Arch Rolling on the Audi A4

[AudiAndy21]

Well i recieved my Arch Roller in the post a week ago and after watching some tutorial vids i have atempted to do it on the Audi with a 50% success rate.

Started with the drivers side arch.. jacked the car up put her in gear off with the wheel ect ect attached the arch roller then.... ooop it didnt move... so took the hand brake off and chocked the front wheels.... oooop still didnt move, then it clicked its a quattro .. so popped a steel wheel under the car lowered the jack VERY slowly on to the wheel and took her out of gear.

YEY she moves.... so i started to warm the paint up with a hairdryer and set the arch rollers hight and angle of the roller to comence rolling.
it started well but then CRACK.. a lump of body filler fell at my feet! GUTTED! i followed around the arch and a few more cracks apeared... body filler doesnt take well to being pushed from the inside out!! one quick call to my guy at the body shop and she is booked in to be fibreglassed and reskimmed like new... i stopped doing that arch for the fact i thought i was to blaim for fudgin it up!

i started with the passenger one thinking... well my mate would have to attack one arch so if i ****** this one up he can have two!!!

so i started in the same fasion as the driver.. and it was aparent this arch was pure metal and ALOT Easier!!! GREAT NEWS! so i warmed the paint up and completed the arch happy in the knowledge that the damage on the drivers arch was basicly down to the Bodge!

so now i am going to roll the drivers arch regardless of exterior damage to the same shape as the passenger one and then give the car to the body shop for the wheels to be refurbed and the rear arch to be cleaned up

Enjoy the pics guys

Drivers Side (no picture of damage or result until fully sorted)

Passenger side ( GOOD side )

Thoughts and Comments

 

[vr6gordy]

looks ok but be better without the lip on it

 

[S3 GAZ]

😱 hats off to you mate for even attempting that. I thought i was brave doing my timing belt but this takes the crown.

Look like you done a not to bad job. I'm not sure about the way the lip looks like its extended out and If it flows with the curve of the arch.

Lovely colour by the way. You got any pics from further away

 

[AudiAndy21]

cheers dude, will try get more pics ( some on my build thread) yeah i might try and get rid of that lip/edge but its a very harsh lip to smooth out..

 

[pink.teg]

I double that
was in the filling station and parked next to me was an RS2 ...wow
the front arches were big and was thinking were can i get some like that ....

 

[AudiAndy21]

cheers dude aye its a bit hairy at first but smoothly doing it with the right amount of heat and it can be done

 

[Turkster]

an interesting read mate, iv never seen arches rolled out before so its all new to me, i be very interested in seeing the full project when its completed, keep up the good work and keep us posted,

 

[holmefield]

cheers dude aye its a bit hairy at first but smoothly doing it with the right amount of heat and it can be done

Looks ok, fancy doing mine since were both running X5 alloys with very Audi un-friendly E.Ts !!!! im ding the spring perches on mine in the next week or so to try and reduce the front arche gap.

The arches should near as damn it be flush with the alloy rim now @ the rear shouldn't it ? i only concerns are how does the front arch look compared to the alloy can we have a side front pic please?

Im very tempted to do this to im just worried about the lip "look " its rolled..

 

[666markyboy]

Fair play for what your trying to do but this pic makes me cringe

Are you trying to actually extend the arch ???? because rollers are just for turning up the lip inside the arch to remove any chance of catching the tire the above pic looks like actually trying to pull out the arch a bit... well a lot imo loving the color though do you have a link to your build thread ???

 

[AudiAndy21]

i am actualy flaring the arch out which is the next stage of rolling, on cars with an "L" Shaped lip on the arch the tool is Used to flatten the lip against the arch "rolling" the next stage is to apply even presure along the lip of the arch pushing the arch out "flaring"

the main reason i am flaring the arches is to create a slightly wider look and also to create some extra clearance and coverage of the tyre for when i come to lower the car

it does look a bit cringe worthy but the finish on the passenger arch does look professional with no cracking of the paint and a very even flare...

Pics its dark and the car has white dust crap on her

best pics i could get, going to work on this arch a little more to get it 100% hope this shows the extra stretch to cover the tyres and to aid clearence when lowering her

 

[AudiAndy21]

The link behind the theory and a link to the build

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/project-room/134755-audi-a4-2-5v6-tdi-mini-project-%2Apic-heavy%2A.html

A quick guide to arch rolling

and a short video... obviously with the super wide rears and the stretch and wanting to lower her the flare has had to be amplified

Power-TEC 92269 Wheel Arch Reforming Tool - YouTube

 

[holmefield]

That looks better than the 1st pics, i see what your doing know. the lip thats been rolled out doesn't look that bad your always going to get a line where its been rolled out.

When lowered there should be some nice flush going on.

 

[AudiAndy21]

Yeah very hard to get a decent pic! haha and thats the plan get the ****** lowered so the look as a whole will be improved to match the arches..

 

[quattrojames]

You're a brave man!

I have to say, while I like the wheels the stance is too much for me, so I will be interested to see some finished pictures.

 

[Chriscooke]

Love a bit of poke where wheel fitment is concerned. Good work especially as it looks like the arches aren't the easiest to roll due to their shape.

 

[AudiAndy21]

cheers guys, yeah little bit of a night mare to get the shape ect

 

[ScottD3]

weld one for trying it.

beats the scaffolding bar version.

be nice to see it finished.

 

[AlexGSi2000]

Not really a fan of that to be honest - but fair play for being different! (and that's what its all about)

 

[L7AUDI]

Think your car looks awsome with the stance & poke them bmw's are giving it, v brave with the arch rolling! look forward to seeing pic's when totally finished. :icon_thumright: