Fender Flare Gasket Replace or Repair?

[bradesp]

Guys,

My 01' Painted Gasket / seals that are sandwiched between the plastic fender flare and the main body of the truck have deteriorated to a point where they are very discolored / ugly color with rough top surface. Has anyone had these replace? Are they difficult to do yourself? Has anyone had luck restoring the topcoat finish on these gasket/seals? If so I'd love to know more.

Thanks!

Brad

[funnyman82]

I remember a thread here before about this and someone posted a link to purchase the strip, it was a few months back...i tried the search but i couldnt find it..

[bradesp]

Funnyman82,

Thanks... I'll see what I can find out.

[Pwnin O'Brien]

I posted a link on the forum before, I think they are about $50 per corner. I'll see if I can find the parts link for you.

[bradesp]

Pwinin, thanks!

Brad

[Pwnin O'Brien]

Soooo I had a picture diagram of the rubber trim you're talking about. I can't find that picture but I can tell you where to find them. Go to infinitipartsusa.com (click Qx4 parts, choose 2001, yada, yada, yada...) and then select Fender then exterior trim then seal (Fender -> Exterior trim -> Seal) and you select your vehicle color. They run about $35ea.

[Freyspath]

Sorry for brining this up from the dead, but how do you remove the fender and the main body of the truck? I cant seem to find the bolts... Thanks!

[CanuckQx4]

Its a unibody chassis, the body doesnt remove from the frame

[Freyspath]

Sorry I didn't phrase my question correctly,

I meant to say how do you remove the fender flares from the fender?

[bradesp]

Also, since I posted this originally, has anyone found these fender seals in the color of GREY? Wouldn't you know it, the ONLY color they don't appear to stock at the infiniti parts sight is GREY. They do sell a "paint to match" seal, but that's something I had hoped to avoid.

[miamiheat3332]

freys, if you take off lets say the rear wheel, jack up the truck, then look up into the fender to the left or right from whichever side you are, and look up, there should be screws up there which you then can unscrew the flare from the fender.

[shelby500krz]

I got a cheap generic role from pepboys. They had black and chrome, but you can check to see if they have gray.

[bradesp]

Shelby, thanks... I'll check it out.

Bradesp

[GRNMACHINE]

FYI if you live in a salt state/area be careful about the bolts. The 2 bolts that hold the molded mudflaps on both broke with little pressure. While trying to repair them, I tried to remove the fender flare (drivers front). I am not sure exactly how they come off (have these white plastic bubble looking tabs that hold them tight-I am assuming pulling them off with force. I was able to see how the rubber seal goes on but I am doubting the fender flare would go back on tight if I removed it. I have to say aside from the color fading on the seals Nissan did a really nice job with the install of the flares. I also own an Explorer, the flares are not held on tightly like the Pathfinder. That leaves the flare the ability to dig into the paint (no gasket/seal on them). Anyway, I am going to live with the discoloration of the gasket/seals rather than having the possiblity of ill fitting flares after or broken tabs/bolts etc.

[Turbogst]

Before you buy new ones hit up the area with a claybar made mine look brand new and my truck is white.

[bradesp]

How difficult would it be to carefully mask the metal body and plastic flare and sand the gasket down to the rubber/plastic that's still in reasonable shape and then prime and repaint?

[Chris.m]

How difficult would it be to carefully mask the metal body and plastic flare and sand the gasket down to the rubber/plastic that's still in reasonable shape and then prime and repaint?

I'm not body-shop guy, but I think it would be alot easyer to take them off to do it. - or take them off, throw them away and bite the bullet for new ones.

If you tape it, it would have to be perfect, and even then you may run into bridging onto the tape, not to mention the threat of overspray...


On that note, pressure washing worked really well for me - that was quite close with 3600 PSI though

[fueler]

How difficult would it be to carefully mask the metal body and plastic flare and sand the gasket down to the rubber/plastic that's still in reasonable shape and then prime and repaint?

You would only have to mask one side (the flare side)... and then for the body, you could slide some paper behind the gasket (between the gasket and the vehicle body) to protect the body. Easy but time consuming.