**Wide Front Fenders**Discussion & Pole**

Which Wide Arch Fender would you purchase, and why?

  • Total voters
    36
D3N0

D3N0

Member +
As part of the continuing improvements for my glanza for a 2010, ive been looking at wheels, tires, and traction at both front and rear. For wheels i decided that a 16 x 8 Rim with an offset of +20 would be more than efficient at clearing the Wilwood brake calipers nicely, and would provide greater options for tyres. Tire selection is important as is the only thing that should be in constant contact with the road surface, having a broad contact patch will aid traction. through research ive found that most starleteers use 195 and 205 diameter tyres on 7 inch wide rims, but the optimal tire ive decided on is a 225 40 r16 setup. To run this setup comfortable, will require modifications to existing front fenders or purchasing existing wide arch fenders than are readily availble from traders.

This is where you guys come in.

Id like it if you would vote which of the following Wide Arch Fenders you would buy with PERFORMANCE over Appearance in mind, could you also post the reason why?

Cruise £531

Mr Chu £321

Zep (Livesport) £341


From Observation:

Cruise:- The Cruise Front Wide Fenders are 3cm wider than stock fenders. This will allow you to run wider and lower offset rims with wider tires. The wide fenders will also give your tame looking EP91 a much more aggressive look. * This will allow you to run 235 wide tires, but i feel this is over kill unless fully focused on dragging. it also looks like the lip is rolled rather than faced. Also the Available in carbon fibre upon request. Also dont like how the material between the pocket and fender edge is thin at start of curve and then gets thicker.

Mr Chu:- *No real discription of his product given, i.e dimension of width over standard. But seems to have been designed to look similar to the Cruise item. However, the parallel curve doesnt follow all the way round quite like the ZEP item and has more of an off curve that doesnt follow the oem design lines 100% same like the Cruise item. Also dont like how the material between the pocket and fender edge is thin at start of curve and then gets thicker. Also available in carbon fibre.

ZEP (Livesport):- The items are composed of highly durable FRP and will extend your wheel wells +20mm out for a wider rim/tire combination and more aggressive appearance with the air ducts. With these fenders Zep has been able to get up to 8JJ wide rims with 225/45 series inch tires to fit flush. *This is not only wide but looks to have more bulge than the others and not a lip extension like the cruise product, which makes me believe that it was purpose designed as opposed to lipping the oem fender and creating a mold. Available in carbon fibre opon request.


Owners feedback greatly appreciated, as my opinions are based on description and varies photos of them on and off the car.
 
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riko666

riko666

Member +
In the end wider fenders do one thing and one thing only - allow for a wider track, which one you go for in the end depends on which you find more aesthetically pleasing and what you'd prefer paying. The Cruise items are very good in terms of quality, really dense FRP unlike the weedy stuff you find on the Tom's bodykits etc. Don't be fooled into thinking any hot engine bay air is evacuated with the fenders - the engine bay is relatively sealed away from the wheel wells - and any aerodynamic improvements from releasing pressure from the wheel wells is probably negligible as the vents are too high.
 
Idrees

Idrees

Banned
Personally, I think the Cruise are the best out there. But could you justify paying £531 for a pair of fenders? If so, I say you should buy them. Second option for me would be the ZEP ones, although I'm not a great fan of the vent at the top of them, they look neater than Chu's due to Chu's vent looking a bit on the large side and not following the curve on the arch. Also your car is black so I think would pull off with ZEP fenders well. £190 cheaper for the ZEPs too than the Cruise, if my Glanza was black and I had the money for fenders, I'd snap up the ZEPS. 20mm sounds like enough too and are suited for the tyres you was (225).

Good luck with your desicion.
 
D3N0

D3N0

Member +
Good additional input there Riko

Idrees, i feel the same way dude. been looking at them as no bias as possible, and for the price of the FRP Cruise you could get a carbonfibre one for a touch more. 225 are optimal for such high power starlets, after i finish my setup um sure other will follow if money is there. should look the tits too.
 
riko666

riko666

Member +
As for clearance - I have ET7, 7J wheels on the front, from stock they protrude an extra 44mm further out, and are currently about flush with the fender, and with 8" wheels on a +20 offset they'd be EXACTLY the same as my wheels are, and I've not even got the arch lip rolled in - on the rear only one side rubbed slightly, indication that the panhard rod is slightly out. Mind you, I've gone with a thinner profile tyre so the rolling radius is actually smaller than stock, and on a 16" wheel you will have less clearance, and furthermore my car isn't as low as it used to be.

