What can I do about rusty wheel arches?

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Cherie

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Oct 3, 2007
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Rusting wheel arches is probably the most common complaint we see with Pumas. Unfortunately, it is inescapable due to the way the arch is shaped: the outer skin is curved around - like a b or 6 shape - and where the metal meets itself inside the arch, water will collect. This is why you will commonly find a band of rust about in inch in from the edge of the arch.


The short fix
This can either be a DIY job, or done by your friendly bodyshop.

Using glass paper, or something else abrasive, the rusty parts are sanded away, the remaining metal treated and filled.

It'll look good once it's done, but it must be the remembered that the rust will come back. It could be within a month, it could take a year or two, but it will happen.

I would only recommend that this is done if you can't afford the long term fix, or you don't intend on keeping the car for a long while.


The long fix
Unless you know someone who's handy with a welder, this is best done by a bodyshop or coachworks.

The offending rusty sections are cut away, and replaced with clean, fresh metal.

This is the tricky bit. Replacement rear arches have never been mass produced for the Puma. There are two solutions that don't involve sourcing an entire new rear wing from Ford at an extortionate rate (if they still have any).

1: A good bodyshop will be able to fabricate an arch, but you will pay more for the labour hours that this will take.
2: It has been found that the front wheel arches for a Peugeot 206 (not GTi) are a good match. They're not 100% perfect, but you'll be very hard pushed to tell the difference.
Pug N/S front to Puma O/S rear, and vice versa.


Prices will always vary, so get a few quotes from some reliable places for whatever method you want to use, and make sure that they include everything that you want doing in the quote before accepting it.
 
There are a few project threads knocking around that go into more detail:

http://www.projectpuma.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=6960" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.projectpuma.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=6632" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

are two of the most helpful.
 
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