I just had to get this job done before the winter arrives with all the talk of rust breaking through the front arches due to the foam supports soaking up salt water and rubbing on the inside.
I think this job is in the sooner or later group of things to do on the car.
This is a easy start guide and can be done with anyone with a jack and stands.
Firstly jack up the front of the car and place on axle stands. Remove the wheel.
You need to remove these plastic fasteners. Take a small screw driver and carefully prise the centre pin upwards until you can grab it with a pair of pliers. As you pull the pin out some of the clips will come all the way out. Go careful as they look like they can snap easy.
Once the plastic clips are removed you can start on the screws. They are a small torx head. Start on the front inside of the arch.
At the top of the bumper there are 2 screws close together. Make sure you remove both.
Now you can work under the front bumper and remove the lower screws.
There are 3 more which join to the under tray and one being at the back of the tray.
Now starting at the underside (front) carefully pull the arch liner from beneath the under tray. Then moving up the arch carefully pull away from the wing. It should come out easy once you have the front removed from the tray. If it becomes tight you have missed a clip.
Get your head in and located the foam support. On my car it was simply pushed in and not secured by anything.
VW recommend trimming the lower section as shown.
Personally I simply removed both of mine to make sure there was no chance that they could hold water.
If you look at the foam you should be able to see any staining from rust. Mine were clear, Phew.
That's about it. Simply take your time and place the arch liner back. I found placing a clip in the rear to hold it up and then fit the front under the under tray and work back.
Whilst I had mine off I was (one again) surprised how much faith is put into the plastic arch liners to stop any salt water reaching the inner wing as there is no rust protection at all.
I gave the inside of mine a good coat of waxhoyl to add some protection.
I think this job is in the sooner or later group of things to do on the car.
This is a easy start guide and can be done with anyone with a jack and stands.
Firstly jack up the front of the car and place on axle stands. Remove the wheel.
You need to remove these plastic fasteners. Take a small screw driver and carefully prise the centre pin upwards until you can grab it with a pair of pliers. As you pull the pin out some of the clips will come all the way out. Go careful as they look like they can snap easy.
Once the plastic clips are removed you can start on the screws. They are a small torx head. Start on the front inside of the arch.
At the top of the bumper there are 2 screws close together. Make sure you remove both.
Now you can work under the front bumper and remove the lower screws.
There are 3 more which join to the under tray and one being at the back of the tray.
Now starting at the underside (front) carefully pull the arch liner from beneath the under tray. Then moving up the arch carefully pull away from the wing. It should come out easy once you have the front removed from the tray. If it becomes tight you have missed a clip.
Get your head in and located the foam support. On my car it was simply pushed in and not secured by anything.
VW recommend trimming the lower section as shown.
Personally I simply removed both of mine to make sure there was no chance that they could hold water.
If you look at the foam you should be able to see any staining from rust. Mine were clear, Phew.
That's about it. Simply take your time and place the arch liner back. I found placing a clip in the rear to hold it up and then fit the front under the under tray and work back.
Whilst I had mine off I was (one again) surprised how much faith is put into the plastic arch liners to stop any salt water reaching the inner wing as there is no rust protection at all.
I gave the inside of mine a good coat of waxhoyl to add some protection.