ranger fender help

[008wagon]

one of the bolts that go down through the top of the fender and through the bracket has pulled complety through the fiberglass if there any way to repair this besides a new fender?

[Burr]

That's the beauty of fiberglass. Buy a glass repair kit, and rebuild the fender in the area where the bolt pulled through. If it's not a visible area, you'll be able to complete without color matching, surface finishing.

[THROWINWOOD]

Can you post a pic of the problem?

[mattm2632]

I currently have the exact same problem. For a temporary fit I got a new bolt and washer that is larger than the hole in the fiberglass. I installed both of them and it seems to work well except the fact that I cannot put the rubber mat back flush because of the raised bolt head. I had a tire blow out and damaged the fender and plan on ordering a whole new one after the season.

Hope this helps,

Matt

[REW]

008,
As one of the others suggested, fiberglass is easy to repair, if the fender is glass and not plastic.
If the fender is plastic, buy a new fender and move on.

If the fender is fiberglass. take the fender off of the trailer.
Take a couple pieces of clear packaging tape and put on top of the fender over the area of the pull through. Then, using a fiberglass repair kit, start with a good coat of resin to fill the area, and then a layer of thin glass to conform to the area of the hole. Follow this with a layer of roving, and a layer of thick glass, Spread the glass area out for a few inches on all sides of the hole. Follow this with about 2 or 3 more layers of glass and roving and resin.

Let everything dry, and you just need to drill out the hole for the bolt and you should be good to go. If you need to have the bolt completely hidden, then, just capture the bolt in the first or 2nd layer of glass and resin and continue to glass in the boat as you complete the repair.

Since the top side of the fender has been covered with smooth package sealing tape, and you can verify that the area gets completely filled by looking through the clear sealing tape on the first coats of resin and glass, you should have a perfect surface on the top side of the fender when you remove the tape.

Remount the fender and you are good to go.

REW

[REW]

Matt man,
By the way, tire manufacturers are liable for vehicle damage caused by tire failure.

Write the trailer tire manufacturer a letter stating the time, date, and damage caused by the tire. I would expect that the tire company would send you a check rather quickly in the mail.

When I had the same issue on my motor home, the tire company asked that I saw out a cross section of the tire and send it to them to complete the tire claim. I actually had to go back to the scene of the blow out, and find tire fragments to send to the tire company. But in the end it was worth it, because the tire company came up with the $2500 for the damage that had been caused by the failing tire.

Be safe
REW

[bobco]

seems to be common problem with ranger trailers, take the fender off and rebuild repair, beef it up a little.

[mattm2632]

REW,
Actually it was a tread separation on 5+ year old tires. It seemingly did not have any major signs of going bad prior to the tread separation and I checked the pressure often. Insurance is covering the new fender. The insurance agent told me to save the damaged tire, which I have done. I don’t know if he is trying to have the tire company cover some of my damage???? The separation was over 2 months ago and 150 miles from home. Any leftover tire fragments are long gone.


Matt