Oh, the offsets on Glanza and Paseo are the same, at ET38
 
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D3N0

D3N0

Member +
riko666 said:
As for clearance - I have ET7, 7J wheels on the front, from stock they protrude an extra 44mm further out, and are currently about flush with the fender, and with 8" wheels on a +20 offset they'd be EXACTLY the same as my wheels are, and I've not even got the arch lip rolled in. Mind you, I've gone with a thinner profile tyre so the rolling radius is actually smaller than stock, and on a 16" wheel you will have less clearance, and furthermore my car isn't as low as it used to be.

Oh, the offsets on Glanza and Paseo are the same, at ET38
Click to expand...

What tires do u have on dimensions?

Have you removed the fender protection plastic?

I ask because the fenders on your Paseo and my Glanza are not the same, although the offsets maybe. surely u must be running 195 diameter tyres which could possible allow you to not rub your arches. As when i put 205 45 r16 tyres on my car it rubbed terribly on corners and the odd bump on the road. i had to cut the protective plastic and bend a bit of metal from the fenders by the screw that was cutting the tyres.

The adjustments you have made to your car compensate handling it being higher up off the ground with lower profile tire wall. you need the thicker tyre wall for flex, and you know that lowering the center of gravity of the car along with other adjustments increase cormering speed, feel and overall handling.
 
riko666

riko666

Member +
195/45 R15

The plastic is still there - when I first removed the powersteering I would get rubbing on the stock 185/60 R14 tyres on the inside arch, but then it eventually ceased and no issue with these new wheels. But as I said, as you'll have a closer to stock rolling radius, you're likely to have more issues with clearance.

I only raised the car as my car was actually "beaching" itself on the driveway slightly, scratching my pretty and expensive exhaust, and no need to tell me the basics of handling :p. The car's long needed an alignment/corner weighting - I tried adjusting the ride-height recently but the adjustment rings are pretty seized. I won't discuss the minutae of my car's handling woes right now as it doesn't partain to this thread :p
 
D3N0

D3N0

Member +
riko666 said:
195/45 R15

The plastic is still there - when I first removed the powersteering I would get rubbing on the stock 185/60 R14 tyres on the inside arch, but then it eventually ceased and no issue with these new wheels. But as I said, as you'll have a closer to stock rolling radius, you're likely to have more issues with clearance.

I only raised the car as my car was actually "beaching" itself on the driveway slightly, scratching my pretty and expensive exhaust, and no need to tell me the basics of handling :p. The car's long needed an alignment/corner weighting - I tried adjusting the ride-height recently but the adjustment rings are pretty seized. I won't discuss the minutae of my car's handling woes right now as it doesn't partain to this thread :p
Click to expand...

Igh - Igh... Captin ;)
 
BallıGee

BallıGee

Member +
D3N0 said:
Thanks for the comment, but what makes them over the top?
Click to expand...

look at the cruise stuff looks good and effective bumper bonnet wings looks lush the others look a bit boy racer just my opinion

ps u forgot about zep archs they look good
 
N

nutta

Member +
iv got the McChu carbon fiber wings, there very well made and look mint, they stick out wider than standard but not too wide to look silly compared to the rear, and the price is quite good really as well.

However if we all had the money we would most deffo get the Cruise ones..
 
MARK@CMBAUTOS

MARK@CMBAUTOS

Trader
iv seen a few sets of zep wings fitted to glanza's and gt's they look kind of silly from the rear .all u see is front wings! cause there is nothing on the rear arches .they didn't have wider wheels tho just the same ones. and fitting quality is not that great . but they look ace side on :cool:! iv never seen cruise ones fitted id think they would be better id prob pic cruise ones
this is just my opinion good luck
 
D3N0

D3N0

Member +
**Just Bought the ZEP Fenders**

As title states, ive just placed my order and now got a 3 weeks wait after being approved. :p £315 after 10% discount

Oh and the ZEP stick on over fenders look pants, and do absolutely nothing but bog-out with a hint of chavness (just my opinion).
 
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