Factory vs Aftermarket Flat Top Fenders (30 Series)

Navajo350

Member
Is there a difference between the factory and aftermarket flat top fenders? I am going to go see a JD 630 and want to know what to look for when determining this.

Thanks,
Robert
 
(quoted from post at 06:19:41 08/18/17) One thing is R/H fender doesn't have a hand hold on original fenders
a/m's do..

Are you sure about that on all these aftermarket flat tops? I Have seen them with no hand hold on the right one.
 
There is a horizontal brace on the tire side of the fender, near the cast iron base. I have been told this brace is a flat bar on reproduction fenders and a angle iron on original fenders. This has
been true on all fenders that I have the history on.
 
(quoted from post at 06:43:32 08/18/17) There is a horizontal brace on the tire side of the fender, near the cast iron base. I have been told this brace is a flat bar on reproduction fenders and a angle iron on original fenders. This has
been true on all fenders that I have the history on.

Ok thanks.

Is there any real overall difference of these fenders from the 30 series 2 cylinders and the new generation fenders, besides mounting brackets?
 
Some (most?) of the reproduction ones have more of a squared look to them over the headlights... hard to explain but maybe someone could post some pics.
 
I've never seen a good set of aftermarket fenders.Some have deep rivet holes from
mounting the braces.Some won't stand up straight and have to be shimmed.Some have
wavy spots that have to be fixed to make them look right. I spent 200 at the body
shop to get the last pair to look right.The last set of clams shellS I bought
must have been painted and stuck in the box.I had to scrape the ribbed cardboard
off the fenders.
 
Unless they've changed A&I fenders are junk. You have to
enlarge the mounting holes so you can level them. You
have to do body work on them.
They are OK for an old working tractor but not for a fixer upper.
There are fenders that are better made. There are aftermarket
fenders w/o hand holes in the RH fenders.
 
easiest way to tell aftermarket from originals is that the repros have beads of weld holding the inner brackets to the skin.
very visible
originals were spot welded and you WILL not see any beads of weld holding the outer skin on.
it is almost impossible to find rust free dint free and original paint on flat tops.
there was a couple layers of metal in behind the bottom areas and they will rust bulge out.
I would take a pair of stiener restoration quality fenders that are rust free any day over
originals that look good but are starting to expand from rust.
they are just going to get worse and will need cutting and patching and bondo
just my 2 cents worth.
 
There seems to be 2 makers of flat top fenders. 1 is made in Mexico from what I've heard, and are pretty rough. They were like $400/set and painted green. The others are made in the U.S.. They were around $750/set a few years ago. They are primer yellow and as good as factory in my opinion. My brother bought a replacement set for his 4020 last year. Went with the expensive ones and was very pleased.
 
The A&I fenders were made in Turkey. Don't know about
Mexican ones but salvage yards were getting some pretty
good ones form Texas. Maybe were carried across the river.
I was told that guy's brother was the one making the 4020
hoods in Mexico. None of those were any good. I sent two back to Abilene and told them to check condition before shipping. They couldn't come up with any.
 
A real problem on repro fenders is the quality of the edges. The reman tool is not strong enough i guess and the defect is pretty visible.
On 4520 denders or on
ih flat tops it is the same issue...
 
Ok, I must have read about the Mexican hoods and figured the bad fenders came from the same place.
 

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