Drilling the holes for the fenders

Brian

Jeep Fanatic
If 1 is easy, it is a 2.

You simply hold the item up to the body with small clamps and mark your holes. Use a small and sharp center punch to lightly make the dent and drill with a small drill, then up to the size needed. We must have drilled 50-60 holes in the TMF Jeep and all were great. Make sure to use some lube on the bolts that are going into the rivenut tool and have two people when doing the rivnuts as they are easier to keep flat against the body that way. Cake.
 

Pthorpe84

Moderator
Staff member
Agreed with Brian. Super easy to drill. The nut itself is a pain. But that’s just because your forearm is killing you after 3 of them.


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GaryG

Jeep Owner
If I had to do it again I'd use a step bit, the body material is thin and soft. I made my own rivnut puller with grade 8 bolts and 1/8" thick washers, I also used an impact to pull them in. Did 38 holes and wore out 3 of them. Only spun one but the hole was a little butchered from that big bit grabbing.
 

Brian

Jeep Fanatic
Did you use a 17/32 or finish with a fluted bit for finishing hole size?
We used a 1/2" and it worked perfectly. Some needed a little wobble of the drill to fit, but the tighter the better. We used a wrench and a socket and ratchet with the rivnut tool and we did not have forearm issues, but we wrench daily.

An impact would be awesome, but you would not be able to feel the point where it grabs. It could be easy to go too far. We used red loctite around the rivnut and the body area. not sure it will help, but it cannot hurt.
 

Copasspupil

Jeep Owner
It says in the directions to use a 17/32 for the rear only. If I can get away with 1/2”, I’d be happy. I ordered a fluted one but it doesn’t come for a week apparently. I have a step bit
 

Brian

Jeep Fanatic
Perfect. Thanks. I’ll start on the holes then
I would suggest NOT to use a step bit as you can be drilling into other items behind the body and not know it. Just use a normal 1/2" drill and use a rat tail file, or the drill to slightly enlarge the hole. Remeber, you want a tight fit., Not too tight that you dent the metal tapping it in, but stull snug.
 

Copasspupil

Jeep Owner
Well I canceled the fluted reamer since it was delayed another week so I have a set of 118* bits to use and I’ll get a nicer grinding wheel but to use to make it right.
 

Copasspupil

Jeep Owner
Well the front fenders at the top where the support piece is suppose to line up is off and needs to have the lower part of the sheet metal grinded away about a 1/16” to work.
 

Pthorpe84

Moderator
Staff member
I used the harbor freight step bit as well for the rear. Marked my depth with some duct tape. Worked well for me.

I would not use the step bit for the front. I didn’t have a file when I did mine. Strongly recommend you have one.


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Copasspupil

Jeep Owner
Well I plan on using raptor for inside the wheel wells and coming up with something that will fill in the holes to finish it off
 
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