How do you remove a fender from a 96 dodge ram 1500?

Answer 1

The front fenders are connected to the A pillar above the the top hinge, at the bottom of the rocker panel seam, three bolts pass through the hood hinge support in the middle of the fender, four bolts on the radiator support, three vertical bolts on the top radiator brace, and one bolt at the rear of the wheelhouse to the cab body. Yes, the wheelhouse is spot welded to the fender and must be removed with it. Remove all the bolts listed as well as the bolts retaining the splash shield. The splash shield is a plastic liner connected to both the wheelhouse and the fender. Remove the headlight/cornering lamp assembly. The best way I have found to do this is to loosen the bumper to framebrackets and let the bumper assembly sag to gain clearance. If the upper bumper cover is removed to gain the clearance needed you will more than likely need to get a new cover as the nylon clips have a tendency to break during removal. Once the fender/wheelhouse assembly has been removed use a spot weld cutter to separate the wheelhouse from the old fender. Check the new fender for clearance and fit on the vehicle. Make all the needed adjustments to get the fender to fit correctly. Remove the fender and attach the wheelhouse. This should be done by spot welding. It can also be done using bolts. If using bolts place some 3M double stick weather strip adhesive tape in the seam to prevent direct contact of the parts to prevent rattles and squeaks. Drill the new fender to match the holes made by the spot weld cutter in the wheelhouse. Use stainless bolts and lock nuts so that the assembly can be services if needed. I would also recommend using Wurth Rust Inhibitor on all the seams to prevent rust and once cured it is an excellent adhesive and will reduce noise coming from moving body panels. Good Luck. It is not as bad as it sounds. Take your time and it will be worth the effort.