Quote:
Originally Posted by Phase
whats a good way to help fill in the wheel arches on the front end?
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1) Ballast the car with all the weight you're ever likely to carry in the car.
2) On a flat, level surface, exercise the wheel-flop from lock-to-lock, running the steering through its entire range of motion.
3) As you're articulating the front wheels, tape 'coupons' of cardboard or chipboard ( breakfast cereal boxes ) onto the front fender, all around the wheel arch, allowing whatever clearance you desire from the tire surface.
4) Repeat the movement of wheel until your satisfied that no clearance issue exists.
5) Tape butcher's paper from the meat section of the grocer's over what you've done.
6) After sunset, place an electric light source in the wheel-well to 'back-illuminate' the arch and the ends of all your coupons.
7) Trace the illuminated shape onto the butcher's paper to create a paper pattern.
8) Cut out the pattern and use it to mark and cut your gap-filler material.
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9) Examine the construction of the lip of the wheel arch for possible means of attachment points.
( A NASA rocket scientist from White Sands Missile Range designed the rear skirts on my Toyota pickup, using the existing sheet metal flange created during stamping operations. Heavy-gauge L-brackets were attached flush with the outside of the arch, using Grade-8, hex-head cap screws attached to Nyloc nuts. They're vibration-proof. The brackets are drilled and squared, to receive nylon nuts used to secure license plates.)
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10) If you don't want exposed fasteners, flathead studs can be bonded to the back side of the gap-fillers, the brackets drilled to let the studs pass, and nylocs attached from behind.
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11) The gap-fillers themselves can be plastic, metal, or composite. Whatever you're proficient with or want to develop skills with.
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MetroMPG's ' Cardboard And Duct-tape ( CAD ) system can easily tell you any delta- mpg they may provide.
