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body armor fender flares

Choosing Fender Flares: How to Measure, Styles & Features

The automotive aftermarket is full of exciting and high-quality accessories that can stylize your car or truck, but also add the required protection to the vehicle. 

Some of the most popular exterior accessories for trucks are fender flares. They come in various shapes, sizes, and styles, but there are a few things you should know before searching for the best model-specific or universal fender flares.

Let’s start by covering what are flares on a car, and go into detail from there.

06 ford bronco raptor fender flares

What Are Fender Flares?

Fender flares are truck and SUV accessories mounted over the wheel wells to create a more aggressive look. Aside from aesthetic reasons, fender flares are fitted to vehicles with aftermarket wheels due to regulations that don’t allow the wheels to stick out.

If you’re asking what are flares on a car for, there are two main functions – looks and protection. The best fender flares will follow the contours of your car and will look like they were factory-fitted. They’ll also protect the paint from debris, rocks, water, and anything else your tires might pick up while driving. 

There are a couple of reasons why flaring fenders on a car is the right thing to do. In some areas, they’re required if you have larger wheels fitted to your truck, they’ll change the appearance of your truck and make it look more aggressive, they’ll hide surface damage in the fender area, and they’ll protect your truck, and other vehicles on and off the road.

One more reason why drivers mount fender flares on their trucks is the increased resale value. Just by protecting the paint from rocks and debris will maintain the bodywork condition, and once the vehicle is up for sale, the owner can expect a better deal.

Bushwacker-DRT-Fender-Flare-On-Truck.

Different Fender Flare Styles

The automotive aftermarket offers some incredible options when it comes to flaring fenders on a car. There are a few different styles to choose from, and which one you’ll choose solely depends on your preference and what you think looks best on your truck or SUV. Functionality is the same, no matter which fender style you choose.

Fender flares can be found in four specific styles which include:

  • OE style
  • Street style
  • Bolt-on style, and
  • Extended style

OE style fender flares, in most cases, aren’t actually made by the OE manufacturer. They’re mostly aftermarket components that mimic the OE look. Although the OE style fender flares mimic a factory look, it’s not always the case that OE style flares use factory holes for mounting and will require drilling. Compared to other fender flare styles, the OE style is usually more discreet.

Street style fender flares have a lower profile compared to OE style fender flares, but provide as much protection. They don’t provide as aggressive a look as a bolt-on or extended-style fender flares. Street style fender flares are also the easiest to install.

Flaring fenders on a car with bolt-on style fender flares provides the most aggressive and rugged look on a truck and car. It’s also the most popular option, especially for cars that are often used off-road or on rougher terrain. These types of fender flares are extremely popular for trucks and SUVs for creating a much wider and more aggressive stance.

Lastly, extended-style fender flares are commonly used when much larger wheels are fitted. In some scenarios, regular fender flares don’t cover the entire wheel, and wider flares are needed. 

The majority of the best universal fender flares come in matte black color, but you can sometimes paint them to match your truck’s color. This is a good option if you’re flaring fenders on a car only for aesthetic purposes, and you won’t use your truck or SUV for off-roading or tackling rough terrain. If you plan on going off-road with your truck, painting the fender flares won’t be a great choice because you can easily scratch and damage the paint.

Know What Size is Best for You

Now that we’ve covered what are flares on a car and what kind of styles you can find on the market, it’s time to cover probably the most important part, and that is how to measure fender flares.

No matter what style you choose, even the best universal fender flares need to be measured for the best fitment possible. Thankfully, the process is simple, and the only tool you’ll need is measuring tape.

The distance you’ll need to measure is how far the wheels are sticking out compared to the fenders. To measure this distance, you’ll need to hook the tape measure to the edge of the tire, and measure the distance to the fender by bending the tape measure at a 90-degree angle. This will give you the approximate width of the fender flare that will completely cover the wheel. To stay on the safe side, always opt for a bit wider option if possible to compensate for the possible error in measuring the exact width.

After knowing what fender flare you need for your car or truck, you’ll need to choose the fender flare style. Depending on the measuring results, you may be able to choose any style, but if the distance between the fender and the edge of the tire is too big, you may need to opt for extended fender flares.

Mounting fender flares is usually a simple process and doesn’t require special tools or equipment. Certain aftermarket fender flares may require drilling holes, but aside from that, you can fit them without any issues. Although a simple addition to any truck or SUV, fender flares can significantly increase the aesthetic appeal of any car but also hide imperfections. Their biggest role is to protect the paint job from damage caused by debris and small rocks that can get stuck in the tire thread and get released when the wheels are turning at a high speed. 

At 4 Wheel Parts, you’ll find a huge selection of fitted or universal fender flares as well as other accessories and parts to fit your vehicle. Shop online or visit one of the 100+ retail locations nationwide for expert service.