Arches - Soft Or Not

Hey everyone,

Its getting to the stage for me to buy some arches. I really like the sportspack arches and have found two sets, one is rubber and the other is rigid ABS plastic. My question is which one do I choose?

Sorry if there is already a topic on this, please point me in the right direction if there is.

Thanks in advance

Seb

I think the rigid ones are more like the originals.

ive got a set of gen sports park arches for sale pm if your interested

ben

From previous experience, always go for the softer ones. Why you ask - heres the answers

1) As with all replica/non factory parts and panels, none fit right. Fitting sportspack arches, you will inevitably need to bend the arches to the body when you bolt/rivet them on, and the job is made infinitely harder when you can't work with the parts.

2) The ABS/Fiberglass arches crack and splinter when they get knocks and the paint cracks. You also get crazing on lots of fiberglass bits which looks aweful. The softer rubber/plastic arches freely bend much more if anything hits you (or you hit them:-), leaving you with arches which are still in tact. Lovely.

3) The softer arches are actually more rigid than you think when they're on the car. Once attached they gain a lot of strength and move very little, at least not at all noticably when driving. They only flex when you put pressure on them.

Im sure theres going to be someone who prefers the rigid ones, but theyre just not as functional and durable.

Just my thoughts

From previous experience, always go for the softer ones. Why you ask - heres the answers

1) As with all replica/non factory parts and panels, none fit right. Fitting sportspack arches, you will inevitably need to bend the arches to the body when you bolt/rivet them on, and the job is made infinitely harder when you can't work with the parts.

2) The ABS/Fiberglass arches crack and splinter when they get knocks and the paint cracks. You also get crazing on lots of fiberglass bits which looks aweful. The softer rubber/plastic arches freely bend much more if anything hits you (or you hit them:-), leaving you with arches which are still in tact. Lovely.

3) The softer arches are actually more rigid than you think when they're on the car. Once attached they gain a lot of strength and move very little, at least not at all noticably when driving. They only flex when you put pressure on them.

Im sure theres going to be someone who prefers the rigid ones, but theyre just not as functional and durable.

Just my thoughts

Thanks very much for that reply, that's given me pretty much all I could need to know.
Ben I have pm'd you and thanks to all for helping

Seb

i have had both rubber and fiberglass and the rubber arches in the hot weather changed shape and looked stupid, as the for fiberglass i have them on now and they look loads better and stronger, had no problems with them cracking

avoid the soft rubber arches!! i have them on my mpi and they are rubbish.

The surface finish is crap and they warp in the heat so you're left with massive high and low spots in the plastic.....get genuine ones, they will alost certainly fit your car ok.

I was looking at a set of soft arches that my mate pulled off his mini the other day. They are like bloomin newspaper. Awful floppy things.

ID go for a solid set, The minisport ones look good? Or maybe the arc angels ones.

In addition to my last post - I would suggest getting a decent pair of plastic ones obviously, not a pair of very thin knock offs.

In addition to my last post - I would suggest getting a decent pair of plastic ones obviously, not a pair of very thin knock offs.

Any recomendations on where to get decent plastic ones?

All the plastic ones iv ever bought have been from shows. Nearly all the traders sell them and nearly every set you find are of a different quality. I think my last set were probably from MiniSport or the like, but i cant remember for sure. Just go to a show and pick up a few different sets from each trader and bend and feel them to see how good they are.

I seem to remember when i got my last arches there were only about 5 or 6 sets left at one of the traders (it was late in the day) and there was only one which were of a decent quality. All the others had imperfections from the mould they were cast from or were thin in place etc, but the ones i got were perfect.

I can 100% say that none of my plastic arches have never melte, sagged in the heat or changed shape, and it has been VERY hot recently as im sure we've all realised. If other peoples have, i would either suggest they return them to the manufacturer for supplying goods not fit for purpose or maybe, just maybe (its only a sugestion) they fitted them wrong

As for poor surface finishes, whenever painting them, they need to be prepped first by sanding any high spots down and filling any low points. If they're corectly prepared for painting the finish will be just as good as any other surface, but paint on a crap surface to start with and you end up with a similar finish. It's very hard to end up with a poor finish with a good starting surface (unless you're not a very good painter ).

In all seriousness, its prime show season at the moment so get own to a local one and get you'r hands on a decent set of arches. Buying them online, you'll have no guarantee about the general quality of them etc. Original parts will cost A LOT more than replicas but will more than likely fit a lot better to start with. Fiberglass ones will also cost more. From what i can remember rubber ones are about £40-45 and fiberglass £60-70.