Wheel Arch Molding / Wheel well Molding

[Nachos82]

I searched both terms and a variety of others for a while before deciding to post up what I would like to call the official thread about wheel arch/wheel well molding information.

Here are topics I need you guys help answering:

1- Who makes the best wheel arch/well molding?

2- Is there more than one reproducer of wheel arc/well molding? A yes answer negates question 1.

3 - Who has first hand experience running the 89-91 Suburban/Blazer smooth wheel arch/well trim on a 81-87 truck? Please post pictures if you did this and give us some pain points you had to overcome.

Thanks in advance for making this the new one stop search result post that answers all questions anyone maybe wondering about wheel arch/well trim.

[Tiger Joe]

I cant answer 3 but to 1&2.

I got aftermarket wheel molding from 2 different vendors, and its exactly the same.

[Keith Seymore]

I can't answer 1&2 but can answer #3.

The sheet metal for an 89-91 Suburban/Blazer is exactly the same as an 81-87, and the wheel openings exactly the same as pickup, so via the "Transitive Property" (ie, "If A=B and B=C then A=C") there will be no issues to overcome when putting smooth moldings on an 81-87 pickup.

K

[Nachos82]

Appreciating the information.

Sounds like what I was reading about only one remanufacture of the moldings is validated by Tiger Joe.

I actually went back to re-read the information about the smooth Suburban/Blazer molding and do see I misread the installation difficulty. It was specifically noted to need adjustment when installing on the 73-80 truck range. Thanks for the clarification Keith.

Anyone out there have close up shots of the smooth molding?

Here is something that could help someone out: Does anyone know where you can buy stainless screws that are the same style design as the factory molding screws?

[RWJJR]

Where are you looking to buy these from?

[Nachos82]

I first looked at LMC, then saw rockauto had them as well. Haven't gotten into pricing+shipping yet.

Why I haven't bought is from my personal debate. Do I want to go with the factory style with the black paint in the center, or do I move over to the smooth ones.

This all started because I don't have any on the bed, but do have on the front fenders. I have factory style on the front, so going smooth would be a full out 4 corner kit. Doing factory style on the back would just be buying the two, as my fronts are still like new.

Searching the site for the best manufacturer of this specific molding revealed nobody was talking about that aspect of it.

My searches came across the '77 yellow paint specific trim, then I came across the step sides not having any molding from factory, then I saw the smooth burb/blazer molding and that is when things went off track.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Nachos82

Here is something that could help someone out: Does anyone know where you can buy stainless screws that are the same style design as the factory molding screws?

We called them "B96 nails" -

(lol)

B96 = the RPO for the wheel opening molding
"nails" = because the guys on the line would fully seat them by hitting them with a hammer, rather than a screwdriver

I'm not sure where you can buy them but I have a giant bag full of them that a friend gave me. I don't want to know where he got them.

K

[cal30_sniper]

Be careful ordering from RockAuto. Last time I ordered wheel well molding for my '91 Suburban from them, they sent me molding from a '91 GMT-400 pickup. Then they made me eat the return shipping cost. Same thing happened on a wiper motor that I ordered for that truck. I always carefully validate their part numbers now.

[Nachos82]

Since everything is better with pictures:

You can see the factory style front molding & the lack of it on the bed. I have been looking at tons of pictures of both factory style (black stripe) and the newer solid suburban/blazer style and I have to say I don't know that I have a front runner.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

We called them "B96 nails" -

(lol)

B96 = the RPO for the wheel opening molding
"nails" = because the guys on the line would fully seat them by hitting them with a hammer, rather than a screwdriver

I'm not sure where you can buy them but I have a giant bag full of them that a friend gave me. I don't want to know where he got them.

K

I didn't find the physical bag but I found a picture.

I use these for everything. In the trailer pic I used them to hold the aluminum panels to the sides (like drywall screws).

K

[TKCR]

You can get those here:
https://www.clipsandfasteners.com/Pr...de=PAS5790-100

[gmachinz]

I sold a set of NOS 88-91 wheel moldings about 2 months ago and the moldings came with little baggies of screws inside the plastic packaging.

[Nachos82]

Appreciate all the information fellas. I made a decision and called up LMC and they said the smooth blazer moldings were on a 5 week backorder, so I sort of haven't done anything new with this.

But now that time has passed and I look closer, I question trying to change to smooth over the black stripe. Back to not having a direction.