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Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: oldbealmk2 on 01 November 2009, 22:16

Title: Arch cutting
Post by: oldbealmk2 on 01 November 2009, 22:16
Whats the best way to cut away the metal lip on mk2 golf arches? will a dremel be ok?
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: Thom89 on 01 November 2009, 22:37
Power hacksaw is the best way, though you could possibly get away with a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade attached, obviously,
Dremmel would be very slow, and to avoid the eye clinic, use decent eye protection
Thom
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: Agreeable Slick on 01 November 2009, 22:44
Make sure you don't split the seal where all three skins join as well, otherwise. Bye bye mk2.
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: oldbealmk2 on 01 November 2009, 23:01
What do you mean three skins? i only want to take away about 14 inches so i can get full lock

would you recomend me using a dremel if ive never done it before im scared of chiping my paint so want it to look perfect, i dont mind if it takes ages if it ends up in a good finish
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: Thom89 on 01 November 2009, 23:10
What do you mean three skins? i only want to take away about 14 inches so i can get full lock

would you recomend me using a dremel if ive never done it before im scared of chiping my paint so want it to look perfect, i dont mind if it takes ages if it ends up in a good finish

Sorry, I was under the impression it was the rears that you were talking of.. In that case, I would use a hacksaw to get started, then trim the radius with some good quality tin snips, Halfords have these and reasonable money, like I said though, the Dremmel will be slow, and use lots of disc's, and probably burn the paint, and clog up with underseal
Thom
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: Ben Lessani on 02 November 2009, 00:23
You wouldn't get anywhere with a dremel - as above, you'd just eat accessories.

Are you planning on putting the plastic arches back on again? If so, just use an angle grinder and take it easy, it will be done in no time.
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: danny_p on 02 November 2009, 01:21
why not just roll the lip up it aint that hard to do, easyer than cutting it
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: VeeDubGTI16v on 02 November 2009, 11:12
What do you mean three skins? i only want to take away about 14 inches so i can get full lock

would you recomend me using a dremel if ive never done it before im scared of chiping my paint so want it to look perfect, i dont mind if it takes ages if it ends up in a good finish

Sorry, I was under the impression it was the rears that you were talking of.. In that case, I would use a hacksaw to get started, then trim the radius with some good quality tin snips, Halfords have these and reasonable money, like I said though, the Dremmel will be slow, and use lots of disc's, and probably burn the paint, and clog up with underseal
Thom

use an angle grinder with 0.8mm disc  :afro:

i've given up on dremels, the bits are too expensive and dont last 5 minutes. its used for tight spaces only now
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: dan_apps on 02 November 2009, 14:26
how low is your car? as said above mine only catches on full lock and i reckon by rolling them you should be clear.
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: Agreeable Slick on 02 November 2009, 17:48
What do you mean three skins? i only want to take away about 14 inches so i can get full lock

would you recomend me using a dremel if ive never done it before im scared of chiping my paint so want it to look perfect, i dont mind if it takes ages if it ends up in a good finish

On the rears there are 3 skins which are bonded at the wheel arch. If you cut one of them, and didn't seal it properly (i.e. welding) then the metal would rust away from the inside out.

Fortunately you appear to not be cutting the rears (but you did not state this is your first post) so i posted that to er on the side of caution.
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: richard s on 02 November 2009, 18:31
if your not mega low are you running 205 tyres
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: oldbealmk2 on 02 November 2009, 19:13
Fully wound down on coilies  :grin:
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: richard s on 02 November 2009, 19:41
in that case you should only drive on straight level roads  :smiley:
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: dan_apps on 02 November 2009, 20:20
you are gona be cutting alot of arch away if your that low! personally i would wind the coilies up abit and rol the arches! your gona hit all kinds of problems as low as you are and will get fed up with it! (pun in there sumwhere! :grin:)
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: Ben Lessani on 02 November 2009, 20:30
... and avoid speed bumps, kerbs and coins lying on the road.
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: richard s on 02 November 2009, 21:01
or leave it and surely the tyres and wings will come to some sort of arrangement between themselves
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: mwep201081 on 02 November 2009, 21:14
The rear tyres will get julienne'd!
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: farmer on 03 November 2009, 08:42
http://www.vwcaddyforum.com/showthread.php?t=1864 found this link on here some where better rolled than cut
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: farmer on 03 November 2009, 08:47
Some one on here made that but using a wheel spacer insted of the plate and driling loads of holes in it... the jack u can find in the back of your car or down a scrapy
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: rubjonny on 03 November 2009, 12:57
I used a hammer to flatten the lip on mine, worked with ET13 15" wheels.  then i used a dremel to cut the plastic arch.
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: leeroy20vt on 03 November 2009, 17:05
so how do u hold the plastic arches on if u roll/cut the metal inner arches ??
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: Agreeable Slick on 03 November 2009, 17:19
Tigerseal
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: farmer on 03 November 2009, 17:50
Using a hammer the paint will come off on the out side of the wing and will rust but won't be see but still rust on a good body is not good rely.if you mark where its rubbing and then you have a idea on rolling or cutting just that bit. And before you go mad make sure you can still get fixing in the plastic arch.have a can of spray handy or you can cut the inner wing higher than the outer wing and still cut the outer wing, but put a LITTLE bit of expanding foam in the arch to seal it and fold/bend the outer wing over the inner before the foam goes off and still roll it but you will have to have can of spray handy again and mark where the arch sits on the wing and where the fixing points are before you go mad with the cutting....
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: rubjonny on 04 November 2009, 10:09
I didnt have any trouble with split paint, but if you did just give it a quick coat of primer and paint. doesnt even have to be the same colour if using the arch trim as it will cover it anyway.

My arches are held on fine with the rivets that are left, you only loose 1 or 2 rivet holes. You dont have to go mad and hammer the entire lip, just the bit at the top above the wheel!
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: deanpompey on 04 November 2009, 10:21
did mine with a grinder. took off the entire lip around top half of wheel.
70mm with ET20 and no more rubbing :)
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: fishnchipsx2 on 04 November 2009, 14:15
100mm, et30, 185/60/14, no rubbing.  I started off using a borrowed roller, but gave up and beat the lip with a hammer instead... much more effective!   :grin:

I also still managed to retain enough rivets to hold the arches on without any sort of sealant.  The front arch-liners got ditched tho, I covered the inner arch with spray-on underseal instead. 

The worst part of the job is scraping sealant off the rear lips, which will enable you to really fold em up flat.  Screwdriver+heatgun+stanley knife was my method of choice, took ages, but is worth doing before jumping in with the hammer.

And also once beaten/during beating into shape, get some paint and spray-on underseal onto the affected areas... touch wood, theres no sign of rusting on mine yet...  :smug:

Remember on the rear-left you shouldn't just do 10o'clock to 2o'clock; more like 8o'clock to 2o'clock... because as the car is lowered, the rear beam causes the rear wheels to shift towards the front of the car... if ya know what I mean?  :huh:
Title: Re: Arch cutting
Post by: oldbealmk2 on 05 November 2009, 21:21
Does any one know were i can rent an arch roller as im going to roll them first and see what there like as im to scared to use an angle grinder on them :grin: