Hi all,

As some may know, I was in a minor bender with a deer. I decided I don't want to go through insurance. I also don't want to spend the money for having a body shop to keep my truck for a week, the rental, and everything else. What I am wondering is how hard is it to remove and replace the driver's side fender? Since there is no antenna on this side, is it just a matter of a few bolts and a second set of hands? What about the paint match. The quote for the body shop says 'blend with door'. Does this mean that if I did it myself the paint would not necessarily match?

 

yes, they need the truck to blend the new paint in to match. i'd just get a rental, go get the cheapest you can possibly find and look like a homo for a week knowing your truck is being fixed correctly.

 

06yz250f, if i wanted condescending responses, I'd have asked my mother in law. I don't think that the color match could possibly be that off, considering the same body shop just painted a tailgate for the same truck, sight unseen, and it matched perfectly.

Back to the point, how hard is it to actually remove the fender? Is it welded on, or just a few bolts? Anyone ever had theirs off?

 

I did mine, just bolts up but the ones where the upper cover attach to the fender are a pain to get to. I just had mine shot then I put it on myself. Of course black is easiest to match. Heck I think I have six different age shoots of black parts on the front of my truck and they all match up fairly well.

 

Did you have any pictures or diagrams that you used to find all the bolts or just went at it?

 

No diagram, I just went after it. Not too bad really, just use your head.

 

It may or may not match. Personally I would risk it not matching because what often happens when they blend the paint you get fibres,dirt, and orange peel in the paint on the doors then it still may not match. You may want to use painters tape on the bumper edge and door edge when removing the panel to reduce the risk of chipping.

 

sorry for answering your question and trying to add a little humor. maybe next time you will ask your mother in law instead of us.

risk it all you want, just don't bitch when it's not 100% the exact same color. you could luck out, or you could get screwed it all depends on the body shop who they use for paint, who sprays it, etc.

 

I appreciate the responses. 06yz250f, although my mother in law thinks she knows everything, I am pretty sure she's never taken an 04-08 F150 fender off, hence where you guys come in

I really don't want them messing with the paint on the doors or the hood and given the success I've had with this shop, I am not terribly worried about a horrendous match. If it turns out really bad, I can always bring it back and have it blended if it absolutely has to be.

I'd rather have the paint slightly off than it all dented in like it is right now.

 

I saw your thread with pics of the damage but can't seem to find it. Is the dent one that can be removed through paintless dent removal?