Carbon Fiber fenders and hood

[Fifty]

Weight savings isn’t the point. It’s being able to run a proper sized tire…. And proper shocks.
getting a fabricated arm on the front that will allow a coilover and a bypass for better control, will certainly come with a wider track. The silly math on oem kits is for every inch of added travel it’s an inch wider.
So to get a trx to play with raptor prerunner kits, a 15 inch travel kit up front will be 2 inches wider each side. Plus tire width.
For race kits, a 19 inch front travel, but that will be center mounts, but will still probably be 88 inches wide.

also when the aftermarket decides what to do with these 5 links out back, then the front long travel arms will be another 3 inches wider than they are now.
That will need extended fenders.
I’ve seen some pretty silly cantilever stuff for the gen3 raptor.
I think people were hoping the raptor and the trx links were mounted further forward to give a factory location for a traditional long travel link system.
Now you have to cut everything off just like a Gen 2, make plates and boxes for the mounts, bed cage for the shocks… etc etc…

track width of the front tires below is 77 inches. And that was with stock arms …new arms track width is 80 inches.

 

[Bambi]

What's the benefit? Saving a few pounds verse $thousands$ on a 6000+lb truck? If your thinking that way its cheaper to grind out your spray in bed liner, remove the rear step, toss the RAM bar (or order it that way) go for a donut spare, remove your mufflers..........
As far as fitting bigger tires, I've yet to see anyone put a body lift in. That with a little snip on the inner wells would get you that. Keep in mind not only do you have to change body panels with the carbon fiber but your heading to the paint shop too$$
There's no way aftermarket anything will fit and outlast OEM.

The benefit is being awesome. Why would you paint over beautiful CF?

I don’t want a body lift.

 

[ChargedUp!]

I would totally paint it but leave the flairs exposed carbon and just cleared. Every 100lbs is 1/10 of a second. As heavy as it is, if you can shave several hundred pounds off of it, it’ll be quicker and the brakes will function better.

 

[James.300]

Bambi I heard a rumor that these guys are working on some carbon parts:

Anderson Composites - High Quality Lightweight Carbon Fiber Components & Accessories

Manufacturer of high-quality carbon fiber automotive body components such as hoods, trunks, fenders, and aerodynamic body additions such as rear spoilers and side skirts.

andersoncomposites.com

It’s true

 

[CustomPerformance]

It’s true

They have no plans to make fenders, but are considering making flares. FWIW I installed a set of their carbon flares on a customer's 2018 Raptor and they are really nice quality.

 

[MAXGroup]

They have no plans to make fenders, but are considering making flares. FWIW I installed a set of their carbon flares on a customer's 2018 Raptor and they are really nice quality.

But flares by themselves are just not a great weight saver, and that is the part that if you go off road gets banged the most, so cheap plastic is actually better for that application then CF.

 

[Attydude]

I wouldn't mind seeing the fender flares in carbon just for esthetic reasons. But I don't get knowingly buying a 6500 pound truck and then being concerned about its weight.

 

[Fifty]

Make a hood that the vents work. Or make hood inserts that the vents work

 

[CustomPerformance]

But flares by themselves are just not a great weight saver, and that is the part that if you go off road gets banged the most, so cheap plastic is actually better for that application then CF.

I don't disagree, I was just letting everyone know what the word was straight from Anderson. They are for looks only really.

 

[Fifty]

I can’t remember anyone going fiberglass (or carbon) fenders and bedsides for the reason of weight savings.
it’s primary reason is to fit larger tires, wider suspension and allow more tire travel.

I guess oem sized pieces would be for look. Since weight loss would be pretty negligible although everything adds up.

 

[TReX-RAM]

The first TRX long travel…?

 

[Fifty]

Hope they factor a knuckle that’s pushed forward enough to run 39 projects.

 

[CustomPerformance]

The first TRX long travel…?

View attachment 24266

I like where it's going. Where is that pic from?

 

[TReX-RAM]

I like where it's going. Where is that pic from?

https://instagram.com/robbywoods?utm_medium=copy_link

 

[Fifty]

Robby woods makes amazing stuff

 

[Whipcat]

I’m converting my gt350R to almost all carbon body, from my experience, the most weight savings is the roof and doors.

the rest of the car will be minimal weight savings.

if you change the doors just remember you lose crash protection and you need a cage to substitute. Same for the roof. That pretty much cancels out the weight savings.

you won’t save much except maybe the hood. You can probably get 15lbs out of the hood.

the fenders will be a waste. You might make up 4 lbs max each side, if that.

there is a cool factor, you can get the exposed carbon weave and then do a paint job like a skin rip or something showing the carbon through the paint. It could be pretty trick.

other than the cool factor I wouldn’t see much use unless you were building a full race truck or just a sema car to show off.

a functional hood could be nice with real heat extraction. That’s what I am going with on my Shelby, it’s a road racer and the carbon hood has additional vents for heat extraction.

 

[TReX-RAM]

Shaved:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CU3FRByBx8c/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

[Fifty]

I’m starting to think those are just redicukius offset wheels allowing the caliper to sit in a wide part of the wheel hoop

 

[Bambi]

Yeah, this wasn’t intended as a weight saving project. Just to get more clearance for tires/etc and if it can be cf, I’ll take that lol.

 

[Whipcat]

Yeah, this wasn’t intended as a weight saving project. Just to get more clearance for tires/etc and if it can be cf, I’ll take that lol.

i see. That makes sense for making clearance for bigger wheels. By all means have add it, carbon parts are awesome. Always like to see the aftermarket take off, especially for these trucks. I’ve added so much stuff to my truck it’s crazy. This forum has got me hooked