armadillo

This morning when I left, I heard a scraping noise in the right front fenderwell when I backed up with the wheel turned all the way to the left. It sounded like tire tread against fenderwell. I thought that was odd since I have a stock 98 XJ with LT 215 75R15 tires. No noise when going straight.

So I drive down the mountain and onto the interstate and I'm driving along at 75-80 MPH and the right front tire goes completely flat. Ruined the practically new tire. The front half of the fenderwell is loose and part of it melted where it was touching the tire.

It's hard for me to imagine that small amout of friction whould heat the tire enough to cause a blowout. It was about 55 degrees outside. Road wind was blowing the fenderwell rearward to the tire. I suppose it could be a coincidence and the tire might have failed for some other reason at the exact moment that the fenderwell was rubbing it.

The fasteners for the plastic fenderwell are just push in plastic rivets and one metal stud.

Anyone else had this problem? Is the fenderwell a dealer/junkyard item?

cpnwrench

ball joint failure, shock failure, coil failure, stabilizer link broke, get under it and inspect!

good luck sir!

cpnwrench

armadillo

Nothing wrong underneath. The vehicle is level as always. I don't know why the fenderwell was damaged. Probably happened when I had chains on it last winter because there is very little clearance between tire and fender on a stock XJ.

EvilBlackXJ

Are you saying the flare rubbed the tire, or the fender liner?

Ronin

Im not alone in saying i would love to see a pic.

armadillo

The plastic fenderwell or fender liner, not the flare rubbed the tire.

In hindsight, I think my Heeler tore the fenderwell loose because chipmunks hide in various crannies under my vehicles and she gets mad when they won't come out and play.