Rear Mudguards/cycle wings why?
Discussion
So, I owned an open wheeled kit car. An NG TC.
Over the rear wheels, sit large mudguards, as smiliar to 1000's of UK kit cars out there.
The fronts of these mudguards are covered in a carbonfibre panel but still littered with stonechips, which again, seems to be the norm.
I can't see the point in the mudguards being present in front of the rear wheel.
On front wheels, mudguards typically start near the top of the tyre at the front and curve around the back of the tyre, to lessen mug, water being flung up behind them.
On the rear though, the mudguards tend to cover the front of the tyre. Why bother? Will mud and water get flung forward from the rear wheel without it?
Help me understand before I take a hacksaw to the wing to tidy the whole thing up. It nevertheless gets driven in the rain anyway.....
Over the rear wheels, sit large mudguards, as smiliar to 1000's of UK kit cars out there.
The fronts of these mudguards are covered in a carbonfibre panel but still littered with stonechips, which again, seems to be the norm.
I can't see the point in the mudguards being present in front of the rear wheel.
On front wheels, mudguards typically start near the top of the tyre at the front and curve around the back of the tyre, to lessen mug, water being flung up behind them.
On the rear though, the mudguards tend to cover the front of the tyre. Why bother? Will mud and water get flung forward from the rear wheel without it?
Help me understand before I take a hacksaw to the wing to tidy the whole thing up. It nevertheless gets driven in the rain anyway.....
If your a cyclist, and cycle with mudgaurds in the rain, you will know why.
In the rain the tyres kick up enough water, at a high enough speed to flick a surprisingly large quantity of water forwards. Most gets flicked up and hits the inside of the arch, then runs off the back, but a lot will get flung forwards too with the velocity of the wheel.
In the rain the tyres kick up enough water, at a high enough speed to flick a surprisingly large quantity of water forwards. Most gets flicked up and hits the inside of the arch, then runs off the back, but a lot will get flung forwards too with the velocity of the wheel.
Ambleton said:
If your a cyclist, and cycle with mudgaurds in the rain, you will know why.
In the rain the tyres kick up enough water, at a high enough speed to flick a surprisingly large quantity of water forwards. Most gets flicked up and hits the inside of the arch, then runs off the back, but a lot will get flung forwards too with the velocity of the wheel.
Makes sense, thanks. So, if I will only ever get caught in the rain on the odd occasion I may cut the arches as I think it will look better.In the rain the tyres kick up enough water, at a high enough speed to flick a surprisingly large quantity of water forwards. Most gets flicked up and hits the inside of the arch, then runs off the back, but a lot will get flung forwards too with the velocity of the wheel.
Ambleton said:
alolympic said:
Makes sense, thanks. So, if I will only ever get caught in the rain on the odd occasion I may cut the arches as I think it will look better.
Might want to double check MOT requirements, but from a practical standpoint, cant see why not...1.
The vehicle must be fitted with wheel guards
2.
The wheel guard must extend at least 30 degrees from the centre of the wheel to the front (figure 1)
3.
The wheel guard must extend at least 50 degrees from the centre of the wheel to the rear (figure 1)
4.
The wheel guard must cover the full breadth of the tyre throughout the required dimensions (see note 2 & figure 1)
5.
The rear of the wheel guard must not terminate above a horizontal plane of 150mm above the wheel centre. (see note1 & figure 1)
I would be very wary of cutting away the front of the wing. As has been said a lot of water is thrown forward but also lots of stone and grit which will now stone chip the back of you front mudgaurds to almost the same degree as the rear ones get chipped.
As you say almost every kitcar out there have full coverage to the front...I wonder why?
Steve
Not sure the long rear mudguard is that esential to void debris being thrown forward.
As long as there is some protection along the top of the wheel, I would have thought that very little will get thrown forward.
The one car that has the type of set up I am suggesting is the Ariel Atom. If they drive around like that, gives me more faith that there won't be any real problems.
As long as there is some protection along the top of the wheel, I would have thought that very little will get thrown forward.
The one car that has the type of set up I am suggesting is the Ariel Atom. If they drive around like that, gives me more faith that there won't be any real problems.
Just a thought. If you cut away a lot of the front of the wheel arch and leave the back intact (to house rear lights?) will this have the effect of channeling a lot of air flow into the rear arch and potentially putting it under strain? I am reminded of early Ford Mondeos which often had cracked rear bumpers due to air being trapped inside them.
Gassing Station | Kit Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff