Arguably, a car fender is one of the biggest innovation to car technology. But unfortunately, not everyone knows about it, and even the few who do tend to interchange it with the bumper or other part of a car. In case you’re wondering what part of the car is the fender, here’s a short answer.
A car fender is the curved area of a car’s body that sits just above each tires. The fender on a car serves as a form of housing and its main purpose is to prevent sand, mud, liquid, and other road debris from touching the car when tossed by the moving tires.
But that’s not all! Fenders also have an aesthetic purpose.
We’re not all automobile nerds who find a car’s exposed framework attractive. For this reason, we have panels to conceal the frame and the sides of the engine block. There’s a whole lot of misconception about the fender of a car and we see more people still asking “what is the fender of a car?“
If you happen to be in this boat, then look no further! In this article, we answer some of the common questions about car fender.
We’ll go through the function of fenders, the difference between a bumper and a fender, and if you have more questions, do drop them in the comments, we have a growing community of cars and SUV lovers. You can join the inner circle here.
What is the Car Fender?
A car fender is the curved area of a vehicle’s body that sits above each wheel. You can simply refer to the fender of a car as the areas between the bumpers and the nearest doors. In addition to bending over the wheels, fenders also run around the sides of your headlights and taillights.
As you can see above, the body part just above the tires is called a car fender. The number of fenders on your car will be determined by how many wheels it has. So, in a four-wheeled car, there are four fenders.
Fenders are also visible on bicycles, motorcycles, and other wheeled modes of transportation, in addition to automobiles.
Is a car fender required for my vehicle?
While you may not see the work a car fender does, not having one is sure going to make your vehicle look unattractive. In the coming sub section, you’ll find out why it’s very important that you have a fender on your car.
What are the functions of a car fender?
As a vehicle travels down the road, the wheels throw up rock or mud from the road. it is the job of the car fender to “fend off” the dirt and gravel thrown up by the wheels and preventing them from hitting the driver and passengers, as well as following vehicles.
These materials can be expelled from the tire’s surface at high speeds because the tire transfers kinetic energy to the attached objects. The top of a moving vehicle’s tire rotates upward and forward, potentially throwing stuff into the air at pedestrians in front of the vehicle or other vehicles
What is the difference between a fender and a bumper?
When people get into small car accidents, such as hitting the car in front of them, they call it a ‘fender bender.’ In many cases, the fender may be absolutely OK; it is the bumper that is damaged.
okay… hold on.
There are so many automobile jargon that can get you confused. So don’t hate yourself for interchanging some names or using them wrongly. Some people who are not familiar with these terminologies also find it hard to tell the difference between a car fender and a car bumper
Fenders and bumpers are two separate part that provide different functions. Here are the differences between fender and bumper to clear the air.
What is a car bumper?
A bumper is fitted on both the front and rear sides of the vehicle. Its primary purpose is to absorb the impact of a collision while minimizing damage to the vehicle’s main body.
What is a car fender?
The fender is the framing that surrounds the wheel and guard off the dirt and obstacles that get picked up by your tire while driving.
Back in the days, bumpers used to be a more noticeable vehicle part that stood out from the rest of the car’s body. As innovation crept into car technology, bumpers have become more integrated with the entirety vehicle’s body.
Today, bumpers on many cars (particularly sedans and SUVs) are less visible than they used to be. However, the function of the car bumper remains the same.
What is the purpose of a fender on a car?
Sticky substances like mud can cling to the outside tire surface, while other objects like stones can become temporarily stuck in the tread grooves; car fenders help with this protective purpose.
Many firms create specialist custom fenders with decorations like flames, pinstriping, and other ornamental features for those who wish to replace their factory-standard panels with something a little more exciting.
In the 1950s, for example, vehicles had visibly protruding bubble fenders to give it flair and style. There are a wide range of design elements that make them more appealing or attractive to look at.
Fenders can be made of fiberglass, steel, or other materials, depending on the car’s make. Many of these materials are engineered to get damaged in a crash, spreading the impact throughout the car’s frame and making the crash more bearable for the occupants.
What to do when fender is damaged?
Just like the car bumper, the fender of a car can also get damaged after a collision or accident. When there’s a minor collision, the car fender can receive a minimal dent, which can be easily fixed.
However, if the collision was intense and there’s great damage, a simple DIY may not get it back into shape. You’ll have to seek a professional who might be able to repair it or would recommend you replace it entirely.
Depending on the materials used, fenders can sometimes be bent back into form after a minor collision. However, in other circumstances, they will most likely need to be replaced.
The fender not only protects your automobile from road debris, but it also stops the debris from being thrown at other vehicles on the road. This is why vehicles with big tires are usually required by law to have fender flares installed.
What are Flared Fenders?
Remember that fenders are designed to retain any dirt or debris that the wheel may kick up as it turns. A fender flare is nothing more than an extension of your vehicle’s fender.
The car fender is one part of a vehicle that can also be modified; there are aftermarket add-ons called flared fenders that will give additional protection for cars with larger wheels, such as SUVs, or those with heavily offset wheels.
Some car owners, on the other hand, see flared fenders as more of a decorative piece than anything else. If you want to have your car fender modified, make sure you check your local road laws first.
Also, because road laws varies from one state to another, and there are restrictions on modifications that extend outward from the car’s sides, make sure you are aware of the laws in your city, state, or territory.
Is the Fender on a car the same as the quarter panel?
When talking about the fenders of a car, some people tend to refer to them as quarter panels instead of fenders.
Quarter panels have always been used to refer to the rear fender of a car, which is the curved area between the bumper and the rear door. This definition isn’t in any way wrong as such people often interchange it with the car fender.
However, despite the fact that they are sometimes referred to as such, the term ‘quarter panel’ only refers to the back fender of a car and not the front fender.
Final words
In order to propel your car forward, the tires have to grip the road and turn forcefully. While doing this, your tires tend to grab sand, small rocks, branches, and everything else in its path, tossing it upward as it rotates. That would be extremely harmful to the car, as well as dangerous to other road users.
The car fender protects everything else by keeping dirt and debris contained within the curved enclosure.
