Several months ago, we installed a set of Raceline Wheels and Mickey Thompson Baja EXP tires on Project WorkHorse, and I couldn’t be happier with the look. I have been doing long-term testing with the tires, and you can check out the articles here. I drive this truck every day, and one thing I have noticed is the amount of dirt and stones that get kicked up onto the sides of the truck. This will definitely cause damage to the paint in the long run, so something needs to be done. That something meant adding a pair of fender flares.

There are several companies that make fender flares for trucks, so how do you know where to find what you need? To make finding the right flares easy, I simply went to RealTruck.com to make my choice. They have several flares on hand for most trucks and it just comes down to deciding what best fits your needs.

If you always thought drilling was required to attach the flares, it is not. Each bolt is just for decoration.

The fender flares I chose for WorkHorse are made by EGR. Why did I choose what I did? Simple, I have used EGR products in the past and have always had good luck with them. What I ordered were the Bolt-On Look Fender Flares. I think the visible bolts add a touch of detail that will help the modification stand out. Although the bolts look like they are holding the flares to the truck, in actuality, the stainless hardware is only for show. To hold the flares in place, the OE mounting holes for the inner fenderwell-liner trim are all that is used. That gives the flares a semi-permanent install.

With the bolts installed, there is a seal that gets applied to the flare where it meets the truck fender. If you plan on this being the final install, remove the adhesive cover so it sticks. Since I will be removing and painting the flares, I left the protective cover in place.

The EGR Bolt-On Look Fender Flares come as a complete four-piece set and are constructed from durable, impact-resistant acrylic for exceptional strength. These flares have been proven to hold tough no matter what gets thrown at them, resisting cracks and abrasions. The high-impact acrylic also resists UV rays, preventing fading, chalking, and oxidation traditionally associated with black plastics. With that out of the way, it’s time to talk about putting these fender flares on the truck.

I must say up front, the part of the install that took the longest was installing all the bolts into the flares themselves. Again, the bolts do not attach the flares to the truck and Nyloc nut is used to retain the bolt to the flare. That said, the installation of all four flares was completed in roughly two hours.

One decision I needed to make before I started the install was whether or not I would paint the flares. Since I was not sure during the install, I decided I would temporarily install them in case I needed to remove them for paint. This also allowed me to “test fit” each flare before it possibly painted. I would hate to paint them and then have to cut or gently grind away any plastic after they were painted.

The flares will actually attach to the truck with the bolts and pushpins that hold the inner fenderwell liner in place. Remove the pins and/or clips, clean the fender.

Test fitting also means I did not permanently attach the rubber seal to the truck during the installation. The seal that is installed between the fender flare and the fender has an adhesive that holds it to both the flare and the fender. During my install, I did not remove the adhesive coverings so I could remove the seal at a later time for painting. Other than that, I followed the installation instructions and in roughly 3 hours, the install was complete. Before I forget, I mention trimming and grinding. None of that was required. I did have a set of aftermarket mudflaps on the front wheels of the truck and they could not be retained with the flares. That said, the fender flares cover the tires so the mud flaps are really not a necessity anymore.

Once the flares were installed, I realized I would need to paint them as I feel they make the wheelwell opening look too large. For that reason, I will be painting the fender flares body color. This will minimize the dark opening around the tires and I think it will make everything look better.

The addition of fender flares is an inexpensive upgrade (under $400) that I feel can add a look of ruggedness to any truck and help protect the paint as well. (Update: I did decide to paint the flares, and you can check out that article here.

But Wait. There’s More…

Whether you live in Florida like I do or any other state in the Union, it gets hot. Park your truck for the day with the windows closed, and you will be returning to a sauna when you finally climb inside. So, while I was ordering the fender flares, I decided to also get a set of EGR’s In-Channel Window Visors. Not only with the vent visors allow air to circulate when it’s hot, they also allow you to keep the windows open slightly when it’s raining.  The best part is, installing some vent visors is a quick and relatively easy process.

It only takes a few minutes to install  vent visors, but I prefer the look of the in0channel design as opposed to the stick-on design. In-Channel Vent Visors generally don’t require any adhesive or extra hardware to install. They insert up and into the window channel, and they’re held in place by the friction in the channel.

To install the visors, only took a couple of minutes as they simply get inserted into the widow channel. Once the visor is installed, slowly raise the windows and make sure they are not catching anywhere on the visor. I did have to raise and lower the windows a couple of times to get them to go all the way up. The added thickness of the vent visors did make the windows not want to go all the way up. To remedy this, I did “help” the windows go all the way up and then left in the up position for a few days without lowering them. This allowed the weatherstrip to compress enough for the windows to work.