Bushwacker “pocket-style” fender flare install provides perfect protection for trucks outfitted with either mud tires or wide-faced all-terrains
By Bruce W. Smith
Cleaning off mud and debris thrown along the length of a pickup used around job sites is as an added expense most of us in the construction and contracting industry don’t need taken away from the bottom line. Neither is the added wear on the truck itself, which hurts trade-in/resale value.
One aftermarket upgrade that will help reduce the cleaning costs and vehicle damage is installing a set of fender flares.
All heavy-duty pickups and full-size SUVs come from the factory with a little bit of flare designed into the fenders. But none provide the kind of protection needed to accommodate more aggressive mud tires or wider all-terrains.That’s where Bushwacker’s offerings come into play.
The renown aftermarket manufacturer got its start providing fender flares and accessories for off-road vehicles, Broncos and Jeeps some 40 years ago. Their “pocket-style” flares are the very popular because they are both wide and rugged looking.
Coat them with Line-X Xtra to match your truck’s paint, while adding a layer of added protection to the flares themselves, and they are even more appealing.
That’s exactly the upgrade we did to our Sweepstakes Big boss 201 Ram Crew Cab 4×4 diesel.
The installation was handled by Truck Supply & Outfitters, who are also a Bushwacker dealer. We had a set of the Pocket Style Flares sent to Line-X in Huntsville, Alabama (they had already sprayed the bed and lower rocker panels with Line-X Xtra), so they could be color-matched to the front/rear bumpers and rockers.
The installation itself is simple because these flares don’t require any bolting or cutting of sheetmetal; the flares attach to the inner fender with a few self-tapping sheetmetal screws and push-lock fasteners. The fit is perfect – just like the protection they provide. – Bruce W. Smith
