I know this is happened to most of you at some point.

You bottom out due to uncontrollable circumstances or didn't expect to bottom out on something.

The tire pushes up into your wheel well and pulls the outer metal so far that it can actually slice your tire if you don't put it back.

I'll post a pic here later if no one understands what I'm talking about, but from the amount of 3rd gen owners I see this happen to I'm sure I won't have to.

So, does anyone have advice for how to push this back in properly?

I'm probably just going to take the front tire off and use a pair of pliers lined with cloth to pull it back in. Anyone think that is a bad idea or have a way that works?

Thanks

 

just jack up your car. take a metal bat and use the rounded side to push it back. takes very little strength, it'll take you more time to jack up the car than to push the frame back.

 

When this happened to me, I actually tried bending it back and it ended up cracking the paint. Be very careful with this.

 

warm up the paint with hair dryer first.
warm it up until the metal feels warm to touch.
or let that side of car sit in the sun for a while...
i think the paint is more flexible when warm.

reza

 

I'm under the impression that your fender lip got pulled out. More info in this thread:

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...ender+lip+tool

Other thing I might add (to avoid cracking the paint), is to roll the lip gradually. In other words, don't try to roll it flat in one pass. Roll it flat, a little at a time.

I actually have the lip tool on order again, as that I had the rear suspension completely disassembled when I found the tool on my doorstep by surprise one day (after waiting 1/2 year for my turn, hehe). They (Tirerack) allow you to keep it for a few days, before they start charging you.

I have the front done already, but will try to take pics of me doing the rear.

 

I had the same thing happen to me. I had the front fenders rolled while it was at the body shop making it look perfect. It looks awsome and seemless. Mind you if you are not repainting your car I would just do the bat trick.

R.K.

 

Well I tried rolling it back and I cracked the paint. I went pretty gradual, I didn't try and bend it back and all. I guess it was just too severe. I should have tried the hair dryer trick.

Oh well, I have to take it to the body shop for an unrelated issue anyway, might as well get the lip rolled and touched up while I'm at it.

Thanks guys!