im planning on getting some zr1's, and i just wanna make sure they dont rub in advance, so while the car is just sitting in the garage, waiting for motor trans that kinda stuff, i wanna roll the lips, and im just wondering what the best method for this is? ive seen where people have put a slit in the lip every inch or so, and others havent... whats the best way to do it? thanks guys!

 

some guys have been said to use a baseball bat.

 

how? like on the inside of the lip?

 

Eastwood company:



"Rolling" the fender generally means folding the projecting inner lip up tighter against the fender. You wedge the baseball bat between the top of the tire and the edge of the fender and gently "roll" it back and forth, using it as a lever to apply pressure to the lip.

 

hmmm ok, so if i use the baseball bat, would i still need to put the little slits in the lip?

 

You aren't going to crack the metal when you roll it. But you will crack the paint. That can be controlled by scoring the paint with a razor blade, parallel to the outer edge of the fender.

There's also a tool called "The Jimmy" that allows you to grab about 4" of the lip at a time, and bend it upwards, but only to about 45-degrees. I did mine with that (and scored the paint with the razor blade). Its sort of high priced ($60) for what it is, but a buddy and I went halfsies on it. I never tried the baseball bat, but I think it would work as well at The Jimmy.

Personally, I would get the new wheels/tires on and fit them up before you start screwing around with the fender lips. Every one of these cars seems to be different. What is required on one car isn't required on the next.

 

well ill be getting 17 x 11 zr1s, and most guys have to grind the bump stop, and some have to roll the lips. i just figured id get ahead and have the lip rolled before the wheels even get here. then again i may just wait like you said... hmmmm...

 

I know - I wrote the FAQ on installing the ZR1's. Every time I post the steps I had to take, someone will post and say they installed the same wheels without doing anything.

Its up to you.

 

On my old camaro I used a body saw and cut reliefs in the lip about every inch or so and then used the eastwood roller. It worked great and didn't leave any waves on the outer fender like i've seen on a couple cars from it stressing the fender w/o relief cuts. On my new on Im going to do the same but got a tool like what injuneer was talking about.

I do like the idea of scoring the paint though, i'll give it a shot.

 

Hey let me know when you do yours I think mine could use a little work.

 

I put 17X11s on my car and did just what Fred said. I waited until after they were on to make sure they did indeed rub. Then grabbed a bat and put it against the tire and rolled it until they cleared. No big deal really. Like they said I would wait for the tires and wheels to make sure you need them rolled. I got the polished ZR1s on mine and love them.

 

I'm late in posting to your thread and you may have already done the deed but in case you're still looking for advice or want to see someone elses fender rolling experience, here's mine.

Keep in mind when rolling that you only need to "fold" about 6 inches. There's no need to flatten any more than that.

Like said above, you should wait and put the wheels on the car to see what you need to do. I bought the 11" ZR1s with 315 tires. I think the offset was 50 mm and had no problem with the bump stop. the inside tire wall is very close to the stop but there's enough clearance that I'm not worrying about a rub. The outside of the tires are about 1/8" in from the edge of the quarter panel. Since the car is lowered I needed clearance. I should have cut some relief slits because I can feel the unevenness on the quarter panel but fortunately can't see it. You would think it would be the other way around at best.

I used the Eastwood roller and cut the paint along the groove at the bend. Because I flattened the lip right up against the inside the quarter the paint really broke away. Fortunately the cut kept any stretching from going to the outside. Touch up paint was all it required because where the paint fell away is up and inside the wheel well.

Once again, take a good look at what needs to be rolled or folded and do no more. The 4-6 inches that the tire would actually contact can be folded up without cutting anything. If you roll the maximum length like I did you will probably get some wave like mine unless you do the cutting thing.


http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...pvND9WKeBB42g?authkey=Gv1sRgCKWf45Tv8N3KAg&feat=directlink

 

hmmmm the pics really help thank you? now i know what the tool is they were talking about. but the slits you made in the paint, i was assuming they were actually out on the quarter, but now it sounds like their inside the well, any pics of the slits you made by any chance?

 

I think the "slits" are actually perpendicular cuts through the steel lip of the quarter panel. The segmented lip would then be bent up wards. As the lip goes up, any slit will become a V shape and the steel would not be deformed as it is forced to stretch into a new configuration.

Cutting the paint is what Fred wrote about. With my 2001 Camaro, there is a perfect crease just as the quarter panel is molded with the ninety degree lip that goes around the wheel opening. This is where I took a razor blade and made a radial cut, following the crease. The cut needs to go through the top layer of paint. This creates a controlled break in the paint. As it is stretched by the bending / folding process, the stress goes no further than the cut you will have made.

I'm sorry that I do not have a picture of the lip before it was bent but if you look at the following link, you will see clearly how the paint on the rolled lip breaks away from the paint on the exterior of the quarter panel.

Cutting the paint along the crease line

Another view near at the end of the inner fender well

 

The latest Eastwood catalog has yet another "new" fender lip rolling tool (PN 11537):

http://www.eastwood.com/

http://www.eastwood.com/fender-finisher.html



They also sell it in a combination pack with a heat gun kit, to soften the paint and reduce cracking (PN 12122)