Thread: Defender 90 - Noise from stones in wheelarches on gravel roads

Apply 3mm thick insertion rubber with contact adhesive. Cut it into strips to make it follow the contours. Properly applied, it should last for years.
Don.

I was talking to a salesman in a dealership not long ago , anyway he was telling me about a customer , that cut a truck plastic wheel guard in half . He said he fitted the halves under the rear wheel arches . He told me that It had made a big difference to stone noise ! I don't know if this was just a bit of bull**** or if It does work . Maybe someone else has heard , or even done this . I can't see why not . The only thing I can see as a problem is Mud and Dirt could build up behind them !!.. Jim

Yeah I had a crack at doing this!

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130...rch-liner.html

I followed the example of Farry and Gvwow in the above link.
It's certainly better, but in terms of completely getting rid of the stone chip noise, I reckon a rubber wheel arch liner would be better.
Now, instead of a loud metallic sounding ping/ring every time a stone flies up, it's a duller plastic-y sound, but seemingly no quieter!

It's almost impossible to seal completely behind the truck liner, so there is some muck/dirt and dust behind them, but not so much that it would ever create a problem (although I haven't dunked it waist deep in mud....).

I intend to keep them for the moment, but as soon as they look like they're ever going to fall off/crack, I'll pull them out, clean up in the wheel arch and do it again with a rubber liner.

Actually I forgot to mention I also went back to the dealer and got front mud flaps fitted. I think these also reduced some of the stones being flicked up from the front wheels. Then again maybe the noise reduction was just me getting used to it!

This looks like a much neater effort than mine.

DEFENDER2.NET - View topic - Wheel arch liners

He admits it's only for road use, but the big overhangs past the bodywork will need shortening if you want to avoid them getting broken off road.

On my older Defender I bent up some tube and welded a few tabs and mounted this to the inner guard. I fitted some insertion rubber to the supports and problem solved. I will be doing this on my new to me used Defender. Unfortunately the previous owner had already caused a few minor dents in the panels at the rear from stones hitting and denting the inside of the panel. I can't believe Land Rover never had a wheel arch liner!
If the panel is not protected, sooner or later exposed metal will get dented. I also fitted insertion strip in the front wheel arch where the bulkhead panel is exposed.

I assumed it was stones hitting the steel wheel arch liner plate thingeys (technical term) behind the wheels blocking stones from flying towards the body, so I was planning to trot off to Clark Rubber and glue some thick rubber to them to see if it helped. Youngest son has just lined his Hilux's wheel arches with rubber for the same reason. Seemed to help.

The amount of stones being thrown up into the wheel arch will be a bit dependent on tyre type. I have the Continental tyres which seem to pick up everything on the road.

My Defender has minor stone damage in one of the front leading panels below the rear door and at the rear guard side panel. My previous Defender had damage in the upper section of the arch.

For me, the whole inside section of the arch needs to be protected if you are likely to do a lot of dirt driving. I purchased some steel and rubber this morning to fabricated my new liners as soon as I can. Defenders have enough wonky panels without making them worse.

I have also strengthened the mud flap stay bar mount to the rear lower panel as this can crack the aluminium due to flexing.