18 replies to this topic

[AVV IT]

No arch liners are an after market item and did not come as standard on any classic mini. They fit all round nose minis, but need trimming/modifying to fit post 92 models due to the auxiliary electric fan that those models had fitted to the inner wing.

They are fairly easy to fit, mine were supplied with a set of rivets, screws and fir tree connectors so that you can make your own choice as to how you connect them to your body work, it just involves lining them up and drilling a few holes in both the liners and the body. The most difficult bit is working out how much to trim off to fit them around the auxiliary electric fan if you have a post 92 model.

Personally I tend to remove paint using an angle grinder fitted with a flap wheel, it's very effective but you do have to be careful not to start removing metal with it too!

[sonikk4]

Another option is to use a twisted wire cup on a angle grinder. This will not remove any metal only loose rust, paint etc. Its less intrusive that a flapper wheel but YOU MUST use goggles gloves and a pair of overalls. This is a high speed bit of kit and little pieces of wire do fly off.

[charlietuffery]

Just to be clear, i need to grind off the rust (and paint ??) before i fit these arches or not ?

[AVV IT]

Just to be clear, i need to grind off the rust (and paint ??) before i fit these arches or not ?

The plastic arches/liners are an additional protection measure to keep out water, salt and dirt from the rust trap areas. You therefore need to grind and cut out the corroded areas, weld in new metal and then fully paint and protect the repair as you would with any other type of rust repair before fitting the plastic wheel arch liners.

Personally I would protect the new metal first with etch primer, then put a good zinc based primer on top, then cover with stone chip, before painting over with top coat and then spraying the whole area with Waxoyl before fitting the plastic arches/liners. There may be an approved and more effective order for applying the various coats of paint and protective layers though, so you might want to check with one of the bodywork gurus here before applying any paint though.

Edited by AVV IT, 15 September 2011 - 03:15 PM.