As you can see I've got some slight fender damage. I would like to remove just the fender skin instead of the entire fender. I read in the manual how to remove the fender, and it looks like I have to remove just about everything in the front end of the truck, well the replacement fender that I have access to is on a truck with a smashed bumper mount that I cannot remove since the yard does not allow cutting torches or sawzalls. How can I remove the fender without removing the bumper? I have seen what looked like fender skins being sold so there has to be some way to remove just the outer skin without the wheel wells, etc.

Any help? Thanks!

 

Fender is held on by a bunch of bolts. The skin is held to the framing by welds..... only way to separate the skin from the rest is with a torch, or air chisel.... (or drill out every spot weld.....) But, in order to be able to do that, you have to have the fender off..... So, no matter how you slice it, the whole fender has to come off. Best bet is to take a selection of tools with ya out to the yard, (you can get a good idea of which ones you need by closely inspecting your truck, and how the fender mounts....) You should be able to get it off without disassembling the entire front of the truck.

 

Sorry about the huge image, I posted this straight from my phone while I'm trying to rip this fender off of the donor truck. I've taken all the bolts off of the donor truck, and the fender still won't budge. It's hanging up somewhere near the bumper, so I am 99% sure in order to get it off I've got a bolt or two hiding where I can't get to it with the bumper on, thanks dodge! LOL

 

I figured it out how to get it off without the bumper. I took the bolts off the radiator support that I didn't see before, and with a bit of wiggling it came free of the bumper/truck. I wonder why the service manual has you remove the bumper? It seems like it would be a lot easier with the bumper off, but it seems like a lot of added steps for no reason other than to make it a longer job for the repair shop.

 

Don't say that too loud. The labor time guide police will come hunting you.