Xenon Fender Flares for '98 - Offroad Use | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Xenon Fender Flares for '98 - Offroad Use

obie

Well-Known Member
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City, State
Northwest Indiana
Year, Model & Trim Level
2003 Sport Trac 4x4
So searching around the forum for the Xenon fender flares doesn't pull up much more than one thread from 2002 that no longer has working pictures.

And for clarification, mine is not a street truck. By the time this project is done, it will be a highly capable IFS off road machine with a very expensive digital desert camo paint job I want to protect.

Xenon says their flares are pretty much indestructible due to being made of polyurethane. Also, they're made in America :usa:

Since they're pretty much the only company that makes flares for the Ex, I was thinking about getting a set to help protect the paint from my much wider tires. However, I was hoping that maybe someone here could give me some clarification on them.

Here's a few pictures of them:

00.jpg


XEN-8350-0.jpg


The description on carid.com says that these are for an XLT without running boards. Mine came with running boards (the type that bolt to the rocker supports and mould to the rocker lines),

IMG_20110320_185817.jpg


but I took them off and I have the no-flare factory side skirts to replace them, which are this style:

IMG_20120917_211558.jpg


It's hard to tell if the side skirts in the top picture are some level of factory moulded style running boards/side skirts, or a xenon part that I can't find any reference to.

Anyone know if the side skirts in the xenon pictures are a factory part? I'm half tempted to order a set for one side for now, and see how they fit with what I have. I'm also wondering if I'd be better off just taking the flares and running boards from my '98 EB parts truck and using them, but it looks like the Xenons are wider and I really don't want running boards.

I sent an e-mail to the company, but haven't had a response yet so I figured I would ask ya'all and see if anyone knows.
 



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Welllllll, never mind. I went out and measured the Eddie Bauer flares, and they provide right about 2" of additional tire coverage. They also replace the rear quarter panel lower trim, which saves me about $180 to get new ones (junkyard ones tend to all be, well, junk due to bolts rusting and seizing, causing them to break when removed) as well as $450 on the Xenon flares. You can't beat free parts you already have. :D

And it would be pretty much the exact same amount of work to mount the EB flares and the Xenon flares. I'll be stuck with running boards, but that's an acceptable trade off to save over six hundred dollars. Also, it would give me a nice location to follow along with for when the rock sliders get made.

But, if anyone still wants to answer, it would be a good reference for anyone else who's thinking the same thing.
 






i am also planning on the EB flare installation on mine. our PNP has a couple good sets, well you have to take one side from one EX, and the other side from a different EX. but i will be painting them anyways. i can get the full set for $106.00 plus tax.
 






Check this.
They don't seem to have anything for the back though.
 






I wouldn't spend to much money on a paint job if you ever plan on taking it off road. I have done some mild off roading and the paint has some nice scratches on it from tree branches and such.
 






I'm not worried about the scratches. Good wax beforehand and good buffing after can take most of the clearcoat scratches out. I'm worried about rocks chipping through the clear and into the paint, primer, or even to bare metal.

If I need even more protection, Armor All makes this nice spray that kinda acts like a sticker, which protects from rocks and stuff but peels right off. The guys on Motor Trend tested it out while bashing around some cop cars and it seemed to offer quite a bit of protection.

Just cause you have a nice paint job doesn't mean it has to be a show truck. I wouldn't be putting so much work and emphasis on off road suspension and drivetrain if I was just gonna pound the pavement. I have nice chrome tools that I like to take care of too, but it doesn't mean I don't use them for their intended purpose.
 






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