General Wheel arch liners

[fourbie]

I needed to remove them to get to see what the rust situation is at the bottom rear of the wheel arch.
I was encouraged by what I found but the bit in the picture is showing signs of the outside needing attention almost right away.

 

[varesecrazy]

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In Advanced.. you can find what you need pretty well

 

[fourbie]

SEARCH on here

In Advanced.. you can find what you need pretty well

There were studs holding the liners as well as screws. The studs sheared so I am hoping the liners will go back and stay put without them.

 

[koalar]

for some reason they always rust off.

there quite a few options.

rivnuts would be Good for a proper repair

but for my own car I would probably just use a couple of extra self tapers

but there are other methods that will also work

see quite a few inner liners by the side on the road after flooding so probable worth the effort to make sure it secure. Probable be okay as is for dry day to day.

 

[fourbie]

but for my own car I would probably just use a couple of extra self tapers

That was my thinking too. There are a good few screws as it is and they seem to have survived well enough to go back.
Cheers.

 

[DaveMcT]

Self tappers are OK but winter salt will kill them in one season. Rivnuts are far better just smear the hole and the RivNut with copper grease before fitting and use the same on the screw. Don't use a stainless screw into plated steel as the plating evaporates quickly followed by the steel going very rusty very quickly.

 

[koalar]

Self tappers are OK but winter salt will kill them in one season. Rivnuts are far better just smear the hole and the RivNut with copper grease before fitting and use the same on the screw. Don't use a stainless screw into plated steel as the plating evaporates quickly followed by the steel going very rusty very quickly.

not sure I understand this

inner wheel lining are held on with self tappers on virtual every car I work on

including

Fiat
Vauxhall
Mercedes
Honda
Peugeot


most are over 10 years old.

 

[fourbie]

not sure I understand this inner wheel lining are held on with self tappers on virtual every car I work on
including
Fiat
Vauxhall
Mercedes
Honda
Peugeot
most are over 10 years old.

I concur.
A lot of cars today use the plastic clips but I have had many since the 1960s and screws were and still are used . Screws are used in the panda apart from the two studs and I think there are enough screws to hold anyway!!
I might say that the liners are virtually self retaining as it is!

Only make I have not owned is a Merc.
Oh Lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz..................

 

[rmjbn1]

If your car has that amount of rust on the wheels and wheel arches, I'd be concerned for the condition of:

• rear axle spring pans
• coolant return pipe across front of engine
• engine sump pan
• shock absorbers & springs
• mud trap behind front springs
• brakes (build-up of rust on sliding surfaces of front calipers & inside of rear drums)
• exhaust bracket below cat
• rear sills (access to treat rust via rubber bung in rear wheel arch and base of b-pillar)

Has it lived its life in an aggressive/coastal environment?

 

[fourbie]

If your car has that amount of rust on the wheels and wheel arches, I'd be concerned for the condition of:

• rear axle spring pans
• coolant return pipe across front of engine
• engine sump pan
• shock absorbers & springs
• mud trap behind front springs
• brakes (build-up of rust on sliding surfaces of front calipers & inside of rear drums)
• exhaust bracket below cat
• rear sills (access to treat rust via rubber bung in rear wheel arch and base of b-pillar)

Has it lived its life in an aggressive/coastal environment?

Oh dear, how depressing.:worship:

 

[rmjbn1]

Haha, it's not that bad The main body is galvanised so rust isn't too much of a worry on these things.

Just worth having a look at these areas, they're all relatively easy to treat or replace.

That coolant pipe will typically start to weep as it rusts, so keep a close eye on your coolant level until you're happy it's stable.

 

[koalar]

normally only see front wings corrosion when its been repaired in the past

however there is a mud trap in that corner.


