by cass3958 » Sun Jul 26, 2020 8:37 pm
As John says no liners under the front wheel arches. The underside of the arch is the wing and everything is exposed. There is a plate at the back of the front wheel arch between the floor and the wing which does rust out. If there is any gap in this plate then water can get down in to the sills and the bottom the the A pillar so it is important to make sure this is sealed.
John is half right with the rear arch. There is no liner in the modern sense as it is all metal. If you look at the top of the inner arch there is a seam. From the seem to the outer arch this is a liner of sorts as behind this there is a void which you cannot get to between this liner and the outer wing. From the centre seam going inwards towards the boot this is just a single skin and it has strengthening recesses in the plate like rounded triangles. There are three of them and from inside the boot you can see the corresponding shapes. As the wheel is pretty tight in the wheel arch mud and dirt can layer up inside these strengthening recesses which you cannot see with the wheel in place. If you do not take the wheel off and clean this area it is prone to rust and you will have holes going from the wheel arch straight into the boot.
As John says no liners under the front wheel arches. The underside of the arch is the wing and everything is exposed. There is a plate at the back of the front wheel arch between the floor and the wing which does rust out. If there is any gap in this plate then water can get down in to the sills and the bottom the the A pillar so it is important to make sure this is sealed.
John is half right with the rear arch. There is no liner in the modern sense as it is all metal. If you look at the top of the inner arch there is a seam. From the seem to the outer arch this is a liner of sorts as behind this there is a void which you cannot get to between this liner and the outer wing. From the centre seam going inwards towards the boot this is just a single skin and it has strengthening recesses in the plate like rounded triangles. There are three of them and from inside the boot you can see the corresponding shapes. As the wheel is pretty tight in the wheel arch mud and dirt can layer up inside these strengthening recesses which you cannot see with the wheel in place. If you do not take the wheel off and clean this area it is prone to rust and you will have holes going from the wheel arch straight into the boot.