So after developing a slow leak in one of the older front tires, I called up the mechanic and had them order four BFG AT's, 31 x 10.50. The tires have arrived and they'll be mounting them next Tuesday. I went with the ATs over MTs for many reasons. I know they're not usually as good offroad, but I don't mind a challenge!

Since I'll probably be leaving on another 200-300 mile trip right after these tires are mounted, I want to make sure I won't have any problems with rubbing on the plastic fenders or mudflaps. I've read the threads I could find here and on XOC, and it seems like it shouldn't be a big deal. My question is this: if I just remove all 4 flaps before dropping the Xterra off for the tire mounting, will that take care of any rubbing risks? If so, I could remount and trim the flaps at my leisure.

Thanks.

If I'm not mistaken, on late model years, the design of the mounting points for the mudflaps changed slightly, allowing more clearance.

Either way, taking them off should resolve any minor rubbing issues you may have, assuming you're still using stock rims. Depending on how much the front of your X has settled, you may stil get rubbing at full compression/full lock. Some tbar adjustment may be in order.

Put the new sneakers on, and you'll know right away. Should be minimal to non-existent.

And the AT's are a good choice, very capable offroad, better than the MT's in some respects.

Regards,

-matt
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Somebody once said, "let the tires do the trimming for ya"

Gotta figure the first guys to mount larger tires had to figure out what it took somehow, you could always "pioneer" for yourself as if it had never been done before...

shouldn't be an issue on stock rims.

The tires are on ("oh, sweet nectar!"). There is rubbing on the inside corner of the front mud flaps/well guard in sharp turns, so I took the front assemblies off for now. I need to figure out what to do ASAP cuz I want to get some protection back on there.

One of the two plastic brackets where the pin fits to stick on the fender, and the plastic push-pin thang, are both broken on the right guard, I assume from the tire yanking it around (pretty sure I didn't do it when taking the stuff off). The three screw mounts and the other plastic bracket are fine, and the driver's side assembly is 100%. The trouble I see is that the rubbing occurs not on the flap alone, but in the area where the mud flap and guard attach to one another.

Anyone have advice? Without other suggestions, I'll be epoxying the bracket back on and replacing the busted pin before removing the mud flaps and trimming the fender guard. If stuff is available and when I have money, I may replace the entire area with aftermarket fender flares or something. I do want to keep the paint from getting torn up in that area, and it will.

Thanks. I know this is pretty low-level stuff so I am very grateful for your help.

If the rubbing issue occurs at full lock then try reducing the turn radius by adjusting the "stopper bolts" (ya, that's what Nissan calls them).

Keep trimming until they don't rub anymore. On mine with aftermarket rims, it took grinding on the lower fender lip and seam to provide good clearance, but that was with larger tires. Very minor trimming should be all that's needed for 31's on stock rims.

When I thre my 31's all I had was minor trimming like Andy said, but I did have to take the flaps off.

TF, you shouldn't have had to remove the actual flare attached to the body, just the mudflaps from the flare. It's tough to get the flares off without breaking the pins, but more often you end up breaking the "bracket" part of the flare that the pins slide into and the flare is then scrap.

Trim the flares as needed, it's really really not hard to figure out. If the broken "bracket" on the flare doesn't allow the flare to be held in place securely enough, you'll have to replace the flare, but mine has been fine for years without one of the attachment points intact.

Brent

I removed the flaps and trimmed the flares today. The washers were missing from the assembly with the broken bracket, so I think it was taken off at some point or is a replacement. Since the bracket that broke was the one in the middle of the flare, the flare still holds pretty securely without that attachment.

I had to saw off a small chunk from the bottom edge of either flare. Because this removed a screw hole from each flare and made another hole on the flares less-than-beefy, I thought the mudflaps would be useless. But it just occurred to me that if I make the same cuts on the mudflaps and then screw it back together with some epoxy or something sandwitched between, I still might be able to use the mudflaps. Maybe I'll try it.

I suppose that's an option, but I just coughed $25 or so for the 2002+ mudflaps instead. 2 more holes in the flare is all it takes and they have no lip or holes on the inboard portion. Here's how they look:


The dashed line is all you might have to trim on the flap if anything.

Brent