Phil_B Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 The front inch of my offside front wheel arch trim has worked loose. It looks like there was a stud fitting that has sheared off. Does anyone know whether this stud was integral to the plastic wheel arch flare, or is it a sperate bit (can't see without risking breaking the whole thing off. Also, any suggestions for repair. I may try epoxy, but would this be too brittle? (especially as there is a thin rubber sealer running between the flare and the wheel arch) Phil B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glynherron Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 The front inch of my offside front wheel arch trim has worked loose. It looks like there was a stud fitting that has sheared off. Does anyone know whether this stud was integral to the plastic wheel arch flare, or is it a sperate bit (can't see without risking breaking the whole thing off. Also, any suggestions for repair. I may try epoxy, but would this be too brittle? (especially as there is a thin rubber sealer running between the flare and the wheel arch) Phil B Hi Phil the same thing hppened to my NSF arch. I 'glued' it in place using a flexible (not really) glue called Tiger Seal (Comma product i think). I held it in place using reall wise masking tape until the glue had gone off. Hope this helps Glyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff_hooper Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 The front inch of my offside front wheel arch trim has worked loose. It looks like there was a stud fitting that has sheared off. Does anyone know whether this stud was integral to the plastic wheel arch flare, or is it a sperate bit (can't see without risking breaking the whole thing off. Also, any suggestions for repair. I may try epoxy, but would this be too brittle? (especially as there is a thin rubber sealer running between the flare and the wheel arch) Phil B Another piece of less than perfect design... The fittings consists of 6 or so studs attached by small flat plates ('T' shaped) to the inside of the fibreglass trim piece. These studs go through holes in the main car bodywork with washers and nuts on the back (inside the wheel arch). Water can easily access the nuts are but also easily between the bodywork and back of the trim. The plates can come away from teh trim and the nuts rust solid on the studs. I found three of my trims loose just after I bought the car. I fixed them in different ways, remade plates and studs where they were to badly gone. Used araldite two pack epoxy glue to fix them back on, and generous lashing of coppaslip to help stop further problems with rust. I also used generous dabs of automotive silicone to bed the trims back down when I refitted them as I didn't want to just trust in those studs. Two of my trim where very close to falling off - but looked fine till I tested them, and I REALLY didn't want that to happen when driving down the motorway! The silcone also helped get them to sit correctly which I was struggling with and I didn't want to tighten the studs too much which would have risked pulled the plates away again. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil_B Posted October 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 Thanks both, this has given a good insight into what it is, without having to pull and yank the thing to bits. Now all I have is the decision as to whether to do remedial work (glue/silicone) or whether to take the whole thing off and put back on (either fixing the stud, or doing the whole lot with silicone). I may go for the former option, but in doing this (cleaning the surfaces thoroughly) I bet the whole thing comes away. Many thanks, will post how I get on Phil B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goose Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 Tiger Seal is great stuff - highly recommended for this sort of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff_hooper Posted October 13, 2006 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 Thanks both, this has given a good insight into what it is, without having to pull and yank the thing to bits. Now all I have is the decision as to whether to do remedial work (glue/silicone) or whether to take the whole thing off and put back on (either fixing the stud, or doing the whole lot with silicone). I may go for the former option, but in doing this (cleaning the surfaces thoroughly) I bet the whole thing comes away. Many thanks, will post how I get on Phil B There is loads of road grit and stuff gets between the trim and body and you'd need to clean all that out to give the silicone or glue a chance to grip. I can't see a way to do that without taking them off. I would have left mine on if I could. But I really wanted to make absolutely sure of a viable repair. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil_B Posted October 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 That's a good point Jeff. I have done a repair (epoxy) this weekend, and yes it was a pain with a thin cloth, and lots and lots of water to clean up the two surfaces, and even then I am not sure they were spotless. If the glue repair fails I will indeed have to remove the whole thing and start again, probably with better adhesive. For now it looks fine, and we shall see howlong it lasts. Phil B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil_B Posted September 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Right then, Jeff the clever dick was right. It lasted about five months and it has come away again. I shall be getting some tiger seal and will take the whole thing off this time. Grr. Phil B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red vtec Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 I think there are new ones on the Lotus Parts sale Quote Amateurs built the Ark Professionals built the Titanic "I haven't ridden in cars pulled by cows before" "Bullocks, Mr.Belcher" "No, I haven't, honestly" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glynherron Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 The steel brackets are available from ? (I can find out if you want) I bought them in stainless so that they never rust again and tiger sealed them to the inside of the arch. I sheared off all the studs are replaced them all. It takes a little time to cut them out using a stanley knife. Glyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGFCrasher Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 A couple of mine were loose when I got the car and also two parts were missing.I used Tiger seal to re glue the little plates to the spats and its held fine for two years nearly. I also had a new front one from the factory that just wouldnt sit right so rather than tighten the nuts too much we Tiger sealed and clamped it.Left it two days and it hasent moved since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glynherron Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 The steel brackets are available from ? (I can find out if you want) I bought them in stainless so that they never rust again and tiger sealed them to the inside of the arch. I sheared off all the studs are replaced them all. It takes a little time to cut them out using a stanley knife. Glyn They are from bighead fasteners in bournemouth. On my V8, their name was stamped on the bottom! Glyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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