Impulse buy

So my neighbor ( 22 y/o kid ) has a 2017 Tundra that he is constantly doing things to. He installed fender flares a month ago that caught my eye. Next thing I know Im standing there talking to him and ordering some for my 2015 on my phone. I installed them yesterday and Im torn. I feel like the wheels look a little skinny. I dont want new wheels but Im not sure if I want to go with spacer either due to towing a 6500lb camper. What do you guys think ?

 

I vote for wheels. Something around a 10 to 20 offset would be perfect.

 

Personally I'm not a fan. Like you mentioned, you would need spacers or new wheels with 0 offset to make them look more flush.

 

YEa new wheel arent going to happen anytime soon. Im in the process of selling my house and moving to another state. I got in trouble for just spending the money on the flares , lol

 

Given your constraints, if it was me, I would take them off.

 

I think it’d look cleaner without them.
Can you remove them without damage to the fenders? If so, I’d do that and sell them.

 

I wish I could take mine off, had them since I bought the truck in 2014.
But they have rubbed the paint so much the marks they left won't buff out.
I'd remove yours before the same thing happens..

The black flares don't match well with all that chrome IMHO..

 

I’m not a fan of flares, that’s just me. The color doesn’t look right either, I’d take them off sooner than later to avoid any paint damage.

 

Take them off if you're not getting new wheels. Every time I see a truck with stock wheels and flares, it makes me think the wheel arches are rotting out and the owner is too cheap to fix it.

 

Sounds like a consensus. . .

 

I say remove or add wheel spacers. spacers are cheaper option to new wheels.

 

Take a look at the pic with them, and pull up one without. Look at the two side by side if you can. It's your truck, so only you can decide which look you prefer. You can always add them with some wheels later if the budget allows, or keep them as is. If you keep them on, I would recommend some paint protection film under them so you don't wind up with marred paint like @1lowlife mentioned having.

 

Those tires are actually 275 70r 18's. If I go any bigger they will be rubbing without a lift kit. Considering my truck is mainly used for towing ( couple times a month ) I really dont want to do a lift kit. I like the practical side of the flares as I am in campgrounds most of the time ( will be living fulltime in one soon ) and the truck constantly throws stones. My neighbor has a set of bora 1.5" spacers he isnt using. I might try them on my truck this weekend to see how they look. I dont think 1.5" spacers will affect the truck to much towing the amount i do. I'll need new tires soon and think i will go with the falken wildpeaks just for a more aggressive thread look.

 

I'm running same size tires with no flares. Added some step bars (oval/flat shaped) and the only stones I hear on my truck anymore are bouncing off the steps. Thats enough shield for me. Before I'd hear them hit the doors all the time. YMMV

 

Be careful what you ask for! I think those flares look awful. And of course they will make those tires look skinny. Only on the most ruggedly modified trucks do the flares with all those exposed bolt heads look even halfway decent to my eye.

 

I can't take my eyes off the cigar smoking coconut, or whatever that is...

 

Its a tiki head smoking a cigar. I have a front hitch on the truck for a bike rack. It sits in the hitch when the rack isnt on, lol. Its a hit at the campground.

 

needs wheels. I like the black flares if you intend to black out more of the truck like the grill - but then that is just more $$

 

Those bigger black flares on a non-black truck make the tires look small. I think it’s because the wheel wells on the truck look black, so large black flares kind of combine with it to make the wheel wells look bigger. It contributes to that shopping cart look to my eye.

Just my opinion. There are more subtle flares that provide protection and look great: https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-2014-2...r-Flares-Bolt-On-No-Drill-Set-4-/233573912183

 

You added flares because it throws stones, then you talk about spacers and offset, which means you will likely throw stones again, just not as close to the side of the truck. However, it may throw stones at the front end of the trailer you are towing, leaving the trailer with possibly significant stone chips. My vote, keep it stock, no wheel, no spacers, no flares, minimal trailer damage and also minimal truck damage if you accelerate gradually allowing the centrifugal force to work in your favor by ejecting the stones before any high tire rpms are reached. Just like driving out of a mud hole, a slow acceleration allows much of the mud to stay away from the undercarriage.

 

These are old pics, I think my truck, wheels, flares, stance would look perfect with wheel spacers.
I told myself I'd wait until the ext warranty was up to get some.
Well, that was 8K miles ago.

I've read and researched spacers several times until my head hurt over the years.
For some reason I'm still leery about putting them on my truck.
I see others having no problems with them for thousands of miles, yet I can't bring myself to buying and installing them.
I like my TSS wheels, I just don't like the offset.
Not sure what my fear of the spacer is?

 

New wheels/ beefier tires

 

I added flares because I liked the look on my neighbors truck. Added benefit they keep the stones from being thrown on the truck. Im not to worry about my camper being damaged towing as the front is black diamond plated and that is what it is for. I dont want the wheels to stick out past the flares. Just a tad bit further out. I think the biggest spacer I would go with is 1.25, maybe 1.5 inches. Just to bring them out a tad.

 

My first toyota years ago was a 4 cylinder tacoma. It was blue and had preinstalled fender flares on it that were black. I put larger tires on it ( big as I could for stock wheels ) and loved the look. For such a little truck it looked like it had balls , lol. Would have kept that truck forever if it would have pulled a camper.

 

I like the look of that truck. Im at the same thought on spacers. If I didnt tow a larger camper I would go for it with no hesitation. Im not sure why it bothers me. I only tow the camper a couple time a month and usually short distances. Its the big haul down to georiga in september that worries me.

 

Where can I get a coconut smoking a cigar for my truck?

 

Would spacers flush up with fender flairs?

 

I dont remember where I got that. Most likely Amazon considering thats where i buy everything , lol.