Cutting and Grinding for a Lift... I Have Questions!

[jwfchase]

OK-

Tires have arrived, lift kit should be arriving soon. Can any of you out there that have done a lift please tell me (and hopefully post as many pictures as you can?) where you had to cut and grind in the wheel wells?

I know the steps have to come off, and that the rearward bit of trim needs to be cut, though I don't know by how much. Also, do I need to remove/replace the mudflaps? If I need to put on new mudflaps, any suggestions on building custom mudflaps?

Basically when the lift kit gets here I need to get the installation done as quickly as possible so my wife doesn't notice that anything has changed ...

Thanks!

Jamie

[fexlboi]

Would be good to know which tires you got and how big the lift is going to be.

[jwfchase]

2" for the 31" Wrangler Duratracs

[Golf Cart]

Sounds like a good time to get in touch with Delicat

[after oil]

you cant be sure how much youll need to cut and grind until you have the tire on and on a jackstand. turn the wheel both ways and if it rubs, start bashing and grinding. i cut my mudflaps, but really i need to replace them like delicat has

[Green1]

My understanding is that with a 2 inch lift the 31s should fit without any cutting/grinding... .but maybe someone with more lift experience can answer better.

[docsavage]

With 31" tires, there should be minimal cutting or bashing of panels. I am running 32.7" tires with a two inch lift and have minor rubs that I will take care of before camping season starts.

[jwfchase]

Is it a given that the steps are goners?

[loki]

Is it a given that the steps are goners?

you might be able to modify to still work (bend the brackets a ton) but usually they are removed to provide more clearance as well as making room for the tires.

[jessef]

With the 15x7 Toyota rims with 4 5/8" backspacing, you will need minimal trimming.

With the 31" MTR's, I had to remove the front steps/flaps, mud flaps and do the following :

hammer in the pinched seam running vertically on the rearward side of the inner well

with a metal cutoff air tool, cut the plastic trim and metal corner about 3/4 - 1" following the wheel arch upwards and the front plastic trim on the corner up to the metal inner section.

I did a lift for another L300 a few months ago with 32" tires and it needed less trimming than mine with the 31.5" MTR's.

With all of them including mine, I installed the rear shackles first, mounted the 31" tires on the rear and then started the work on the front installing the spacer and cranking the tbars. Then mounted the 31" tires on the front and checked the lift level and raised/lowered each side as needed to get it level. Once level, I then checked where it would rub and trimmed as needed.

Another thing is trimming to accomodate wheel articulation on turning and full lock.

You can get by with almost no trimming but when you turn the wheel and go over a bump or when offroading you may need more trimming than just street driving.

[nxski]

Sorry to bring this up again a year later but when trimming I'm assuming that plastic trim should be removed first, take a grinder to the metal and plastic separately re-fit, sand until pretty and then test on a curb to see if there will be any rubbing. Does this sound about right? Also, has anyone tried putting the rear mudflaps on the front after trimming? It looks like it might fit and the ones on my truck are exactly the same so I would have 4 matching.
Thanks

Ps. Butch said that there are 2 clips for the plastic trim so the adhesive backing won't need to be replaced to re-install and that I should just pry the trim off with a screw driver etc. Any chance I'll break the clips attempting this or are they pretty solid? If I do how difficult is it to find replacements?

[jessef]

I broke the clips when I took mine off but every L300 is different. Yours may or may not be easier.

Remove the plastic and then trim the metal as needed for your specific tires/wheels/lift/articulation combo.

[nxski]

Thanks, that's what I was expecting. Since I do tend to be bad about breaking clips, how did you replace yours?

[jessef]

I didn't . Removed the plastic trim. Looks better

[nxski]

Sounds about right. So you removed it all along the side and filled the holes and painted?