Gorilla Warflares & Silverbacks Installation Instructions

Date: 02/18/08

Parts List

• Right flare
• Left flare
• Welting
• Hardware: 50 self-tapping screws

Contact: Phone (209) 400-7200 | Fax (209) 943-7923 | www.wildhorses4x4.com

General Instructions

It is best to read through the entire instruction sheet to get a grasp of the scope of the project and make sure you are prepared. Please keep in mind this instruction sheet is a guideline, not the law. Every installation will be slightly different. Let's face it, you are installing these on a vehicle that is 30 or more years old. In most cases, who knows how many owners it's been through. Then there’s rust, wrecks, and other modifications. Take your time and have someone available to help you. Slight grinding and general fitting of the flares is normal for the installation process.

Installation Goal

We have never seen a Bronco flare that did not fit, but we have seen some very poor installations. In order to achieve a good install on your early Bronco, we suggest you take the patient artistic approach. When we install flares at our shop, our main goal is to have a straight, good-looking install. What we mean by this is the Bronco has a straight body line just a couple inches above the flare. The top of the flare should be straight with this line. Think of it like hanging a picture on the wall. Nothing looks worse than a Bronco flare that is not straight with this body line.

Installation Steps

1. Marking the Cut Line: Hold the flare in position and draw a line on the Bronco sheet metal with a grease pen or another type of washable marker. Remove the flare and draw a line 1-1/2” inside the line you drew before. This will be your cut line.
2. Removing the Brace: On the rear quarter, it will be a rod about 6” back from the rocker panel. It ties the inner fender into the kick panel.
3. Cutting the Sheet Metal: Using a jigsaw, cut out the sheet metal on the cut line. You may want to pad the jigsaw to avoid scratching the paint.
4. Marking the Flares for Drilling: Mark the flare with dots where you will drill, using a paint pen. You can wipe it off if you mark the wrong spot. We prefer to use a 3-4” spacing between screws, marking about 1/2” from the outside edge of the flare. Evenly space the dots around the flare. Once satisfied with the spacing, use a 1/8” drill bit to drill holes at the marked spots. After drilling, turn the flare over and remove any polyurethane particles from the back.
5. Attaching the Flare: Hold the flare up to the Bronco body. For the rear flare, start with the hole closest to the rear lower body line. For the front, start in the middle and work down either side. Hold the welting in place as you drill through it and the Bronco sheet metal. We use self-tapping screws, which can be used to drill into the sheet metal if you use a Phillips bit in your drill. CAUTION: If you use the Phillips bit, be extra careful not to slip off the screw and scratch your paint. If you do not want to risk the paint, just use the drill bit. Drill the hole, insert the screw, and move onto the next hole, working your way around the flare. Keep working the welting in as you go. A good job of welting positioning will add a nice smooth appearance to the outside edge of the flare.

Painting Instructions

1. Sand edges and seams completely.
2. Wash all surfaces to be painted thoroughly with TSP in warm water and Scotch-Brite pads.
3. Sand surfaces to be painted with 320 wet/dry sandpaper. At this point, you should have a dull, scratched appearance.
4. Clean the surface and all edges with either DuPont 2319S, Sherwin Williams R7K157, R&K158, or equivalent.
5. Apply adhesion promoter or equivalent, such as DuPont 2322. Some painters prefer, after cleaning the surface, to apply DuPont “Variprime”. Let it dry and scuff with a Scotch-Brite pad, then apply basecoat/clear coat.
6. Apply basecoat/clear coat following the manufacturer's recommendations for painting flexible polyurethane paint. Consult your local paint supplier for the best materials to use in your area.