Fender trimming for bigger tires? good idea or bad?
 

Hi all! I've a 2003 7.3L PS F250. I'd like to get some larger tires, I've got 33" on there now. I would also like to maintain some wheel travel for off roading.

What are the cons to triming the fender walls to fit larger tires VS a lift ?

Anyone know how much fender I can safely trim from a 2003 F250?

Thanks!

Pro's
-maintain a stock ride, other than the offset of the added unsprung weight of the bigger tires
-won't have to deal with sorting out drivetrain issues from increased driveline angles
-it's cheap
-imho it looks better than a lift

Cons
-you've got to cut the fenders up on a nice pretty truck
-you can only go as big as you can cut without hitting things (which is almost always more than people would want), like body mounts, inner fenders ( unless you move them up) ect.


I'm sure there's more to both of those lists, it's just a start there.

Additional lift for these trucks are easy and not all that expensive.
The biggest advantage that you will achieve with a "real" lift is added articulation. Notice how close the bumps stops are to the frame up front. This only allows a few inches of up travel at best.
Tires alone will only gain minimal amounts of lift, and will do nothing for additional performance.
A true lift will provide you with more advantages than cutting the fenders will ever provide.
Increase travel and you will have a far better performing truck.

small correction. bump stops being close don't inhibit travel, only compression. travel is overall droop+compression from ride height.
Good points, and for the most part, overall true. Fender cutting comes as a personal choice, and when it comes down to keeping the COG down for crawling. Guessing you're not doing much of that in an 03 PSD though ha

40s and only a 4" lift on an 05. Trucks a powerstroke also:

http://fordtruckworld.tenmagazines.c...250/764180.jpg

I think the biggest CON would be, well your hacking up your ride! If you don't do it good, then you'll have a ****ty looking fender.

I've seen lots of people jump right into cutting the fenders, and they came out looking like crap.

Then again, there have been a lot of people who have done this good and it looks awesome.

It can go either way..

If it does come down to trimming fenders, a good sharp air nibbler, some masking tape, and making sure you have a good wheel well line goes all the way.

Ed i have to disagree with part of this, you can lift a truck 8" and put 35"s on it and blast through the mud, but your diff is still only2-3" farther off the ground, everytime i get stuck the axles are burried in the mud, a few times i have set the frame down in the mud too, had to climb out my window a few times too.

But a lift will only make more space between the body, components, and frame to the ground. The tire size is where you really gain clearence. If your dragging your front axle through the mud, it will eventually plow up and you will be stuck...

Now when you run 44" boggers and enough power to rip honda's in 2. Your on another playing field...
That kinda power and that size of tire, you can get through alot of chit... :)

That being said....

Lift the truck. I am not against fender trimming, i have done it.

But Ed brings up good points. You wont get as much suspension flex from a fender trim as a good lift...

A 35 and a little bit of trimming on a S/D doesn't look or work bad at all, There's lots of room height wise on them, it's just the front and rear of the wheel well that's tight towards the bottom. That said, a small lift doesn't look bad at all either.
A 4" lift and 35's goes together very nicely on uncut fenders on a S/D, but as you can see above, trim the fenders and 4" is a HUGE amount of room.

35s on a stock 04 F250 doesnt look or work bad at all :D

That truck posted earlier looks SWEET!

36"s on a stock 250 with some sheet metal removed looks nice! :)