Hi all

I've got some paint bubbling up around the seam inside my front wheel arches, no surprise really given that my Octy hasn't had mudflaps fitted and has done 80k. So while checking it out this morning and looking at how best to sort the paint bubbles out before fitting mudflaps I pulled the inner wing plastic away to peer inside and what do I find? Sills full of mud! Inches and inches of the stuff! It's probably from water that's got sprayed up and the water drains away leaving mud and silt behind.

So if you've got a Mk1 octy with no mudflaps I would urge you to check for the same problem. Hopefully when I get the mud out of there I won't discover that the panel has rotted from the inside out, but I can't say until I've cleaned it.

Edited 19 October, 200916 yr by SideshowBob

Will be checking mine soon, anyone done it before. If so how easy is it to clean them out? Does the arch liner need to come out completely or is it a case of undo a couple of screws and stick a hose in there?

I'll let you know tomorrow with a bit of luck...

There's a torx screw just above the sill which, if undone should allow some amount of access to where the crud is accumulating. It depends on how big that sill 'cavity' is though as to how much crud there is to be removed - hopefully it's blocked off a few inches back where the wing and door panel meet. I think worst case a couple more torx screws should allow good access...

Hi all

Sills full of mud! Inches and inches of the stuff! It's probably from water that's got sprayed up and the water drains away leaving mud and silt behind..

Yep agree with this one. The arch is a good collecter for crud. I fitted front mudflaps around 2 years ago and cleaned out the arch, when i removed arch liner to get to the intercooler and it was full of crud.

Surprised these don't come fitted as standard

Mudflaps won't make any difference. Should have seen the amount that came out of the wings of my old VW Vento

The "mud" you find there comes from leaves etc that make it down the drain channels then decompose in there.

Best thing you can do is clean it out after autumn every year IMHO.

The damage i have seen from mudflaps is terrible, the moisture and dirt builds up behind them, and they hold it to the body work, even on mk4 Golfs at work we have tried to take them off and they have pulled bits of bodywork with them.

Agreed with cleaning them out

The way the front mudflap fits to the Octy is quite sensible(different to the golfs i think) and is not screwed into lots of bodywork allowing rust to creep in. It uses the arch liner trim and lower sill. I would much prefer it on the car to off as stops a whole load of stone chips attacking the arch and sill paintwork. Also counters the crud attaching the suspension components to a certain extent.

It will never stop all the crud as cheezemonkhai states drops down through the drain channels.

Mudflaps won't make any difference. Should have seen the amount that came out of the wings of my old VW Vento

Agree with Babs, mine had OEM front mud flaps from new but it still collected mud leaves etc.

I took all my Skoda mud flaps off about 12 months ago and replaced them with ones from performance creations.

IMO the std ones are to short to be any good.... and they cause damage the paint work due to dirt getting trapped between the mud flap and the car body.

Got Skoda mudflaps on mine, cleaned mine out last week after reading about this problem on another thread a while back. Had a shovel full of crud from behind each liner, did it late in the day so need to check them properly in daylight to make sure no rust problems.

Agree with Babs, mine had OEM front mud flaps from new but it still collected mud leaves etc.

I took all my Skoda mud flaps off about 12 months ago and replaced them with ones from performance creations.

IMO the std ones are to short to be any good.... and they cause damage the paint work due to dirt getting trapped between the mud flap and the car body.

I think we all agree the mudflaps won't stop the leaves and crud.

Got any pics of the performance creations fitted. Are these the rally looking ones.

I was tempted in these but not sure if they would sit too low.

Agree with Babs, mine had OEM front mud flaps from new but it still collected mud leaves etc.

I took all my Skoda mud flaps off about 12 months ago and replaced them with ones from performance creations.

IMO the std ones are to short to be any good.... and they cause damage the paint work due to dirt getting trapped between the mud flap and the car body.

I looked at the Rallyflapz, a bit shouty for my liking but if they do the job I would entertain them (and pay the £49 which is pushing it a bit...!)

But I thought they only did them for the Mk2 vRS? :confused::confused::confused:

I looked at the Rallyflapz, a bit shouty for my liking but if they do the job I would entertain them (and pay the £49 which is pushing it a bit...!)

But I thought they only did them for the Mk2 vRS? :confused::confused::confused:

Bob

Your right they dont do a MK1 specific mud flap kit, but they sell a universal kit which consists of two rectangular pieces of plastic and lots of different fastners, ( I bought two kits).

You cut them to size and fit them in the position you want.... I got some black card from a hobby shop to experement with first.

The fronts are a doddle to do because the arch linner is flush with the profile of the wing. The back however requires small spacers behind the flaps because the arch linner is set back about 7mm.

I also got some black painted 1mm gauge alloy plate to go between the screw heads and the flap, to hold the flap securely back in place.

HTH

Hi Bowders

Bit like Marmite really, you either love them or hate them

[iMG]

Agree with Babs, mine had OEM front mud flaps from new but it still collected mud leaves etc.

I took all my Skoda mud flaps off about 12 months ago and replaced them with ones from performance creations.

IMO the std ones are to short to be any good.... and they cause damage the paint work due to dirt getting trapped between the mud flap and the car body.

Yup my one needs another lacquer touch up due to grit getting between them and the body. I also need to check my arches as 2 years ago they were full of rubbish so its probably time for a clear out again!

I usually have to re-align my front mud flaps every couple of months as they scrape on so many speed bumps they easily move out of position slightly but at least it means I keep on top of all the grunge that builds up behind them

i have mudflaps but one was broken so all the mud would fly behind it when driving and when ur parked up it dont look broke cleaned it real thougherly and found it so had skoda replace it :P but yea if you aint got mudflaps undersill it all

I clean my arches every year as they are proper crud catchers.

Hi Bowders

Bit like Marmite really, you either love them or hate them

[iMG]

Lush shine on that mate! Love it

Best colour too. Not too keen on the back flaps tho lol.

billy

Lush shine on that mate! Love it

Best colour too. Not too keen on the back flaps tho lol.

billy

Thanks billy..... it only gets a polish every 12 months (wether it needs it or not ), but I always give it a spray with meguiars last touch after every wash.

I'm wondering if the mud flaps would look better with 19" RS4 wheels :rubchin:

This is what came out of the back of one of mine:

Have a feeling this would be a better job to do in the nicer months of the year... Oh well, looks like i'll be getting not only cold and wet tomorrow whilst doing this, but muddy too...