How to Roll Your S2000's Fenders
Although not for everyone, fender rolling is a great way to achieve the additional clearance needed when lowering your car or going with an aggressive wheel & tire combo. With specialty tools available at a relatively affordable price, rolling your own fenders has never been easier.
What Does Rolling "The Fenders Mean"?
Chances are that at some point or another you have heard a fellow car enthusiast mention that he has "rolled the fenders" on his ride, but what exactly does this mean? The fender body panels of most cars, including the S2000, have an "L-shaped" lip that slightly protrudes into each wheel well. The idea behind rolling the fenders is to gently flatten, or roll the fender lip into more a "V" or "U" shape without damaging the finish of the paint.
Why Roll The Fenders?
So now that we have established what it means to roll the fenders, the next question is why should one consider rolling the fenders on their car? Generally, cars will have plenty of tire/wheel to fender clearance from the factory, but once different tire & wheel combinations enter the mix along with suspension modifications, clearance issues can arise. Those with lowered cars and cars fitted with larger/wider wheels and tires with aggressive offsets will require fender rolling in order to prevent ruining a set of tires from contact with the fenders. Precious millimeters can be gained by simply rolling the fenders, thus allowing individuals to achieve the perfect stance which would otherwise be impossible if the fender lips were left stock.
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Tools Needed
In order to successfully roll the fenders on your car, you are going to need a few tools. First, you will need a floor jack to lift the car and a jack stand to support the corner in which you are working on. You will need some shop rags and contact cleaner to wipe any dirt and debris out of the fender lips before beginning the rolling process, a heat gun to slightly heat the fender lips and paint to a more malleable temperature, and a specialty fender roller, such as the Eastwood Fender Roller, to properly shape the shape the fender lips to the desired contour.
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Step 1 - Prep
Lift the corner of the car in which you are going to be working on, remove the wheel, and support the car with a jack stand. Clean the inner fender lip with your choice of contact cleaner to remove any dirt, rocks, asphalt, etc. Mount the fender rolling tool the wheel hub.
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Step 2 - Rolling Tool Adjustment
Adjust the length of the roller arm until the roller is centered onto the lip of the fender. Next, adjust the angle of the roller in order to achieve the desired shape of the fender lip once rolling begins. The more perpendicular the roller to the fender lip, the more aggressive the lip will be rolled.
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Step 3 - Heat The Fender
Using your heat gun, heat the entire surface area of the fender lip that you are working on in order to slightly soften the metal and paint to prevent the likelihood of cracking the paint. Make sure that you do not keep your heat gun placed in a single spot as it will burn the paint. You want to heat the entire fender lip until it is hot to the touch.
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Step 4 - Rolling The Fender
With gentle pressure applied to the pressure bar of the rolling tool, begin swinging the roller in an arching motion along the fender lip. While rolling the tool back and forth, continue to apply heat with the heat gun to the area in which you are working. The pressure bar will regularly need adjustment in order to keep the proper force on the fender lip as it is rolled inwards. If the roller does not contact the fender lip in all areas in one swinging motion, you may be required to roll one small section of the fender lip at a time. Continue to heat and roll the fender lip until the desired shape is achieved. Repeat procedure for each fender well.
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