guys
i got my new wheels
and im getting a very slight amount of rubbing on one side
im rubbing right at the center of the fender, and i know if i can shave 2-3 mm , the rubbing will go away


i have a grinder.. but someone told me the clear coat on the outside will start to crack over time
is this true ?
what are my options ?

 

I had the same problem and the same 2 choices. I chose to roll my fender's because i was warned about the clear coat cracking or even the paint starting to chip after a while.

 

roll your rear fenders, is the best peace of mind solution. Do a search, there are whole bunch of us done it before.

 

we used a saw and cut the inside lip off instead of rolling it, just another way to get it out of the way.

 

Tire Rack has a tool that they rent for this purpose.

 

I got a 3lb mallet. Put duct tape on the striking end and rolled both rear fenders real good. Works and feels great! You basically just bend the existing 90 degree crease to like 135 degrees or more. Just like the fronts come from the factory. Hit it gently and the metal will fold on the existing crease.

It opens up a good 1/2" so you won't rub at all. Takes 15 minutes max and the paint does NOT chip if you're careful.

Check your fronts by turning the wheel all the way left and right and see if you touch the front fender liner (right behind the radiator, not on top). 19" wheels put the fronts very close at full lock! I hear stock GT2s even rub the front fenders some at full lock.

Sonny: where do you live?

 

Rolled mine to fit 335's in the back.

 

This is actually pretty easy to do at home if you have the right stuff available...

Get a length of steel or aluminum round tubing that will fit just inside the wheel/fender opening. Spray it with WD40 or other "lubricant". You want this thing to be long enough to apply leverage to, about 3 ft. will do. you want the car on a flat surface and you want to be able to have someone roll the car slowly as you apply downward force to the bar as the car rolls. This will allow the bar to "roll" the inner fender lip. It will not crack the clear and you only need to apply a slight amount of force to get it to start the bend and be uniform across the lip.

Guys used to use baseball bats back in the 80s-90s... Eastwood sells a tool specifically for this job, too!

Mike

 

mike, check your pms..

 

1. I've seen the baseball trick and it ain't pretty (surprisingly, it worked the one time I saw it, though).
2. I don't know if it's a good idea or not, but those same guys also used a heat gun on the fender lip paint before they started to prevent cracking.

 

I bought the Eastwood roller and a heat gun to heat up the paint to make it more pliable. I found a very good 'how to' on a BMW discussion forum.

 

Today, whilst washing my car, I noticed the front fenders were rolled
My rear fenders are not rolled though

Does anyone know if the front fenders come rolled as standard?

 

I bought a 3 foot section of PVC from Lowes. Take your time, it's easy to do.

I would recommend using a heat gun first to allow the paint to flex, heat 3 inch section, pry up, repeat, etc...

 

It really depends on who is doing it and how you do it... Sealgrey apparently saw it done the wrong way. Once you get the paint want, start at the reat fender and roll the wheel forward slowly as you pry and you'll get a uniform and smooth rolled inner fender.

Mike

 

Yes, fronts come rolled.