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Thread: Trimming the front cladding

  1. #1
    Member Since
    Apr 2004
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    2000, Ebony, VX, 0370
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    Trimming the front cladding

    I just got my Nitto 285/60/R18's in yesterday and haven't had them mounted yet, but will today. I have a couple of questions:

    1. Will I be able to drive the thing home to do the cladding trimming with out seriously damaging the cladding (if I don't take any sharp turns?)?

    2. What has everyone been using to trim the cladding? Hand held jig saw, coping saw, sander?

    Can't wait to get these babies on the VX. They look mean just sitting there by themselves.

    Thanks for the help.
    "The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong, it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair."
    -Douglas Adams, Mostly Harmless

  2. #2
    Member Since
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    VX Adopted Out. 2005 BMW 325CI & 2006 4Runner.
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    sweet indeed...

    Mark,

    Congrats. These things rock.

    I used a Dremel and a hand sander. The Dremel was used to make the initial cut, and the sander helped to smooth everything out so you simply can't tell anything was cut.

    You should be able to drive home with them on with no major issues... Then again, how far is home from the install joint?

    -biju.
    *

    He lingers -- happily -- in a new hybrid state of semi-hormonal adolescence and responsible self-reliance.


    *

  3. #3
    Member Since
    Jul 2004
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    2000 Black VX 0363
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    HA!

    I just got mine put on yesterday! Its an epidemic of Nitto's!

    I used a dremel like ^ however I haven't sanded yet. I need to trim off a bit more before I finish it up. I bought an attachment for my dremel that turns it into a small buzzsaw with the metal blade it worked perfectly. Like a knife through butter.
    2000 Black VX 105k

  4. #4
    Member Since
    Dec 2005
    Location
    2001 Kaiser Silver #0664
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    I had mine mounted at a tire dealership, and they drove it around to the front for me to drive home. He guy got out and said the tires are rubbing when he turns (I told them they would). He ran in and grabbed a utility knife and it took thirty seconds to trim off both sides. He climbed in the cab and turn the wheel for me so I could check clearance. It really is as easy as everyone posts here it is. And I LOVE the way it looks now, as does everyone that sees it.

    I bought mine a couple months ago and just now got my licence plates for it (Kaiser Silver: CRBN FRZ - I'm a Star Wars fan), but until recently I've been driving around with the temp plate from the dealership, so EVERYONE that saw it was asking 1: what it was, 2: when are going to be available to the public. Loved it.
    Keith

  5. #5
    Member Since
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    99 Astral Silver w/ SC
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    could someone link or post these tires, I wanna see lol

  6. #6
    Member Since
    Jan 2003
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    2000, Dragon Green, VX, 0720
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    Too easy

    When I got my Yokohama's put on, I took a coping saw with me when I did the pick-up. I just turned the wheel to see where it would hit, and knocked the corners off. The cladding cuts super easy, you shouldn't have a problem and unless you know what the cladding looked like before, you'd never notice the cut now.
    - - - - - - -
    Rob Hawley
    Proud Papa of a 2000 Green Dragon #0720
    rlhawley@comcast.net

  7. #7
    Member Since
    May 2004
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    No VX anymore. :(
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    You should make it home ok.

    I made it home with 285/60/18s on wheels with a lower offset (stick out more) than stock.

    I used a disk grinder to trim my cladding - it cut through the plastic like butter and left a nice finish when done, no need to sand.
    Steve

  8. #8
    Member Since
    Apr 2004
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    2001,Ebony, 0486
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    Thumbs up

    The Nittos are the best things i ever did to the VX. Its been weeks since i got them and i still cant get over how good they make the VX look. My trimming was done by the shop (and they did a poor job). I guess i'll try sanding it down. But the Nittos look so good that i'ld have trimmed the whole cladding if i had to.

  9. #9
    Member Since
    Mar 2003
    Location
    2001, Kaiser Silver, 0482
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    Isuzu dealer did mine, since the replaced my pealing chrome rims and mounted the Nittos at the same time. They used a utility knife and cut just enough. A hack job but I used a sanding block and various grits of paper to smooth it out and round off the cut, you couldnt tell it was ever cut. Any amount of lift and its not a problem.
    Mike Skurich
    1969 C3 Corvette Coupe
    1988 C4 Corvette Coupe
    1992 Misubishi 3000GT VR4
    1997 BMW F650ST
    2001 VehiCROSS
    2002 BMW R1100S
    2005 C6 Corvette Coupe

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