I did notice the mud and snow marking on the tyre and the outer edge looks to be feathering

 

[fourbie]

however there is a mud trap in that corner.
I did notice the mud and snow marking on the tyre and the outer edge looks to be feathering

It's a bit like the wheel trims in that the wheel arch liners prevent the pressure washer from shifting the build up of muck behind.:bang:

I found a bit of light corrosion on both of the flitch panels - while the plastic is off I'll put some rust curer on then a flash of Hammerite U/S with Waxoyl to protect it. As you would expect the N/S is a tiny bit more extensive than the O/S. Having said that I am impressed with the condition of the arches in general and have dealt with much much worse!! You never know, I might be back to the arches to deal with noise.

 

[DaveMcT]

not sure I understand this

inner wheel lining are held on with self tappers on virtual every car I work on

including

Fiat
Vauxhall
Mercedes
Honda
Peugeot

most are over 10 years old.

They are self tappers into plastic blocks. Great until someone butchers a screw head or strips out the plastic. OEM plastic blocks and screws are great, but they usually get replaced with B&Q self tapping screws with predictable results.

Self tappers direct into the wheel arch metal (to replace a broken stud as discussed above) are a very bad idea. They always rust and the panel ends up damaged.

It only takes one to really ruin your day and I've had a few.

 

[fourbie]

Self tappers direct into the wheel arch metal (to replace a broken stud as discussed above) are a very bad idea. .

I have to confess I have done just that. Only two, one in each footwell but I might remove them and spray the resulting hole with Bilt Hamber Dynax if I think the liner is secure enough without them.

 

[koalar]

They are self tappers into plastic blocks. Great until someone butchers a screw head or strips out the plastic. OEM plastic blocks and screws are great, but they usually get replaced with B&Q self tapping screws with predictable results.

Self tappers direct into the wheel arch metal (to replace a broken stud as discussed above) are a very bad idea. They always rust and the panel ends up damaged.

It only takes one to really ruin your day and I've had a few.

both the wings and bumper on the panda are into metal spring clips. Which normally slide and scratch the paint off anyhow.

 

[fourbie]

both the wings and bumper on the panda are into metal spring clips. Which normally slide and scratch the paint off anyhow.

Yes I had some of the spring self tapper metal clip things fall on the floor rusted to hell. Needless to say they didn't go back!!

I might add a bolt at the front end where the liner joins the bumper moulding.

In fact, come to think of it, hardly anything is holding the damn liners in place.

I expect them to off again soon anyway.:bang:

I think I will remove the new self tappers, spray the holes and area with Bilt or Waxoyl and put them back.

 

[koalar]

I have to confess I have done just that. Only two, one in each footwell but I might remove them and spray the resulting hole with Bilt Hamber Dynax if I think the liner is secure enough without them.

in a body shop they tend to spray any cut edges with zinc primer as soon as they are cut.


I dont have any so smear with axle grease


there fine 5 or 6 years later.



there's no need to over complicate things. As long as water or air can't reach the bare metal it can't corrode

 

[fourbie]

in a body shop they tend to spray any cut edges with zinc primer as soon as they are cut.

I have that stuff and use it a lot but rarely on car jobs. It does a good job I have to say.

I drilled the holes for the self tappers once the liners were in place and ideally having the liners off again and spraying them would be the best.

While the liners were off I sprayed the seams with Bilt Hamber. All in all I was impressed with what I saw for a 16 year old car driven in this country. I don't expect to have to remove them again for rust purposes.

 

[DaveMcT]

both the wings and bumper on the panda are into metal spring clips. Which normally slide and scratch the paint off anyhow.

There's no need to over complicate things. As long as water or air can't reach the bare metal it can't corrode

"Chimney nuts" aka "clip nuts" tend to rot to the bolt and nothing can shift them. Mine all seem to be into plastic but I'm probably mistaken. They all get a good dose of stiff anti seize paste as does any metal than can get scraped. It works even with stainless cap screws and thick penny washers. The large head OEM bolts are better just use plenty of paste on the threads.

My wheel arch liners are OK where self tapping screws go into plastic blocks. Where the welded studs snapped off, I fitted rivnuts. They are not ideal as finding the nuts when you refit the liner is "fun", but the anti seize keeps things playing nice. Simple self yappers might be OK but finding the hole is a right old faff. I use a screwdriver through the liner to the rivnut. Then I can get the bolt in.