micro "mud" flaps spotted

[Piwoslaw]

I just spotted something similar to these micro "mud" flaps... on my car! These point inward and are in the front wheelwell (none in the rear). I admit that the similarity may just be a coincidence.
Looking towards the rear:

Looking towards the front:

[lunarhighway]

not sure if these are the same but they might be related,i don't suppose they're somehow helping to keep the inner liner in place but i suspect it might have something to do with watter, either spray when you're moving or drips when your stationary.

a lof of complonents on a car have tiny bumps, dimples or holes, to allos watter to drip from them in a certain location and not collect in another where it might cause rust.

Perhaps it's worth checking after driving on a rainy cay if there's any difference in dirt deposit around these tabs or if you can see watter dripping from them.

if you ever wash the car with a hose might also be a good idea to observe what happens when you point it at this area

[robchalmers]

They are for homologation to IIRC - some countries get all narky about expsed tires and when viewed from above you can't have a certain & of tyre exposed on ANY wheel/tire combo in the range so these little lips are built into every variant as for economy of numbers. th'ye somethimes on the front fenders too. alway wear the fender where the fender starts to taper toward the centre line.

[lunarhighway]

They are for homologation to IIRC - some countries get all narky about expsed tires and when viewed from above you can't have a certain & of tyre exposed on ANY wheel/tire combo in the range so these little lips are built into every variant as for economy of numbers. th'ye somethimes on the front fenders too. alway wear the fender where the fender starts to taper toward the centre line.

do you have any source to back up that claim? not that something like that would be impossible but it seems unlikely to me that all of the sudden several independant manifacturers find their stock fenders to narrow for all their tire options (i have yet to see a version of these cars that have oem tires extend past the fenders ). i know that local law here forbids tires that extend past the fenders,(although the actual text might be vague enough to allow such "cheats"). i'll have another look at them with what you said in mind.

[Bill in Houston]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

I just spotted something similar to these micro "mud" flaps... on my car! These point inward and are in the front wheelwell (none in the rear). I admit that the similarity may just be a coincidence.

Sorry, what part are you talking about? The silver tabs inside the fenderwell?

I thought that we had been looking at / talking about something that protruded outward from the fenderwell, not something that poked inward.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by Bill in Houston

Sorry, what part are you talking about? The silver tabs inside the fenderwell?

I thought that we had been looking at / talking about something that protruded outward from the fenderwell, not something that poked inward.

Yep. When I noticed them I thought about this thread since they are 'tabs in wheelwells', but I admit that this may be where the similarities end.

[Bill in Houston]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

Yep. When I noticed them I thought about this thread since they are 'tabs in wheelwells', but I admit that this may be where the similarities end.

Ah, okay, thank you. The ones you pictured are, I think just to help in fabrication and to hold the fender liners in place.

[focus1.6uk]

Originally Posted by robchalmers

They are for homologation to IIRC - some countries get all narky about expsed tires and when viewed from above you can't have a certain & of tyre exposed on ANY wheel/tire combo in the range so these little lips are built into every variant as for economy of numbers. th'ye somethimes on the front fenders too. alway wear the fender where the fender starts to taper toward the centre line.

I recently spoke to a senior engineer who worked on the Astra GTC and he confirmed this; they are for EU homologation concerning coverage of the tyres, not for aerodynamics or road spray control.

[instarx]

Originally Posted by Andrew63

EU
****
Who'd a thunk it.

I realize you may be trying to be funny, but that sort of comment - whether it be directed at Europeans, gays or anyone else - is inappropriate and should have no place in this forum.

Frankly, as a southerner myself, I'm embarrassed that it was posted here.

[Superturnier]

Originally Posted by jtbo

To prevent stones being tossed upwards by tire, they are quite close to edge of wheel arch these days?

This is what I was thinking too.