When you lower your ride to the extreme with or without a body drop, you're going to run into the problem of having your tires come into contact with the limited amount of space that's available in the factory rear wheelwells.
Since the whole reason we 'bag trucks is to get them as low as possible, when we want to lay our rides out, we want to be able to allow our trucks to be all that they've been built to be. Unfortunately, tubbing the bed of a truck can be a fairly expensive process once you factor in the amount of work needed to make the tubs look good. Since prefabricated tubs are universal, they tend to look the same once they're installed. This goes against the second rule of mini-truckin', which mandates that all minis must be as different as possible from one another to distinguish their owners.
When we decided to tub our company S-10, we wanted something different, but something cool and a bit one-off at the same time. What we ended up using was a pair of very inexpensive trailer fenders (only about $50 for a pair) that we modified to work with the bed of the S-10. Since we saved so much money on the actual tubs, we were able to do some extra fab work inside the bed to really make the area look different, custom, and unlike any other we had ever seen.
We then sealed it under a Line-X bedliner for protection and a cleaner appearance. We expect this sort of modification to run anywhere from $250 to $700, depending on how much sheetmetal fabrication you want and whether or not you have your bed sprayed with Line-X. For more information, please contact either Suspension Dimension or Line-X using the information listed in the source box of this article.
BEFORE
AFTER
We bought these inexpensive...
We bought these inexpensive trailer fenders from a company that sells trailer parts for about $50. They are wide enough and tall enough to allow us to tub for as big as a 22-inch wheel and a low-profile tire in a non-body-dropped bed floor.
First, we marked a straight...
First, we marked a straight line on each fender to get the most width possible out of the fender and have a single straight edge without a radius.
Next, we cut the straight...
Next, we cut the straight line we'd marked using a plasma cutter and a steady hand. If you have a large band saw, the cut can be made perfectly straight.
Next, the too-small factory...
Next, the too-small factory inner fenderwells were removed by cutting around them at the areas where they're secured to the bed floor.
When the inner fenderwell...
When the inner fenderwell had been completely cut out from the inner bedside, the whole structure was removed and discarded.
We marked the exact area where...
We marked the exact area where we had to cut the inner bed side before we cut out the inner bed side supports found above the fenderwell. Later, these were rebuilt to keep the bed side from flexing and causing damage to the truck's bed sides.
Using the line we marked,...
Using the line we marked, we allowed 1/4-inch inboard of the marked line and cut the inner bed side out in the shape of the trailer fender.
Now that's a big ol' hole!...
Now that's a big ol' hole! With this much steel carved out, the bed was very weak. We moved along to the next step as quickly as possible.
When test-fitting the fender,...
When test-fitting the fender, we measured the distance from the cut edge to the actual remains of the inner bed side and cut a strip of sheetmetal to fill the gap.
A&B After several test-fittings,...
A&B After several test-fittings, cutting, welding, and metal finishing, we ended up with a clean lip that perfectly mated to the truck's inner bed side.
Upon closer inspection, you...
Upon closer inspection, you can see that the edge of the new fender-turned-wheeltub cab can easily be butt-welded to the inner bed side with an almost-seamless result.
Before the new wheeltub could...
Before the new wheeltub could be secured, we decided to cap off the open area in the tub by marking a pair of filler panels. We marked both, since we'd have to duplicate the process for the other wheel.
We test-fit the piece we had...
We test-fit the piece we had cut out to the wheeltub to mark the outer edge of the bridge-notch and to make sure the piece was a perfect match to the fender.
Next, the filler panel was...
Next, the filler panel was carefully spot-welded a section at a time to keep it from warping. When the panel was fully welded in, the welds were metal-finished to erase any line of separation between the two parts.
To make the new wheeltub even...
To make the new wheeltub even stronger, the area around the bridge-notch was cut out, leaving about 1/4-inch of steel. That 1/4-inch of steel was hand-flanged inward to add strength and to cleanly frame the outer perimeter of the notch.
Once the tub was test-fit...
Once the tub was test-fit again and everything matched well, the process of welding in the new wheeltub began. The tub was completely welded in, making it an integral part of the bed's floor and sidewall construction.
A&B Suspension Dimension decided...
A&B Suspension Dimension decided that the inner bed just didn't look completed yet, so it fabricated these trick fore and aft filler panels to dress up the edges of the hole in the bed floor.
Prep work performed before...
Prep work performed before having Line-X spray the bed included lightly sanding all bare-steel areas and removing all grease and other contaminants using solvent. Lastly, we sprayed a light coat of acid etching primer and allowed it to dry.
Our next stop was Line-X,...
Our next stop was Line-X, where the crew made short work of pulling the truck into their booth and getting the truck ready to be sprayed with their patented bedliner material.
With so much going on inside...
With so much going on inside the bed, we felt that we needed to challenge the Line-X guys even more. The inside of the bed now looked completely transformed, but we wanted more.
When the masking was removed...
When the masking was removed and the Viair compressors and tonneau cover were reinstalled, the interior of the bed looked not only brand new, but now it matched the truck's interior. We now have a customized, yet usable bed interior, with plenty of clearance for dubs that's virtually indestructible and ready for show.