Pocket Flares

Aristone · January 19, 2011

My truck was covered with salt from all the snow. Once we got a little bit of sunshine I had to wash it. What I did notice was chips starting up and small scratches from the spray from my new tires and wheels.

I ordered Bushwacker flares and should have them tomorrow. Is there anything I need to know before installation? I was on the fence about them but my truck is new and want to keep it as clean as I possibally can.

The flares are a bit different for the GMC but I guess we will see

Hope everyone is doing well

Thanks inadvance

brad519 · January 19, 2011

As I said earlier I didn't like the look of flares at first but now that I have them I really like and prefer the look. I got them for the same reason...damn chips.

That being said I believe they look a lot nicer on the GMC. The flares give it a more rugged look IMO.

Putting the rubber strip on them takes a little patience along with the bolts. Pick up a short phillips head for the rear unless you take the rear tires off. It's a pain trying to use a standard length phillips. Short as in short handled.

The front is easy. Remove the pre-existing little screws that hold on the fender liner and they bolt right back in the same place.

Aristone · January 19, 2011

Thanks Brad,

Im going to dry fit everything before I send them off to paint. Do they need any trimming or do they sit pretty much square to the fender all the way around?

Lovin my truck and cant wait for the gears.

Take it easy

brad519 · January 19, 2011

No trimming needed for me. They're a pretty standard fit on the truck

Of course we expect pics

stlavsa · January 20, 2011

Before you spend $500 just for the sake of protecting your paint i feel like i should give some input here.

I have had my lift and tires and pocket flares on for several years now.. I still get a ton of spray, and the area below my door trim gets chipped up. (Grey is nice because you can hardly see the chips.) The pocket flares arent gonna protect your truck like you think. They are more for keeping your truck D.O.T. legal (most states dont like it when ur tires stick out.)

Mudflaps do a much better job at protecting your paint. The problem with mud flaps and lifted trucks is #1 they dont look cool and #2 it give you less clearance for tire rubbing.

If you are willing to install some discreet mudflaps you will like the results a lot better than the pocket flares.

Aristone · January 21, 2011

Well the shop just dropped off my Flares. Im going to dry fit tomorrow and drop off at my boddys bodyshop. Hopefully he can spray them and they will be on for the weekend

hossmp2500 · January 21, 2011

Well the shop just dropped off my Flares. Im going to dry fit tomorrow and drop off at my boddys bodyshop. Hopefully he can spray them and they will be on for the weekend

Hey BigBudd, I am in NJ also, where did you get them painted? I am just getting done with some accident repairs at a place on rt.130. I thought about the flares and having them painted but so far the paint work they did on my truck is not great.

stlavsa · January 21, 2011

Well the shop just dropped off my Flares. Im going to dry fit tomorrow and drop off at my boddys bodyshop. Hopefully he can spray them and they will be on for the weekend

Nice.. I am sure they will look great... Like i said before they look awesome I am just not sure they are gonna do what you want them to do. I did however put mine on at the exact same as wheels tires so i dont know if maybe they atleast help a little.

I would be interested in seeing some pics and also gettin a review of whether they helped keep some of the crap from spraying up the truck.

Aristone · January 22, 2011

Well the shop just dropped off my Flares. Im going to dry fit tomorrow and drop off at my boddys bodyshop. Hopefully he can spray them and they will be on for the weekend

Hey BigBudd, I am in NJ also, where did you get them painted? I am just getting done with some accident repairs at a place on rt.130. I thought about the flares and having them painted but so far the paint work they did on my truck is not great.

I got them done at Ricks Auto Body. There is 6 variations of the Carbon Flash Metallic so we had to match the correct one. He is doing me a favor so I wont get them back till next week. I did have one jerk off cop break my balls in a parking lot about my tires sticking out...Then he was saying how cool the truck was blah blah blah...

Im excited about the new look and cant wait to bolt them up.

