Front and inner fender install questions

[Peanut74]

I have been searching but have been unable to answers to my questions. Here are my questions:
1: Does the inner fender get a large shim on inner to cab contact point?
2: Does the front fender get two shims on the A pillar, to start with,?
3: Which bolts should I put in first to hold it place? My plan is to have all the bolts loosely installed before I tighten any of them down.

4: Any other things I should be aware of?

I do have the inner fender wells installed on the truck. Thought I can use it to help keep the fender in place while installing the bolts. I have ran a tap through them all so I won't be fighting getting them in. Thanks in advance for the help.

[Rods]

Originally Posted by Peanut74

I have been searching but have been unable to answers to my questions. Here are my questions:
1: Does the inner fender get a large shim on inner to cab contact point?
2: Does the front fender get two shims on the A pillar, to start with,?
3: Which bolts should I put in first to hold it place? My plan is to have all the bolts loosely installed before I tighten any of them down.

4: Any other things I should be aware of?

I do have the inner fender wells installed on the truck. Thought I can use it to help keep the fender in place while installing the bolts. I have ran a tap through them all so I won't be fighting getting them in. Thanks in advance for the help.

Yes there is a shim behind the large bolt from inner fender to the cab.

Shim on fender depends on what is needed to make fender line up.

As far as installing fenders I can only tell you how I do it and I don’t put the inner fenders in until after I’ve hung the fenders,hood,grill etc……they get installed at the very end.


I would remove the inner fenders and proceed as I’ve stated.

I would put truck on stands so wheels are not in your way and then proceed.

[pjmoreland]

Install your doors first, and make sure they are aligned to the cab. Once you install the fenders, it will be difficult to access the door hinge bolts. Also, the fenders get aligned to the doors, so the doors definitely need to be on first.

The inner fender to cab F-shims can be found here:

https://gmcpauls.com/Bolts_&_Misc..htm

[Peanut74]

Thanks guys. I was wondering on the inner fenders when I only had one shim. Guess I will do some more digging in my fasteners draw and see if it's in there.

For the fender itself does only the top fender bolts get shimmed? When I took it apart the only shims there were on the A-pillar

[mr.mud1]

when i took my truck apart,there were not any shims behind the rear of the inner fender where it takes that 3'8's bolt with the big washer on it and there were no shims at the top rear of the fenders where they met the cowl.the only shims i found were under the ends of the cowl piece,2 on one side,1 on the other.i had a low mileage original paint truck that i'm sure was never apart or worked on body wise?as far as the inner fenders,i've done it with the inner fenders attached to the fenders and not,installing the inners after the fact.later is easier and as said,get the wheels and tires out of the way,an extra set of hands is a huge help and a couple long skinny punches.i put the big bolt in the back,into the cowl/firewall and a long punch to line up a couple holes on the outer edge of the fender/inner fender.don't tighten anything,just keep putting bolts in,a piece of cake.if you have moldings on your truck,the nut that goes on the first molding clip,top and bottom moldings needs to be on.you can't get at them when the fenders are to do the moldings later.

[Jason Banks]

mr.mud1 is right about installing the inners after, and using the punches to align the holes.

It almost seems like you are stretching them into place.

I have had trucks without the shim between the firewall and the inner fender, I think both my current trucks don't have shims...