Quick and Easy Fix for an Ugly Gap from Flat Fender Flares
You know when I installed Flat Fender flares I got this huge gap in the back that really bothered me. Since I had a silver Jeep Wrangler JK the under side gap was also silver so it stood out like a sore thumb. And it was a HUGE gap that looked even more huge with a silver underbelly. Its because the fender flares add up to 9.5 inches of tire coverage but the flat nature adds hug gaps. These are the fender flares I installed from Bushwacker.
Bushwacker Jeep Wrangler JK 4 Door Flat Style Fender Flare Set of 4
You can see from the photo above that the flares leave a nice gap in the front and the rear. The front has mostly engine and other things to mask the look and even looks cool. The back, not so nice. As you can see from the photo below it is very noticeable and even a little distracting.
So I thought of several ways that I could dress that area up. I went from plastic or rubber gap guards in black to have it bed-lined, or professionally painted. All were somewhat expensive options and I was looking for a less expensive alternative.
What I finally decided on was a plastic dip product from Performix. There are a lot more people who makes this product now so you have more choices, but when I first discovered this product this brand was the only one. 2 PACK PLASTI DIP Mulit-Purpose Rubber Coating Spray BLACK in 11oz
The product is very easy to apply. All I did was clean the area very well with a non-residue cleaner and made sure it was dry. I didn’t do any other prep like sanding or roughing up the texture or applying a primer.
I simply popped the cap, shook it up, and sprayed a way. The fun thing about this product is it peels away easily so if you get it somewhere you don’t want it is somewhat easy to remove. It is not to messy and it doesn’t run to easily. I sprayed both sides in under 15 minutes and that was it.
The good thing about this type of coating is it doesn’t chip, crack, or peel and it lasts a while. And it is easy to add more to the coated surface if needed. It is weatherproof and it is resistant to road chemicals and other abrasive things on the road like off-road dirt and rocks. It is a rubber based coating and it works like a charm, but hey don’t take our word for it just go ahead and see for yourself.
So this one we give a four out of five lug nuts, because it is easy to install, and it costs less than $10.00 to do per can. We would of given it a perfect score but it is not a permanent solution. So hey if you like the look drop us a comment. Also what other ways have you dressed up the gap in your fender flare installation.
