Front inner wing repair

pmh · Post by **pmh** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:44 pm

Front inner wing repair With the Mot in 4 weeks, I started to dig and needless to say the hole just got bigger and bigger.....

I will need to replace a '(horizontal inclined)' section about 30 cm long x 10cm wide starting from the edge of the strut mounting metal forwards, and a 'vertical section' about 30cm by 5cm.

I intend to fabricate using 2 pieces (the vertical with a 1cm return) and then joggle the the cut edges of old metal to take the new sections.

Initially clamp in place then a few tack welds to keep alignment, before seam welding MIG the lot.

Any advice please. Is it worth taking off the front wing - most access will need to be from within the egine compartment. If so how many hidden bolts and where please.

I assume that no repair sections are available? _ I have browsed a lot of UK and French panel suppliers. I just wonder since I will be in the S of France for a few weeks if a rust free breaker could ahave a section cut out. That will improve my french!

Mike E (uk) · Post by **Mike E (uk)** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:15 pm

Last time I looked at BXs in Southern France, they were completely rust free, so a donor piece would be no problem if you could get it cut out.

I would like one of these myself for the future.

Mike

NeilGP · Post by **NeilGP** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:36 pm

Hello,

I have had this on my BX, (but luckily when wing liners were still available)

I would advise in removing the wing as this gives easier access for welding and finishing.

To remove the wing, you also need to take off the splash guard, (one bolt holding wing brace), and would also advise removing the bumper (3 screws top).
To remove the wing there are the top bolts, two bolts by the door, (you can only get access to these partially open) and a bolt hidden by the indicator.

I would also suggest checking the front scuttle, (below the washer bottle) and the inner wing area for rust.

Vanny · Post by **Vanny** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:00 pm

mine started like this;

http://www.bxproject.co.uk/gallery2/d/3 ... 009057.jpg

and ended up like this;

While Citroen list a repair section, it's no longer available. It was relatively easy to make up patches, though i don't recommend using 2mm galv plated steel, but it's what i had lying around.

My biggest issue was actually welding it all back up, i'm used to welding 3mm wall box, so i had to seek outside assistance.

Good luck, it took me 3 years to finish it all off

Post by **Tim Leech** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:10 pm

The TZD is just as bad. Going to get it done next week, will take pictures. It won't be pretty but solid. And I'm selling the car

citronut · Post by **citronut** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 8:09 pm

Vanny wrote: While Citroën list a repair section, it's no longer available.

if you mean this section

95 645 962
NFP
WHEEL HOUSING
LEFT
REPAR

95 645 961
LE-0101
RIGHT
REPAR

it does seem to call it a repair panel, but i would call it the complete inner section and suspension turret of the inner wing,

its also strange they appear to offer the right hand still but not the left,

at a price though

Part Number Description Quantity Price excl. VAT Price incl. VAT Total incl. VAT Selection
95645961 WHEEL HOUSING 192.35 GBP 230.82 GBP 230.82 GBP

easier and cheaper to make it up as you go along,

regards malcolm

kiwi · Post by **kiwi** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 9:19 am

All the BXs I owned in the UK showed rust in this same area. The two NZ BXs are not showing any rust there but the import TXD is showing small signs of rust in that location. Something about UK roads that those wings dont like.

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 9:38 am

I've actually got that complete inner wing section inc. suspension turret that Malcolm refers to. For the r/h side. It's new and very large and it came out of that 'barn of parts' that yielded so much booty a couple of years back.

The palaver to install such a large section would not be justified just for localised spots of inner wing rust as it would require considerable dismantling then installing. Could be useful for a restoration project if the car was already stripped?

The two main areas of inner wing rust often correspond with the clips that hold the plastic arch liner onto the inner wing rail - these are the obvious points of water ingress I think.

We obviously have much higher levels of salt on our European roads in winter than in NZ.

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 9:42 am

To some it might seem wasteful, but I've cut sections of of repair panels before, just to weld in the affected sections. Mainly because I didn't see the need in disturbing good, original metal which would then be harder to protect against rust.

citsncycles · Post by **citsncycles** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 10:19 pm

It was relatively easy to make up patches, though i don't recommend using 2mm galv plated steel, but it's what i had lying around.

If you do this, make sure that you are in a well ventilated area as welding galvanised steel gives off poisonous gas!

Vanny · Post by **Vanny** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 10:53 pm

citsncycles wrote:
It was relatively easy to make up patches, though i don't recommend using 2mm galv plated steel, but it's what i had lying around.
If you do this, make sure that you are in a well ventilated area as welding galvanised steel gives off poisonous gas!

It gives off a tiny amount of arsenic, not enough to kill you (well depends on the patch

), and quite frankly you should be cleaning down the edges of the weld before hand, and welding to the steel not the galv. It will make you feel rough if a) you do loads in one day in a confined area, b) you dont drink any milk (probably and old wives tale).

But while we're being all elf n' safety, who in there right mind would weld in a confined area, especially on a car which is either a) covered in lead paint or b) covered in galv. I mean the 'normal' covering on the BX has two layers of galv in its 7 layer coating!

Post by **docchevron** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 1:24 am

I recall very well being extremely ill that night after doing a tad of welderising on vanny's wing, although I suspect the large amount of alcohol he plied me with down the local and the dinner with mushrooms had a substantially larger bearing on being violently sick than the welding aspect of the galv! Mushrooms, evil damn things!
Oh, sweetcorn too.. thats evil aswell..

JayW · Post by **JayW** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 5:56 am

Vanny wrote:It gives off a tiny amount of arsenic, not enough to kill you (well depends on the patch ), and quite frankly you should be cleaning down the edges of the weld before hand, and welding to the steel not the galv. It will make you feel rough if a) you do loads in one day in a confined area, b) you dont drink any milk (probably and old wives tale).

But while we're being all elf n' safety, who in there right mind would weld in a confined area, especially on a car which is either a) covered in lead paint or b) covered in galv. I mean the 'normal' covering on the BX has two layers of galv in its 7 layer coating!

I just like the pretty green smoke

JayW · Post by **JayW** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 5:57 am

docchevron wrote:Oh, sweetcorn too.. thats evil aswell..

It's also the only true recyclable vegetable...

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:50 am

JayW wrote:I just like the pretty green smoke

I like the fluffy white floating bits, just like little snowflakes