Civic Type-R Owners Club & Forum

Thought I'd do a little how-to for wheel arch cleaning, and coilover protection/care.

It's worth spending a little time on these area's even though they get dirty again so quickly, even if it's just to clean/protect and check your shiny new coilovers....or oem suspension.

A clean wheel arch says alot about a car imo, don't ever let anyone tell you different. :salut:

Start off with jacking the car up and placing it on axle stands.



Front jacking point, leave the jack in there as extra support, the blocks of wood are what I drove onto so I could fit the trolley jack underneath.



A dirty, crusty, minging wheel arch...oh lordy





The tools of the trade, not many. Couple of brushes, some megs all purpose cleaner, a bucket of warm soapy water....and a hosepipe that is slightly camera-shy.



Mix the megs apc into a spray bottle with water, approx. 4:1. You want a nice strong mixture. Soak the wheel arch and everything else that you can see/reach and allow it to soak for a minute.









Now agitate it with the brushes and warm soapy water, you don't want to wash it away, the bucket of soapy water is just there to keep the brush wet and soapy..(oo-er)..really.





Then just rinse it off with your hosepipe...the dirt in the nooks and crannys you missed with your brushing skillz will disappear if soaked with the megs apc...brilliant stuff that.!









Now, you want to soak your coilies in a lubricant/water disperserer. Just wd40 will do.




I normally use a product called gt85 with added ptfe which is brilliant but I have none left so wd40 was the next best thing...gt85 just lasts longer.




Now blast the coilover from top to bottom, in the threads, up into the top mount area inside the turret, everywhere. It stops rusting and keeps the coilover protected from corrosion. These coilovers are 8 months and over 8k miles old now, and still look like new because I keep them protected.



Coilover dressed in lube...






Now check your locking collars are nice and tight, if you have new coilovers this is a must as they can work loose for the first couple of months, I still check mine every month or so now when I clean them.



Now dress the rest of the arch with some form of plastics dressing or undercarriage dressing etc...anything will do. I use Chemical Guys - Bare Bones. Outstanding stuff... :salut:



Finished, clean, shiny, protected wheel arch and coilover.








Now repeat 3 more times....

Nice job their Andy.. :salut:

GT85 is great stuff, use it on the bicycle components all the time!!

loving the stealth hoses too!


mat.

matwilliams wrote:
loving the stealth hoses too!

You see, people in the know notice these things...everyone else knows no different.

This is what I like. :salut:

Thanks.

Newannaive wrote:

matwilliams wrote:
loving the stealth hoses too!

You see, people in the know notice these things...everyone else knows no different.

This is what I like. :salut:

Thanks.

me too, however i still went for the 'look at me' hoses


mat.

:cooldude:

I do this a couple of times a year but also get a tin of underseal and spray the arches.

Megs APC is an essential too :salut: It cleans from seats to arches!

matwilliams wrote:

Newannaive wrote:

matwilliams wrote:
loving the stealth hoses too!

You see, people in the know notice these things...everyone else knows no different.

This is what I like. :salut:

Thanks.

me too, however i still went for the 'look at me' hoses


mat.

I noticed...

I specifically asked for the black ones, stealth ftw. :salut:

Great job mate!

joeR wrote:Great job mate!

Thanks joe...I aim to inspire CTRO to clean their filthy arches. :salut: Anything less than an arch you could eat your dinner off need not apply.

Newannaive wrote:

joeR wrote:Great job mate!

Thanks joe...I aim to inspire CTRO to clean their filthy arches. :salut: Anything less than an arch you could eat your dinner off need not apply.

I have to say, it has inspired me................. Just not for today

i'm going to be taking mine to bits in the near future (when/if the weather warms and drys up a bit!) to give it a clean up, not looking forward to it tbh!

going to buy a dremel and some attachments for the drill to buzz the surface rust away...


anyone recomend any paints / sealants to use once the metal is sanded down???



mat.

LeeH wrote::cooldude:

I do this a couple of times a year but also get a tin of underseal and spray the arches.

Megs APC is an essential too :salut: It cleans from seats to arches!

I have often thought of undersealing, but tbh since my wheelarch cleaning obsession started I have never seen any sign of rust or corrosion. I do however keep the subframes and hubs neat and tidy now and again with some satin black hammerite, which is what the calipers are coated with also. :thumbup:

Nice job and write up.

I'll be giving this ago in the near future

matwilliams wrote:i'm going to be taking mine to bits in the near future (when/if the weather warms and drys up a bit!) to give it a clean up, not looking forward to it tbh!

going to buy a dremel and some attachments for the drill to buzz the surface rust away...


anyone recomend any paints / sealants to use once the metal is sanded down???



mat.

just some "hammerite smooth - satin black" mate. Couple of coats will do it.

DannyW wrote:Nice job and write up.

I'll be giving this ago in the near future

so should we all danny..

..takes about 10mins per arch once it's jacked up and the wheels are off. :salut:

I almost planned to do that after reading this. Good work :salut:

Mr Anderson wrote:I almost planned to do that after reading this. Good work :salut:

some people just don't care about their undercarriage...

I would do it, but just dont have all the stuff, i.e axle stands, and a good jack. Would like to dounble check my coilovers just too make sure there still ok, as in the bit you mentioned but Id be scared to touch them incase I did something wrong

Foooking hell newan! i'd eat my dinner of off those wheel arches of yours, super clean mate!

I've ordered a track rod end bracket for the steering rack from some dude in america, all thanks to the link you gave me, once again newannaive- YOUR A LEGEND :thumbup:

bluntcap wrote:I would do it, but just dont have all the stuff, i.e axle stands, and a good jack. Would like to dounble check my coilovers just too make sure there still ok, as in the bit you mentioned but Id be scared to touch them incase I did something wrong

Dude, this thread was mainly for your benefit as you were asking me how to look after them etc....you'd better do it. The trolley jack from halfords was 15quid and axle stands were 20quid iirc...don't be lazy.

jreedy wrote:Foooking hell newan! i'd eat my dinner of off those wheel arches of yours, super clean mate!

I've ordered a track rod end bracket for the steering rack from some dude in america, all thanks to the link you gave me, once again newannaive- YOUR A LEGEND :thumbup:

Cheers fella, glad to be of help.

All for me I really want to do it........but just ordered a rather sexy rare exhaust the other day So I'll look into getting the jack etc in a week or so when I save a few pennies, then PM you with details of what needs tightened up.....as I dont want to adjust my ride height or anything by mistake