightly clamped on the nutsert did the trick.

 

[Camdenst]

Yep.... what he said

 

[Travo03]

Tackled that issue several times and found I was able to get a small pair if needle nose Vice Grips (with sharp jaws) up behind the fender lightly clamped on the nutsert did the trick.

Vice grip and wd40 did the trick. Are these nurtserts still serviceable for new fender flares? They don’t seem too sturdy. Any suggestions on how to sure them up?

 

[Kon]

New fender flares should normally come with their bolt set and new sealing so no need to reuse the old ones.

 

[primetime4]

Vice grip and wd40 did the trick. Are these nurtserts still serviceable for new fender flares? They don’t seem too sturdy. Any suggestions on how to sure them up?

Replace the nutserts. The originals use a hex shape which by now just spin without gripping. I replaced mine with stainless nutserts that were slightly larger and they grip much tighter. You can buy a pack of assorted sizes and pick the one that fits the best.

 

[TheBoogieman]

Nutserts are more problematic than Kamala would have been as President. Both should be replaced with something that works much better.
p.s. One down..............Now replace the nutserts with nuts and bolts.

 

[TheBoogieman]

Tackled that issue several times and found I was able to get a small pair if needle nose Vice Grips (with sharp jaws) up behind the fender lightly clamped on the nutsert did the trick.

Do you have midget/female size hands? My front flare upper rear nutserts were barely visible, let alone reachable with extra long needle nose pliers/vice grips .

 

[MikekiM]

Currently trying to remove stock fender flares and am having some trouble removing the screws that feed into nutserts. THEY WONT STOP SPINNING. Any suggestions on removing these? Especially the the three behind front tire where hard to reach. Have to drill them out? Would prefer not to rip nutserts out

Thanks in advance

the ones that you can't get a vice grip on.. Grind them down as flat as you can and pop through the sheet metal with a hammer and punch.

 

[MikekiM]

Do you have midget/female size hands? My front flare upper rear nutserts were barely visible, let alone reachable with extra long needle nose pliers/vice grips .

If I recall correctly there was only one I could reach to get a grip on.

 

[Travo03]

Do you have midget/female size hands? My front flare upper rear nutserts were barely visible, let alone reachable with extra long needle nose pliers/vice grips .

Hahah, I couldnt see for the top one. Was just going off of feel. It took some cussing and screaming. All for nothing as I’m thinking I’m going to drill them out and replace anyways.

Not to mention I asked gf to help wrench them off and she was tightening them first time around…

 

[primetime4]

Hahah, I couldnt see for the top one. Was just going off of feel. It took some cussing and screaming. All for nothing as I’m thinking I’m going to drill them out and replace anyways.

Not to mention I asked gf to help wrench them off and she was tightening them first time around…

At least one of the nutserts are inaccessible from behind so you’ll have to drill or knock it in to remove it. Probably the reason they use some serts and some plastic nuts to begin with because no engineer can be that insane in without a reason.

 

[DuckNut]

Nutserts should only be used as a last resort right before you put your vehicle up for sale.

They are used in the marine industry and a 39 cent nutsert will always result in a multi thousand dollar repair bill. I guess if you are a charging shop, you would embrace their use.

 

[Unique Username]

Nutserts should only be used as a last resort right before you put your vehicle up for sale.

They are used in the marine industry and a 39 cent nutsert will always result in a multi thousand dollar repair bill. I guess if you are a charging shop, you would embrace their use.

I replaced mine with nutserts. Ended up not working out very well. Just pulled the whole fender and sold (gave away) the fenders with the flare attached. Not recommended 1 out of 5 stars.

 

[DuckNut]

I replaced mine with nutserts. Ended up not working out very well. Just pulled the whole fender and sold (gave away) the fenders with the flare attached. Not recommended 1 out of 5 stars.

When they fail, it is miserable.

They are commonly used to mount electronics and seats. When the screws corrode and the nutters spins you end up having to break them through or cut the panel into pieces. This now becomes a major repair and thousands of dollars.

Recommend any other method. This is one of those inventions that should not have been invented.

 

[jjvw]

When they fail, it is miserable.

They are commonly used to mount electronics and seats. When the screws corrode and the nutters spins you end up having to break them through or cut the panel into pieces. This now becomes a major repair and thousands of dollars.

Recommend any other method. This is one of those inventions that should not have been invented.

I have added well over 100 nutserst to mine. Occasionally, one will spin during installation. I drill it out and put a new one in. Never once have I had to cut up a panel or spend thousands to fix one.

 

[mrblaine]

When they fail, it is miserable.

They are commonly used to mount electronics and seats. When the screws corrode and the nutters spins you end up having to break them through or cut the panel into pieces. This now becomes a major repair and thousands of dollars.

Recommend any other method. This is one of those inventions that should not have been invented.

You need to get out more.

 

[mrblaine]

Nutserts are more problematic than Kamala would have been as President. Both should be replaced with something that works much better.
p.s. One down..............Now replace the nutserts with nuts and bolts.

He lives where shit rusts. The nutserts and small bolts are faring much better than most fasteners are doing in that part of the world and somehow that is the fault of the fastener type? How about set them correctly and use a bit of anti-seize on them when you reinstall? His have never been off or maintained. Had they been, they would be just fine.

 

[LONGJP2]

Vice grip and wd40 did the trick. Are these nurtserts still serviceable for new fender flares? They don’t seem too sturdy. Any suggestions on how to sure them up?

If you can get the bolt out, I have had some success tightening a nutsert that spins.
You'll need a nutsert setter or make one with some common hardware.
Make sure you add antiseize when reinstalling the bolt.