I want to remove them to clean behind in readiness for rust prevention wax. I have checked the WIS instructions and also Jay confirmed that you should just remove the three screws and away it should come. Anyway mine has two fixings which look like metal rivets at the top towards the outside of the arch. Is this normal and what do I do about them?
Removing R129 rear arch liners
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Just checked mine - can't see anything like that. Are both sides the same? If it's just one side perhaps the screws came loose (stripped) and the rivets were put in to hold the liner. Unlikely if both sides have them though!
dan1502
Active Member
Yes both are the same. The studs are fine. The rivets are about 1cm diameter and not very far in from the outside of the arch at the top. I am wondering whether to drill them out but don't want to do anything hastily which I later regret. On one side one has come away due to corrosion and where it has broken off it looks like a rivet but with an approx. 1cm head.
dan1502
Active Member
If not standard, the only thing I can think of is if they were added to stop the wheel liners rubbing, perhaps if larger wheels were added. Or maybe it is due to the ADS which lowers the car at speed or something. I guess if I do drill them out they can always be re revitted once I've waxed behind but it worries me a little.
Hmm, strange. My car also has ADS, and 18x10 rear rims. Never seen any signs of rubbing.
no mine had them too, but someone had already pulled the liner off whilst not removing the rivets so the heads were already all but broken off.
dan1502
Active Member
Well I just drilled one out on the side that already had one broken. It looks like it was done at the factory as there is proper sealant around the hole. I haven't drilled out the hole yet though. I'd prefer for that to be done on ramps so as to get at it more easily. Then, if necessary it can be re-revited. It's all clean and original under there. Maybe as it's designo paint etc it was done at that point?
I would just remove the heads, the liner is pretty rigid, not much chance of it drooping to catch the wheel.