Im concerned about rubbing.When I cut my wheen to the left hard and hit a bump it would rub the rear of the wheel well. Maybe it needs some massaging with a hammer and a piece of wood?

stlavsa · January 22, 2011

Well the shop just dropped off my Flares. Im going to dry fit tomorrow and drop off at my boddys bodyshop. Hopefully he can spray them and they will be on for the weekend

Hey BigBudd, I am in NJ also, where did you get them painted? I am just getting done with some accident repairs at a place on rt.130. I thought about the flares and having them painted but so far the paint work they did on my truck is not great.

I got them done at Ricks Auto Body. There is 6 variations of the Carbon Flash Metallic so we had to match the correct one. He is doing me a favor so I wont get them back till next week. I did have one jerk off cop break my balls in a parking lot about my tires sticking out...Then he was saying how cool the truck was blah blah blah...

Im excited about the new look and cant wait to bolt them up.

Im concerned about rubbing.When I cut my wheen to the left hard and hit a bump it would rub the rear of the wheel well. Maybe it needs some massaging with a hammer and a piece of wood?

Buddy of mine did that to his F150 to clear his 35's (with just a level kit!!) but i think you should be able to use a big mallet or the hammer and wood idea would have the same effect.

blackout07 · January 24, 2011

I did have one jerk off cop break my balls in a parking lot about my tires sticking out...Then he was saying how cool the truck was blah blah blah...

Does your state have a law concerning tires sticking out too far?

Aristone · January 24, 2011

I did have one jerk off cop break my balls in a parking lot about my tires sticking out...Then he was saying how cool the truck was blah blah blah...

Does your state have a law concerning tires sticking out too far?

Yes they do. There cant be any rubber sticking out of the fender wells.

And it seems the police are getting younger and feel the need to make a name for themselves.

blackout07 · January 24, 2011

So a police officer who is employed to enforce the laws of the state calls you out on an infraction and is otherwise complimentary of your truck, and he is a jerk off? Apparently he didn't write you a citation. I'll apologize for the rant but it really irritates me when people knowingly violate a law and are then critical of the people whose job it is to enforce it.

Aristone · January 24, 2011

So a police officer who is employed to enforce the laws of the state calls you out on an infraction and is otherwise complimentary of your truck, and he is a jerk off? Apparently he didn't write you a citation. I'll apologize for the rant but it really irritates me when people knowingly violate a law and are then critical of the people whose job it is to enforce it.

Wow didnt expect that...lol

I actually know the guy and he really is a jerk off. If he gave me the ticket then he would have been an ass hole...lol

stlavsa · January 25, 2011

In my opinion the cop is a jerk off if you get pulled over for having an inch of tire sticking out... They look for shit like that because it give them an excuse to pull you over, then they can try to find other reasons to get you in trouble...

Like he said, the police force is getting younger, and thats the kinda shit that happens.. young cops, (and occasionally old ones) forget what it means to "protect and serve".. They arent out there to "enforce the laws" they are out there to protect and maintain peace.

Its stupid laws like the tires sticking out, or side tint on the windows (to an extent maybe not 2% limo), tint on the upper part of the windshield, are all in effect, and I have no problems with them, but I am of the opinion that if you are pulled over JUST FOR ONE OF THOSE INFRACTIONS, the cop IS a jerk-off.

Its a totally different story if you are driving wrecklessly, or are out of inspection, unregistered, etc and you get pulled over for that, then the officer can bust you on the minor infractions.

Being several years into my career now, and having fellow college graduates who have became officers tell me thats how it works.. They look for little shit like that just to give them an excuse to pull you over and see if they can bust you for drinking, or drugs.. Thats bullshit its profiling, its wrong and the cops and there are also plenty of cops out there that are crooked as hell. Cops can drive around drunk and blow right thru a checkpoint, then the next week you will see them working at the same check point. It HAPPENS.. I have ridden with a police officer before and seen them hit the lights/sirens just to run a red light, then switch them right back off..

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41235743/ns/us...ime_and_courts/

Some of the comments made on that article that I just read actually have some basis to them. I do not condone the statements, or the killings, or any of the suspects they are all pieces of shit, but i do understand where some of those comments come from (while some are too extreme and way out of line).

It sucks because the majority of cops are good cops who know when and what to enforce and know when petty infractions aren't worth concerning themselves (i could say acting judiciously).. But just a few dickhead cops (usually town cops not state) ruin the reputation of all of them..