wheel arch covers?

Ive been looking around for a pair of the plastic rear wheel arch covers(exterior ones).
I think they look pretty good. But have never seen any sold for single wheel axle van. Only the twin wheelers. Or are they a universal fitting?:hmmm:
 

sikwan

06 Tin Can
Are you talking about the gray rear fender flares?

They should be universally fitting. Most of them seem to appear in the 2004+ models.
 
Thanks again Sikwan,,,,yes thats it, theyre the same color/material as the bumpers i think.
I thought they may be universal. Ill have to try see who sells them here in UK
Thanks:thumbup:
 

N2XBW

And another thing...
Does anyone know a US source for these rear wheel arch covers that will fit my 2002 2500?
Thanks!
John / N2XBW
 

maxextz

Rollin Rollin Rollin.....
dont know for sure but the reason the american vans have those covers on is because they had to cut away some or the wheel arch to suit the larger wheels 16 instead of european 15s, its not just cosmetic. they look ok but the only thing is yoo can get abuild up of muck and dampness behind that will lead to rust especially in a european climate.
 

talkinghorse43

Well-known member
dont know for sure but the reason the american vans have those covers on is because they had to cut away some or the wheel arch to suit the larger wheels 16 instead of european 15s, its not just cosmetic. they look ok but the only thing is yoo can get abuild up of muck and dampness behind that will lead to rust especially in a european climate.
Sorry to diverge a little, but that brings up a point I've worried about lately, and that's about long term rust-through. This has always killed my high mileage vehicles and, if possible, I want to make sure it doesn't happen to my '02 (hoping for 30 yrs service). What should be done to keep away from a rust-through problem on the sheet metal and the frame elements?
 

TimJuhl

Member
To support talkinghorse in his concerns, the same issue is on my mind. I've noticed a greater tendency for the steel on the sprinters to rust after the paint is chipped than on my GM products, making me wonder if paint is the only corrosion barrier. That said, the underside seems to be well coated with a rubberized material which should help there. The inside of the lower panels has been treated with a waxy material which you can see weeping from drain holes.... all good.

I'd like to hear from someone who thoroughly understands the Sprinter and can suggest what else can be done to protect it. For now, my approach has been to be vigilant in watching for rust and treating it when I find it.

Tim
 

rlent

New member
My '06 has mild amounts of orange staining starting to occur in various places on the underside .... mostly frame and body bracketing. On the waxy stuff ....... never noticed it but I probably just wasn't paying attention .......

The waxy stuff is about the best - there's a local shop here that does it and is very thorough ..... you have to leave your vehicle for a number of days, they clean it and then pull all interior panels (no drilling) and coat everything. Takes 'em between 3 and 5 days to do the whole enchilada, IIRC. They recommend a touch up once per year after you have it done.

My wife's 2000 VW Passat came with waxy stuff from the factory ...... best factory rust protection I have ever seen, bar none. Would buy another VW in a heartbeat. (My bud's 80's Vanagon went for around 600K+ and was still looking pretty good when he got rid of it)

Next best after the waxy stuff is to have it oil-sprayed ..... it's more of a temporary solution ..... you should have it done at least once per year (probably twice, spring and fall) cause the oil will wash off to some extent (unless you drive on dusty roads alot :smirk:) Some places used to do this with used motor oil ...... probably not the best thing environmentally speaking, I'd guess most are now using something a little more green.
 

SprinterUSA1

New member
dont know for sure but the reason the american vans have those covers on is because they had to cut away some or the wheel arch to suit the larger wheels 16 instead of european 15s, its not just cosmetic. they look ok but the only thing is yoo can get abuild up of muck and dampness behind that will lead to rust especially in a european climate.

That is correct. The rear fenders on European Sprinter have a small flare that is cut away and replaced by the plastic cover on US Sprinter to allow for 16" wheels. Though there was plenty of room back there anyway. Them holding dirt was not so much of a problem. But the fact that the outer arc of the trim was rubbing against the very sensitive skin of the T1N. I removed mine at some point only to see that it had left a nice arc where the trim used to be. It had not rubbed through the paint yet but I needed to get it repainted to make it disappear.
If you have the choice, I would not recommend adding these plastic flares.


SprinterUSA1
 
Lots of information in here then, good to see:thumbup:
Maybe i wont bother with the fenders after all then, seems to be the general consensus that theyre not such a good thing to have! Thanks guys:D:
 

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