I have an '89 crx si. Its a California car with no rust. I read in another post someone suggesting to remove these moldings because they collect water and may cause rust. I know that if I remove them, they will leave some ugly glue / different paint color spots. Should I still remove them?

 

I wouldn't worry about it in Cali. I'd worry more about it in the snowy regions where they have snow and salt. Not sure if it's a good idea there either considering that without the guards the snow/salt would just get kicked up straight behind the fender and into the door area.

 

I removed mine, but it was too late as there was already a significant amount of rust on the wheel well when I bought the car. You are right, these things aid to rust.

 

DONT DO IT.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sanimalp &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">DONT DO IT. </TD></TR></TABLE>

What makes you say this? If you are going to make such a LOUD and BOLD comment then please explain why you feel that way.

I would say you should absolutely remove the moulding piece. I removed it on my after after I purchased it only to find that a large rust hole formed where it would trap water/salt. The history of my car is mostly in Chicago so yes... there is alot of salt and snow.

Because you are in CA I would say to remove the moulding. Clean up the backside of the fender REALLY well and perhaps spray some kinda of rubberizer back there.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sanimalp &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">DONT DO IT. </TD></TR></TABLE>

wtf?

fire them out of there. they do collect crap, and if you are rubbing on them with a tire they will eventually do more damage than just the metal ridge (ask e how i know...).

 

2 yes
2 no
1 ?
Anybody else?
(I am not planing on doing any type of body work / paint any time soon, so the spots will remain ugly)

 

if we're talking about the front wheel well moldings, i say keep them in.

youll throw a lot of rocks and pebbles and crap into the door. theres no reason to take them out unles youre rubbing. if you are, then just cut and roll the fender as needed. but dont take them completely out.

as for the rear ones, yeah, it seems water does collect around the rear of the fender. im not sure if taking the wheel liner out is going to solve that problem tho. if it hasnt happened already, then it probably wont. so cal doesnt get enough rain and theres no salt on the roads.

 

I'm confused, are we talking about the front or rear of the car? If it is the rear, I would remove this piece because they do tend to collect trash that will eventully rust the rear quarter panel, if it is the front inner fender liners, leave them alone, as stated before, they keep all the trash from inside your door. Hope you understand the last sentence, hard to explain.

 

i was in a hurry when i made my earlier post..

i live in colorado, so i am biased. snow mud and giant potholes are every day occurances for me. if you ever have to drive on a dirt road youll hate yourself for not having them. if you dont have them on, you should go out and look at all the little spots that rocks and mud and water can sit and it will be easy to see why honda sold a lot of cars in the "snow belt" with those simple liners. currently i am driving around on 185/60-14's (stock tire size for si) and the wheel well plastic on the passenger side does have a wear hole in it somehow. and like tyson said rocks and pebbles and crap get thrown into the door. i dug out about 2 cubic inches of mud/dirt when i went to put the plastic liner on, and colorado only recently started using mag chloride on the roads again, so i think i was lucky even though they say mag chloride doesnt cause rust.

i think the main reason these cars get so rusty in the door sill area is because the car didnt have fender liners.

so dont do it.. is that better?

 

I am talking about the little plastic strips that go along the outside the wheel well (not the fender liner). Also, if I were to remove them, I'd remove all 4.
Thanks for all the replies.

 

front or rear, dude?


#13?

 

I think they were thinking you meant the inside the fenders, if you are referring to the little strip of rubber that is on the inside of the fenders on the sharp edge, get rid of it. It traps moisture and dirt in there bad.

If left on regardless of where you live this will happen..

http://dwerb.org/car/IMG_2555.jpg

 

talking about part 13. I think I actually sparked this thread by telling that one kid who got his grandpa's car to remove that strip.

If you read the OP closely it seems obvious hes talking about the fender strips not the inner lining.

 

removing inner liner is gonna cause a whole lotta grief for anyone.

If they remove the liners for the fender they may find a lot of loose dirt and rust.

 

Who the hell said anything about removing the inner liners?

Read the damn title of the thread even...

/yourself noob

 

nobody said that, but judging from what the people said they were thinking inner liner. Read a a few of the posts.. how could removing #13 get rocks and dirt into the doors? It can't.

Don't be an *** and just start assuming.

 

i don't know what the hell you guys are talking about.

i was talking about number 13. rear wheels.

i agree, keep your fender liners, or as much of them as possible- especially on a dd.

 

Alot of stuff gets thrown up there from the tire and chips the paint causing rust..So what I would do is leave it on ,,but every so often take it and clean it..And maybe put some oil on the lip..

 

Putting oil on the paint will contaminate it badly your best best is to simply take them off and then put some undercoating on it, nothing heavy.. just a light coat.

 

sorry about the confusion guys. Yes, crxdrew, I am talking about #13. I am not talking about the fender liners, just the thin plastic strips that go along the fenders (all four wheels). Do these trap water/dirt and cause rust, should I remove them?
thanks for the replies

 

yup take em out!

 

IMO yes remove them