MCE Generation II Fenders: Give your YJ that Old-School Look

photos & story Albert Vandervelde

What's the main problem associated with the stock sheet metal fenders on the older Wranglers and CJs when used off-road? Simple: they dent.  Over the years, the aftermarket has come up with remedies for this issue, usually in terms of rigid, heavy fenders made up of steel plates and tubing.  However, with recent advancements in plastics technology, a new type of fender has hit the market.  Built out of a new type of TPO plastic, these fenders are trail-tough durable, light-weight, and give the newer Jeeps that old-school, flat fender look.   

The installation of MCE’s new Generation II fenders on a YJ involves a basic “trim and fit” procedure, where some of the stock fender gets trimmed away and the new MCE fender gets installed over top.

Step 1

Tough and flexible, the MCE flat fenders can take the pounding of a 4500lb Jeep driving over them and bounce right back to original with no cracks or damage.

Step 2

First, the stock flares, as well as the side marker lights and hood latches, are removed. Then the surrounding areas should be cleaned. With the stock fender still mounted rigidly to the Jeep, now is a good time to lay the cutting template on the stock fender and mark the trim lines.  A few pieces of tape can aid in holding the template in place while it is being traced.

Step 3

The next step is to remove the bolts which attach the stock fender to the grille. On a YJ, this will also remove the small support tube. Since the trimming of a stock YJ fender requires a cut to be made in an area where the fender meets the grille, the stock fender must be pulled away from the grille to allow enough space for the saw blade or cut-off wheel. We did this by wedging a pickle fork between the fender and grille. Another option is to remove the stock fender from the vehicle completely, but unless a long saw blade is used, the fender can remain on the vehicle.

Step 4

With the stock fender prepped for trimming, the cutting can begin. This is a relatively quick and straightforward process. The end product is a trimmed stock fender which leaves the tire completely exposed. As a rule of thumb, it is always a good idea to clean up any sharp edges and apply some primer to prevent rust. The two remaining bolts that attach the stock fender to the grille can now be reinstalled.

Angle bracket:

Now that the stock fender is trimmed and firmly back in place, it is time to install the small angle bracket, which will attach the lower part of the MCE fender to the side of the Jeep. This is done simply by putting the MCE fender in place and installing the hood latch to hold the MCE fender in position.  Next, install the angle bracket to the MCE flare portion of the fender by fastening it to the rubber grommet hole. With the MCE fender in place and the angle bracket installed, simply hold the MCE fender in place and mark where the angle bracket lands on the side of the Jeep.  With the location marked on the side of the Jeep, it is generally easiest to drill the hole with the MCE fender removed from the vehicle.

Step 5

The next step is to mark and drill the holes for the fasteners which are along the hood line. This is done by putting the MCE fender back in place with the hood latch and then marking the locations of the remaining holes. These holes can be drilled with the MCE fender, either removed or in place, but center punching is always a good idea to prevent the drill bit from walking. Once the holes are drilled and all exposed sheet metal edges are cleaned up and primered, it is now time to install the MCE fender and fasten the hood latches along with all of the fasteners.

The Jeep now not only has a fender which will absorb bumps on the trail, but will allow for a slightly larger tire, will not need to be painted (although painting is optional), and will not add any weight to your Jeep.

For the full install and photos see Volume 13 Issue 6