Paint Your Flares

The flares on my Jeep still look like new after 5 long years baking in the hot sun of the American South. Where I live, starting in June the temperature goes above 90° F daily until October when it finally falls back into the 80° range. Black Jeep fender flares quickly fade out to a light gray color, leaving Jeep owners, especially the owners of black Jeeps, disgusted and wondering how to purchase new, painted flares that will not fade.

Your fender flares can be so black after 5 years of sun, too.

Fear not! You can restore your flares to a rich, black color for about $3.00. How is this possible? The miracle product is called Penetrol.

Go to your local home improvement store and look in the paint section. You will quickly locate cans of Penetrol sitting there for a reasonable price. Buy one. Take it home. Pour some on a paper towel, and rub it on your flares. Hint: You don't even have to wash your flares first as long as there is no caked on mud. I've treated mine when they were dirty with dust and it cleaned them while restoring them. Once you are finished, put up the Penetrol in a safe place (it's poison to your children and pets).

That's it, dude. One step:

1. Wipe Penetrol on your flares.

What could be more easy? You don't have to remove the fender flares to do this. Go ahead and let the Penetrol get on the paint of your Jeep. It's a paint conditioner. It will not harm anything.

Required Tools

Penetrol. Purchase can shown in the photo from local hardware store.

Paper towels. Regular old paper towels from the kitchen work fine.

Sweet, sweet Penetrol.

OH NO!

Sometimes things go wrong...

I spilled Penetrol on everything! Dude, don't spill Penetrol. If you have to wipe it up, you're going to need a lot of paper towels. Penetrol is pretty harmless to paint, as it is a paint conditioner, so don't worry if you get a little on your Jeep body. But if you kick over the can and spill it all over your garage, wipe it up best you can and let it dry out. Next time, be more careful.

My dog is drinking the Penetrol. Call poison control and keep dangerous chemicals out of the reach of children, pets, and your wife who might pour them into your next meal.

My flares aren't turning dark black like yours. If your flares are so faded that they are a light, light gray, then they may not fully restore. Sorry - mine turned pretty gray, and I was able to restore them with one treatment.

I got confused and poured Penetrol into the oil fill hole. Don't ever do two things at once to a Jeep. You're just asking for trouble. Call a tow truck.

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Looking to hear from you about how your experience!