Mud-club

Vehicle & Technical => Discovery => Topic started by: diff-breaker on August 27, 2007, 09:40:43

Title: flexible wheel arches
Post by: diff-breaker on August 27, 2007, 09:40:43
After taking some chunks out of my grizzly claws and bending rear 1/4 panel with them at LR show at Billing i think I need to do some cosmetics!
I have a 5 door 98 series 1 disco and thinking about fittign the flexible wheel arches that enable soem of the bodywork to be chopped away to give the tyres more room.
Will these work in respect to the passenger doors?
Do you need to do anything fancy with the cut panels ie bend them under to essentially make a new arch ? Local garage seem to think so but labour seems to be the key as takes the time so any DIY job is more appealling.
Thinking about 2" lift as well ?
 :roll:
Title: flexible wheel arches
Post by: mukkybugger on August 27, 2007, 15:06:24
i have done this to my 3 door,mornings work,but i think with the 5 door it is more complex as you have to cut into the rear door. :wink:
Title: flexible wheel arches
Post by: electricbluebadger on August 27, 2007, 16:14:35
Try Roccia Plastics, theres a link on my site along with how I fitted mine on the 90. Their Disco ones will be excellent if anything like my 90 arches, the on site video even shows em driving over an arch with no damage, mine have been squashed off trees and battered on rocks with no damage to date , top quality...

Pics here....

http://www.bobtail.org.uk/ninety/orange/ninety_17.htm

Mine... 90 not disco though.....

(http://www.bobtail.org.uk/Images/ninety/ninety_17/hi_res/front_close.jpg)

(http://www.bobtail.org.uk/Images/ninety/ninety_17/hi_res/side_view.jpg)

Loads more clearance as well  and only a morning to trim and fit...

Cheers Steve
Title: flexible wheel arches
Post by: mobi on August 27, 2007, 16:46:19
do you mean like these.
(http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w137/bristolmudpluggersphotos/DSC00224.jpg)
Title: flexible wheel arches
Post by: diff-breaker on August 27, 2007, 19:28:37
That's the fella !! look good - did you fit them yourself - if so how complex are the to fit on the passenger door wirth regard to cutting them ?
They look good -  looks like you have lifted it as well ? :lol:
Title: flexible wheel arches
Post by: diff-breaker on August 27, 2007, 19:44:59
By the way would it be possible to put of photo of how it looks on the inside of the door?  Cheers
Title: flexible wheel arches
Post by: wizard on August 27, 2007, 19:56:14
Here are the same arches on my 3 door Disco

(http://members.mud-club.com/galleryimages/22d69c24733d2e1ddc992fdfe579e922.jpg)

(http://members.mud-club.com/galleryimages/2bdd61e7242ee0927a8f95a29dcf769b.jpg)


wizard :twisted:
Title: flexible wheel arches
Post by: chuggaman on August 27, 2007, 21:36:32
they do not seem to be fitted correctly wizard.........they should look like this.the longer kickers go on the front section of the rear arch.
Title: flexible wheel arches
Post by: mobi on August 28, 2007, 00:03:46
the ones i have are the paddocks flexi arches, i could show you the doors but i would have to kill you before you told anyone else   :lol:  
they are just starting to grow on me (didn't like them at first).
the one thing i will say is that cutting the arches is the last option, what size tyres are you running? a 2" lift would be better and you would only have to do a camel cut, if you've not done it already.
Title: flexible wheel arches
Post by: Ja1983 on August 28, 2007, 18:16:16
..agreed, lift is better than taking mr grinder/dremel of doom to your panels!

fti +2 shocks, gives more flex... ARB`s can go thus giving more flex at a cost of road handling (soon get used to it tho)

Wizard - i take it your next cutting task is the rock sliders?!  :wink:
Title: flexible wheel arches
Post by: mobi on August 28, 2007, 18:38:16
the other down side the cutting the arches is you have to remove the arch liners.
Title: flexible wheel arches
Post by: Steve ray on August 28, 2007, 19:49:47
The 5dr is more difficult than the 3door (no poo sherlock I hear you cry) :roll:

We did both my 5dr & my mates 3dr in a day - but then he is a dab hand with the jig saw. I'd previously done a "Camel cut" but running 265/75x16 muds on black modulars saw the wheels "making their own arches" with the rear panels.

Got a set of flexi-arches from Paddocks for about £190 incl VAT (I think). Marked and then cut away arches a bit at a time (just to make sure) until it fitted a treat! Easier with two pairs of hands though. The two rears on my 5 dr took ages, then as confidence grew, the front of mine and my mates 3dr were a piece of cake!!

Btw - used stainless rivets rather than the screws provided cos (imo) they make a neater job. No more scraping on full articulation, wheel fits snuggly inside arches. Although no two lifted Discos are the same - its a Land Rover thing - they all jsut seem to "vary a bit"  :wink:
Title: flexible wheel arches
Post by: BigA on August 28, 2007, 19:57:14
Not wanting to take over this thread, but.... after a great weekend at Billing, i have suffered a similar problem with my 265 / 75 /16 BFG's, both rears have been badly scored to the outside edges, this with a 2" lift and camel cut. I also bent the offside rear back.

I was wondering if HD springs on the back would help, and a body lift has already been suggested????
Title: flexible wheel arches
Post by: clbarclay on August 28, 2007, 19:58:50
Quote from: "Steve ray"
Btw - used stainless rivets rather than the screws provided cos (imo) they make a neater job.


Stainless should be ok but there is the risk of galvanic corosion between the stainless rivents and the aluminium pannels. Using aluminium rivets instead would prevent this.
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