This may sound completely off kilter but im taking off my fender flairs this weekend and painting them. How exactly are they to be removed? Is it a tab type deal or an adhesive? Sorry for the dumb question, and thanks in advance for any advice.

 

You are going to have to take the plastic liner off from under your fender. There are a bunch of bolts that are either 8mm or 10 mm, I can't remeber exactly. Take the bolts off and the flairs will come right off. If you are lucky you will be able to salvage the mounting brackets, but if not just replace the brackets with some new bolts.

 

Okay so in theory all I should have to do is unscrew some bolts inside the wheel well/fender and they'll pop right off?

 

In theory, yes. In reality, they'll probably be rusted and all break off.

 

Exactly what happened to mine

 

Alright. We'll see how this goes. Thanks!

 

I would just leave them on and paint them on the jeep . . i pb blasted my fender bolts for a week so i could save them but they broke anyway . . but every xj is different so good luck!

 

when i took mine off they unbolted back just fine. they are 8mm nuts. the only problem i had was when i put em on i overtightened one of them and broke the stud off.

 

The nuts are 10mm except for where they attach at the bottoms .. i believe those are 8mm

 

all mine were 8mm mines a 2000 tho

 

O maybe they were replace at one point . . mine is also a 2000

 

I dont think you should have to take the bolts out..my 97s just popped on and off of that metal clip and a screw or bolt on each end of the flare.The flare just kinda clips on to that metal clip you all are talking about.popped mine off and painted them without screwing with the bolts in the inner fender.Its a tab type deal with the exception of a screw at the bottom of each flare

 

You cant really get the flares to sit flush with the body if you take them off the clip . . the metal brackets have little teeth that stick out a little that snap into the flare itself

 

Just loosen them enough (if they're not already)to slide some paper between them and the body and paint 'em on the truck. That's how I did mine. A lot easier than totally removing them.

 

I didnt have any issues with that,i just pried those tabs a lil farther open and put the flares back on pushing from the top down,I see your point though.No way I was gonna unbolt those 10mm bolts with out breaking em,and there studs really so no head if ya break em you will figure another way to bolt them back on