wheel arch liners

[Rich10000]

hi all,

are wheel arch liners easy to remove? any hints and tips?

thx

Rich

[Fourdoorcat]

Removed the right one to do the timing belt. Take out the screws and note the way it is positioned. Then, if memory serves me correctly, a lot of it came out easily and some serious bending was required to get it all.

Mine were in decent shape. I don't know if time and use causes this particular plastic to become brittle. If so, the "serious bending" can become even more serious.

Perhaps there is a less stressful way (for the liner, that is) to do this.

I do recall that it was, on the overall scale of things associated with a timing belt change, a pretty minor task.

Ken

[Jeemy]

Mine were hell (presume you are talking about fronts), all the screws rusted solid and hard to get a grip on, I had to drill several out and broke the fibreglass mounts behind them in several places.

As ever a lot of time soaking with penetrating fluid before you start the job will make it easier, as will having exactly the correct screwdriver bit on the biggest handle you can get. If I was to do it again I have a "very weak-impact" impact driver (just a crap one basically) which might help to free them off.

[cliff]

As Jeemy says, lots of penetrating fluid and good screw driver bits. Mine needed some good cobalt drills though, there comes a time when patience runs out and a few seconds with a drill wins out. Don't use cheap drill bits, they are a waste of time and money.

After you have done the difficult bit, BFG made up a superb kit for putting them back together.

viewtopic.php?f=85&t=21072

On the last page he does say that he has a few kits left over, or this guy on ebay is offering something similar.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lotus-Elan-M1 ... 1e78c4684b

Had no issues with getting them out, they seem to bend ok. I found a good wash, a gentle rub with a scouring pad and some Tetra Schutz spray brought them up nicely.

P2090035.jpg

[enndee]

Humph! Just wish I HAD wheel arch liners to worry about! As rare as rocking horse do do.
What on earth did the previous owner do with mine?

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Watch eBay. A near side one sold for 25 quid last week...

[JohnB]

Watch eBay. A near side one sold for 25 quid last week...

I bought that one because they don't come along very often for some reason.
Maybe if a certain breaker sees this thread there'll be a flood of them.

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Unfortunately, most gorrillas in breaker yards won't take the time to remove a liner carefully. I have a few sets I scrounged over the years, but it is too expensive to ship them to the UK.