Project Recycle has been running the MetalCloak steel 6″ flares on the aluminum front fenders and the Savvy Offroad rear aluminum corners since we built the rig. They almost cover the tire tread on the Maxxis Treps and so far have kept the police from hassling us too badly. However, when down at EJS last month, we banged them up pretty good on the rocks. Nothing wrong with that, they’re there for a reason. But after talking with Matson with MetalCloak we knew we could get some protection without sacrificing the narrower overall profile we wanted, in turn making some obstacles a little easier.
The main goal was to provide some protection for the aluminum fenders and keep the cage out of the rocks if possible in the rear. We’re going to try them out this weekend at a local comp down in Twin Falls, Idaho and see what happens.
Here’s what they look like after a quick shot of hammered silver paint and some time in the driveway spent dodging raindrops.
The front flares are basically a “stand-off”, allowing a space in between the aluminum fender and the steel flare that will protect it. They don’t offer any real spray control so be aware. You’ll need to talk eloquently to get yourself out of a traffic citation. These are really designed for users that want the flexibility to bang around the rocks and woods on the weekend and swap back to a daily driver mode come Monday. The photo below gives you an idea of how they’ve done it.
The ball and socket design of the attachment points virtually guarantees these won’t come off. It’s quick and easy to pop them off and replace with the wider daily driver models or to swap these on for the weekend when you’re trailering to the OHV park or trailhead.
The rear flares use a pair of flanges on the interior of the flare that locate it and hold it up against the body while the ball & socket connections are made at the ends. The nice thing about the rear flares is they are the same left and right so you just put them on and don’t worry about it. Again, these are very narrow and are providing a way to keep the body out of the rocks. You can see how they relate to the Savvy Offroad rub rails on the top of the tub. We could go without flares altogether in the rear but I think it would look incomplete.
Another selling point is that you don’t need nearly as much lift on your rig to clear bigger tires when you’ve created the space needed for articulation. MetalCloak has done a good job of creating an inner fender that allows for a stock TJ to run a 35″ tire, a JK doing the same thing with 37″ tires. The low center of gravity this maintains is helpful both in the rocks and on the road. While the Project Recycle is quite stable and handles really well, it’s sitting on 35s and a 4″ lift spring. It could be on something shorter and still perform just as well.
The quality of these pieces is high, and the prices reflect that but I don’t think they are unreasonable for the satisfaction you’ll get. They are really tough and will work for a long time. Like a lot of parts on rigs now, you’ll move these from Jeep to Jeep as you wear out the rig. Like an Atlas t-case or an LS motor, you’ll take these with you when the rig is replaced. 
Looking good!
how much did yall pay for the entire setup front and rear, im curious how easy they really are to install as well!
The flares themselves are simply a few minutes at the most per corner. They really are as easy as they look. I actually take mine off and re-paint them from time to time because they are so easy to remove.
Drop Matson a line at Metal Cloak on cost. We did this project about a year ago and, since it’s the holidays, they may have some specials going now. You can reach him at 916-631-8071.