Eastwood 12124Q Pneumatic Fender Finisher Owner’s Manual

: June 1, 2024
: EASTWOOD

Table of Contents

Eastwood 12124Q Pneumatic Fender Finisher
Operation Instructions
Tool Set-Up and Adjustment
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43522 Heat Gun.
11476 or 11477 IR Thermometer.

Eastwood 12124Q Pneumatic Fender Finisher

Operation Instructions

The Eastwood Pneumatic Fender Finisher is a precision-engineered tool designed for use by seasoned professionals and hobbyists. It was created to provide additional front fender-lip-to-tire clearance on lowered cars and trucks or those fitted with oversized wheels and tires without the need to remove the wheels from the vehicle. In addition, this tool can be used for many other metal-forming tasks such as crimping door skins in place, straightening bent edges, and more.

Warning!
Read all instructions before attempting to use this tool! Failure to do so can result in severe personal injury or vehicle damage. This tool, as with many pneumatic tools, is capable of exerting tremendous force which can quickly cause severe personal injury and/or damage to metal body panels. Please review the instructions completely before beginning and start on the lowest setting.

Operation
Please note that many variables may affect the resistance to the paint cracking in the work area such as type of finish, age, thickness, and the amount of forming required in the area. Please be aware that paint and metal damage can occur with the use of this tool and the user assumes all responsibility for such damage. The use of a Heat Gun, such as Eastwood # 43522, will greatly reduce the chance of paint cracking by allowing it to soften and flex with the metal.

Tool Set-Up and Adjustment

Minimum air requirements: 6 cfm @ 90 psi.
It is strongly advisable to practice on a scrap fender or a metal object with a similar configuration to become familiar with the tool and avoid severe personal injury or damage to your vehicle.
Loosen the Outer and Inner Adjustment Wheels (Fig X) so that the Floating Outer Pad Assembly is fully extended (Fig X).
Place the Inner Crimping Pad on the inner edge of the flange and the Floating Outer Pad over the external surface of the wheel opening (Fig X). With the Inner Crimping Block held against the inner edge, the Outer Adjustment Wheel may need to be adjusted inward to eliminate an excessive gap. Once a 1/8” gap is achieved, thread the Inner and Outer Adjustment Wheels against the Yoke with light finger pressure. (Fig X)
With the Control Knob at the lowest setting, attach the air supply then cautiously depress the trigger and quickly release it. Do not keep finger pressure on the trigger or damage my result.

Crimping

After you are comfortable with the function of the tool, begin by determining the extent of the area of tire-to-fender interference. To do this, turn the front wheels through their full range of travel noting where interference is likely to occur. Keep in mind that as the suspension compresses while driving, interference may be greater so allow for these conditions.
With masking tape, outline the area to be modified. (Fig X). Make note of and mark the center of the outlined area.
Before supplying air to the tool, be sure the Pressure Control is at its lowest setting.
Using a Heat Gun, warm the outlined area to a temperature above 120°F but no greater than 150°F. Using an IR thermometer, such as Eastwood # 11476 or 11477, is highly recommended to avoid overheating and damaging the finish. The use of heat softens and minimizes the chance of paint cracking.
Place the jaws of the tool over the fender lip (Fig X) with the wider pivoted jaw on the outside against the painted surface.
Begin at the center mark and work gently outward to your tape marks along the fender lip, overlapping the pad position each time being VERY CAREFUL to only reform the lip a little at a time. Multiple passes with a small amount of metal forming are better than one “do it all” pass to help avoid paint cracking and deforming the outer panel surface. It is advisable to incrementally pull a 90° flange into a 45°then continue until you have achieved a 180° bend. You may need to slowly and gradually increase the Pressure Control as you work to increase the force being exerted by the jaws.
Warning: Only open the Control Knob enough to slowly bend the metal. Too much will quickly crumple and destroy the fender.
Once the initial bending has occurred, it will become necessary to re-adjust the tool to compensate as described in Step 3. of Set-Up and Adjustment.
Work slowly and carefully keeping the paint temperature in the above-noted range and constantly check for paint cracking.
After completing fender lip reforming, recheck for possible tire contact and repeat steps as required to achieve desired clearance.
To avoid the accumulation of road debris on the inside of the newly formed lip, it is recommended to apply Eastwood # 16031 Z, Heavy Duty Anti-Rust, or clear RTV silicone for rust protection.
If paint damage does occur at the newly formed bend area, you can apply primer and touch-up paint or a coating of RTV silicone to the non-visible areas to prevent further paint lifting.