Rolling fenders?

I need to roll the rear fenders on my V8 RX7.

The bat I have is too small. Will 3" steel exhaust tubing be strong enough?

I know this isn't the answer you're looking for, but have you tried finding a fender roller locally?

Either buy a new bat or find a real fender roller. I wouldn't use steel exhaust tubing because it'll really, really scratch the paint.

I agree with both of them. If you don't care about the aesthetics and just want to fit tires then you can use a ball peen hammer. If you're good with it, it will come out nice. Otherwise find a real fender roller.

PVC works too, if you get the fender good and hot. Otherwise yeah, just find a fender roller. I actually went and bought one this year, because all my friends/gearhead acquaintences were renting the damn things constantly, and I figured they might as well rent it from me :D

I have used the eastwood fender roller and even built a few versions of it myself.

You know what? I hate them and would rather use a steel pipe every time. I am not sure where the world got the idea that they are the proper way to do the job but they kinda suck.

Have you ever seen a wheel arch that was perfectly round? Nope they don't exist. Constantly resetting the roller and working 3 inches of the lip at a time is a nuisance. They are also useless on thick heavy metal like the rear arches of E30's or MK3 VW's.

I can roll all 4 lips on a car on the ground in the time it takes to pull the wheel and bolt the eastwood POS to the hub.

Just an opinion-plastic dead blow hammer, and go slow. PS, ditchdigger, thats good info.

I've used the aluminum bat method to mixed success, that has more to do with my learning curve than the method, and I have recently used a 2 1/12 foot length of Roll bar tubing probably ~2'' diamter. It doesn't flex as much as the bat did. I have heard that you have to keep the paint warm to keep it from cracking, lesson I learned the hard way.

I used duck-billed vice-grips and a thick piece of leather. But I was re-painting after.

The only times I've ever had to roll a fender were at the track, so the handle from my jack had to make do!

I used a tree branch on the side of the road once. The F150 pushed the fender into the wheel on the MR2 (RIP) and that got the fender off it so I could limp home. Damn F150's.

Before that, though, I used an aluminum bat on that car. And I've used PVC pipe on the Truck.

I have used fender rollers like pictured above in the past... junk. I finished the job with a rubber mallet, a chunk of wood and a buddy with a heat gun.

Hammer and rolled up newspaper or magazine to protect the paint

I dinno why all the hate for the Eastwood, used mine several times already along with more times in the past, and I don't find it to be difficult at all. Sure it's slower/more tedious than the bat/pvc/stick on the side of the road trick, but I kinda like it, because it makes it harder for me (at least) to screw it up. Plus people like renting it from me, and then I make money. I like money.

I ended up using the bat I had. I was able to get a little roll with it, enough to drive without gashing the new rear tires.

I chipped the paint a couple times but, if you've seen the pics of the 83 GSL in my profile, you know the paint is the least of my concerns at the moment.