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gizmo

Reparing Rusted and Bubbled Wheel Arches - BMW 330i

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Hi

I'd very much like to have a go at restoring my two wheel arches on my BMW 330i sports. I realise this is not something most people would want to do when they haven't done it before, but I like to attempt things myself where I can and generally know what my limits are. For example, I just paid £300 to have the rear brake pipes replaced because that is not something I can do myself.

I have read a few posts and seen a couple of YouTube videos, and the process doesn't seem too hard providing that no welding is needed. I wonder if any of you could look at the photos attached and see if you think that looks like a job that an amateaur can do hisself? I have had a quote for both sides and it was £300. He didn't seem to think the damage was "too bad" so I assume that means he thinks it is something that can be fixed without welding.

Any of you have experience at bodging and sanding and spraying? I have a garage to do the spraying in.

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I'm planning to do mine myself soon. 

 

Grind them back, see what's what. Treat with that killer stuff and respray. Getting a good paint match will be the hardest thing I think. The rest should be easy, as long as the rust isn't too advanced

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13 hours ago, gizmo said:

Hi

I'd very much like to have a go at restoring my two wheel arches on my BMW 330i sports. I realise this is not something most people would want to do when they haven't done it before, but I like to attempt things myself where I can and generally know what my limits are. For example, I just paid £300 to have the rear brake pipes replaced because that is not something I can do myself.

I have read a few posts and seen a couple of YouTube videos, and the process doesn't seem too hard providing that no welding is needed. I wonder if any of you could look at the photos attached and see if you think that looks like a job that an amateaur can do hisself? I have had a quote for both sides and it was £300. He didn't seem to think the damage was "too bad" so I assume that means he thinks it is something that can be fixed without welding.

Any of you have experience at bodging and sanding and spraying? I have a garage to do the spraying in.

P4291440.JPG

P4291441.JPG

if you dont cut the rust out and weld new metal in,then the rust will return,i have a bit of rust both rear arches and maybe do myself,and for the brake lines,i got my rear pipes done(copper)and was only charged £70 so i think someone has had ya eyes out,the pipes were only done to the centre and not all the way to the cylinder,also the petrol tank does not have to be dropped to fit the pipes,so if he has done that then was not needed.

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Have you guys got any advice\instructions on the full range of steps to take? I gather the rust and rotton stuff is generally taken off with a sander\grinder head (there's a specific grinder head I think? Do you know it's name?), then it should be treated with some kind of stopper\sealer (again, what is the appropriate stuff to use), then the bodge is fitted, then its sanded with a series of fine sandpaper but again, I suspect it's specialist sandpaper for the task?

My Googling didn't reveal a particularly useful step-by-step guidance.

 

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Grind back as far as you can, until there's bare/pitted steel underneath.

Treat with rust-eze (or equivalent)

Fill with body filler

Sand back with something coarse like 800g paper to get the contour you want, then move to more finer papers such as 1500, then finally 3000g to finish up.

Them primer (you can even use red-primer which has anti-oxidising properties) then you're ready for paint.

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Those arches are f**ked, if you just grind and fill it I give it 6 months before it looks the same or worse. Needs the rust cutting out and new metal welding in.

^^^^^ this. Paid someone to do mine, grind out and re-paint. Came back worse 6-9months later.

Fresh metal welded in is the only way to do it.

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You need to wire wheel it back or grind cut out the metal put some new metal weldin it then body filler 80 grid to shape then 150 and prime guide coat 320 n tape is your bestfriend for body line 600 or 800 and paint that s**t need to do holed quarter panel so you dont get a hardline or halo or paint flaking.. best do it right.. or wire wheel that back some rust treatment and fiberglass bodyfiller or metal bodyfiller if you want it cheap n not right still need to paint the hole quarter

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2 hours ago, proshaft said:

Sorry to hijack your thread, from reading various posts on here, it seems that the long solution to the E46 rust issue is to buy a new wing from BMW.

 

Please can someone let me know if a new wing from BMW is already painted or untreated and requires painting?

 

thats if its at the front,if its the rear,then cant buy rear quarter panel,well maybe you can but it would be a fortune to get aout and weld in.

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There are repair panel available from pattern part manufactures. They often require some "work" to get them to fit but it can be done. OE complete panels are available at some cost but unless money was no object they would be cut up for the appropriate bit of it rather than replacing the whole thing. When my M3 rear arches were done by BMW under warranty they just cut out the rotten bits and welded in new patches. Really good panel beaters will make their own repair patches. What ever way it is done it is time consuming and ALL the rust must be cut out or it WILL come back.

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