Which Fender Flares Work Best with 35-Inch Tires?

One of the most popular ways to augment your vehicle is by upgrading to bigger tires, especially if you’re customizing an off-road or otherwise lifted vehicle. We often outfit custom builds with massive 35-inch tires here at Glover Customs, which will enhance your vehicle’s exterior appearance as well as its off-road capability and performance.

 

Fender flares are a great idea as they not only further enhance your vehicle’s aesthetics, but they protect its body from damage as well. You can’t just get any old fender flares when you have 35” tires on your vehicle, though, so today we’re going to give you some information that should help you choose which fender flares will work best for your vehicle.

We already touched on why fender flares are a good idea, but let’s expand on that a bit before diving into the different types from which you’ll have to choose.

• Extra Protection
  • Any tires, but especially much larger ones like your 35” beasts, can kick up all kinds of road debris while in operation, such as rocks and mud. Adding fender flares to your vehicle can provide extra protection from these elements, mitigating the risk of paint chips or other body damage.
• Enhanced Visuals
  • Naturally, as with just about any upgrade you can make to your vehicle, fender flares serve the dual purpose of not only having a practical application but also enhancing the style of your vehicle, often giving it an even more rugged aesthetic.
• Legal Compliance
  • Some states actually require fender coverage if you outfit your vehicle with tires that extend beyond the vehicle’s stock fenders, so be sure to check out your state’s laws! Here in Oklahoma, for example, you are required to have fender flares behind the rear wheels if your tires are wider than your fenders.

If you’re not an off-road enthusiast and simply wanted your big tires for some other reason, you might not want to change the appearance of the fenders that much. That’s where factory-style fender flares come into play, as they provide more subtle coverage and blend seamlessly right into the stock body lines.

• Best For — Daily drivers looking for clean, integrated style
• Material — Paint-matched polymer; durable, factory finish
• Coverage — Moderate extension providing basic protection from debris

Our third option is particularly ideal for those who pair their massive tires with equally aggressive offset wheels, as this will make your tires extend even further beyond your stock fenders. Extra-wide fender flares do exactly what their name implies, extending significantly further out than other types of fender flares to ensure coverage for lifted vehicles with aftermarket wheel setups.

• Best For — Oversized wheel setups needing maximum tire coverage
• Material — Reinforced polymer or fiberglass composite; added strength.
• Coverage — Maximum protection from debris; ensures legal compliance

Our fourth and final option recommendation is for the true trail riders and off-road explorers, as they offer the best durability thanks to their unique construction. Their architecture makes them capable of absorbing impacts better than more rigid fender flare options, which also means they’re less likely to crack or break when driving through rough terrain.

• Best For — Trucks, SUVs frequently navigating trails, uneven surfaces
• Material — Bendable polyurethane or rubberized materials; shock absorption, resilience
• Coverage — Ample protection from debris, elements; flexible enough for off-road conditions

We hope that this information has helped you better understand fender flares and perhaps figure out which type might work best for your vehicle and its 35” tires. If you have any questions or would like some brand recommendations, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us right here at Glover Customs. We look forward to hearing from you!