Wheel Arches

Wheel Arches

Author
Discussion

mikeS350

Original Poster:

190 posts

177 months

Saturday 26th March 2011
quotequote all
How are the wheel arches and extensions held in place? Are they just glued on? And if so, how does one go about taking them off? Thanks.

GKP

15,099 posts

246 months

Saturday 26th March 2011
quotequote all
Stick your head up into the wheelarch area and underneath any accumulated road crud you'll find a handful of 10mm (possibly 8mm?) headed nylock nuts. Once you've undone all of them the extension should be easily removed. There's a good chance you'll either snap a stud or loosen it from the arch extension during the process.
The stud plates are just bonded to the arch extensions by Sikaflex (or similar) so don't overtighten when refitting them.

mikeS350

Original Poster:

190 posts

177 months

Saturday 26th March 2011
quotequote all
Thanks. I put the car up on the hoist the other day and we must have caught the edge of the front arch extension on the hoist plate and when we lifted the car there was some audible cracking sounds. Now the front arch extension where it wraps underneath the car is lose and slides forward and back by about 2 cm, although it still seems tight at the top end.

mikeS350

Original Poster:

190 posts

177 months

Saturday 26th March 2011
quotequote all
I see the nylock nuts on the wheel arch, but the offending part is the extension, and I see no nylock nuts for that. How is the extension held in place? Thanks.

GKP

15,099 posts

246 months

Saturday 26th March 2011
quotequote all
Once you've undone all the nylocks you should be able to pull the extension away from the body completely although some degree of 'wiggling' will be required.
There is, of course, the possibilty that it's been sikflexed to the bodywork at some time in the past. This may give you a clue as how to effect an invisible repair - pull the arch back and pump the gap full of the black goo then gaffer tape until it's gone off.
Bodgetastic. biggrin

mikeS350

Original Poster:

190 posts

177 months

Saturday 26th March 2011
quotequote all
cheers for that!