The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Fender Alignment without Bed

Hi everyone,

I have this post in the 'Make-a-bed' forum, but it may be better suited here:

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/1215130/Rear_Fenders,_no_Bed.html#Post1215130

Basically I want to mount two fenders to some lumber, just to get the rear wheels covered for inspection. I'm wondering if anyone has done this before and also how to determine where to align the fenders over the wheels.

Thanks!

Figure out where and how your wood will attach to the 'bed' first.
Then hold/clamp/brace the fender up in place and drill...

Thanks CASO, any tips on wheel-to-fender alignment? I only have the rear bracket to go from, this never had a bed/fenders.

I have used sections cut from 55 gallon oil drums as temporary fenders, bolted to pieces of square steel tubing clamped to the frame rails, one ahead of the rear wheels and one behind, plus mud flaps made from recycled floor mats. Redneck engineering!
Jerry

Use the holes in the fender.
But I like Hotrods solution better.

Other than the hole in the fender that supports the fender-to-frame brace, do the other holes line up with anything else on the frame? Does anyone have picks of a regular fender installation?

Fenders mount to the bed.
The bed bolts to the frame.

Thanks, I'm actually looking to mount fenders without a bed. Bedsides would have made this much easier.

Then get yourself some 3/8" rod and some heavy washers and bend up your shape with supports, weld washers where the fender holes are to bolt to... Weld on Cut off...???

I still like Hotrods better.

Thanks for the advice CASO. My original question is actually how to find the location for the 'fender holes'. I have no reference to align to, other than the fender-frame bracket. Thanks

The holes are in the fender. Place it where you want it and make your holes in whatever it is your going to mount to. Your not going to find them in the frame...

Perhaps it would be beneficial if someone with stock fender positioning could provide some measurements from the center of the wheel hub to two specific bolt holes on the fender? At least that would give me a good idea of where to mount it.

There is one rod brace that goes from the frame to the outer rear wheel opening. That and the running boards would basically locate the fenders. I believe the second bolt hole from the bottom on front and rear of the fender mount flange would be at the same height, as they line up with the bed angle on the bedside and bolt thru them just above the wood bed floor. I don't have the height of that point above the frame, but could probably track it down from my bedsides in the garage.

Thanks Kevin, I will look to those bolt holes to keep things level and try and align it over the wheel using the fender-frame brace.

I just remembered that the easy way to locate the fenders over the wheels would be to position the fender mount flanges 25-1/16 inches from the centerline of the frame. That comes from the bed dimensions. 50 inches internal width plus 16 gauge (1/16" thick) bedsides.

Fab a couple of brackets that fasten to the frame with angles positioned above to catch at least two of the fender mounting bolts. Those 2nd from the bottom fender bolt holes are 5-3/8 above the bottom of the bedsides, which are pretty close to the top flange of the frame where it's flat.

Thanks Kevin,

I'm trying to visualize this; Is the frame 'centerline' run horizontally down the middle of the frame? I'm assuming this ignores the 'hump' over the axle as well. Also, can you clarify what part of the fender flange are you referring to that's 25-1/16 above this? Would this be at the highest point? I will try and get some pics soon for reference.

The 25-1/16 inch dimension would be horizontally from the line running down the center of the truck front to back. The fender mounting flanges I was referring to are the inner edges (horizontally) of the fenders.
You would need just a couple of brackets running side-to-side across the top of the frame, with a vertical section on each end to catch two of the fender mounting holes.
Sorry I wasn't clearer.

In regards to the two holes 'second from the bottom' that Kevin references above, would anyone have any measurements for how high to mount them and where left to right? I have a homemade bed, so I can't really us any references to an original bed. Perhaps from the axle itself? I'm assuming a 3600 would sit in reference to an axle the same as a 3100?

According to the 51 Truck info from the GM heritage site, the bed floor of a 3604 model pickup is 5 inches above the top of the frame at the centerline of the rear axle. Add another 3/4 inch to that to the hole and you're going to be pretty dang close for the height of those second from the bottom holes. I just looked at my bedsides for reference, but don't have the side angle so I'm guessing on the distance between the bed floor and the hole. That's the best I can do at this point.

Thanks Kevin, that's some good info. I will post some pics soon of my progress.