Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge

FRONT FENDER

Fender is the American English term for the part of an automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle body that frames a wheel well (the fender underside). Its primary purpose is to prevent sand, mud, rocks, liquids, and other road spray from being thrown into the air by the rotating tire. Fenders are typically rigid and can be damaged by contact with the road surface.

Sticky materials, such as mud, may adhere to the smooth outer tire surface, while smooth loose objects, such as stones, can become temporarily embedded in the tread grooves as the tire rolls over the ground. These materials can be ejected from the surface of the tire at high velocity as the tire imparts kinetic energy to the attached objects. For a vehicle moving forward, the top of the tire is rotating upward and forward, and can throw objects into the air at other vehicles or pedestrians in front of the vehicle.[reference]

Moreover, the front fender also obscures the engine compartment from outsiders' view. It affects the look and style of the Car. In many cases, front fender has a mounting for indicators.

Standards of front fender

JAPAN REGULATIONS:

• Measure clearance L of tire ,hub, cap & fender in three different positions within area K and produce clearance check chart to validate.
• Clearance must be greater than 5 mm in all the three positions.
• Wheel guard reqmt: The value of a shall be more than 5 mim at a line 30" forward and 50 rearward from the central vertical axis of axis of wheel.

US REGULATIONS:

• Make clearance check details on all positions from -100* to 100* & make the clearance check table.
• All values should be greater than 5 mm to satisfy the regulations. The value of 'a' shall be more than 5 mm at a line 30* forward and 50*.
• rearward from the central vertical axis of axis of wheel.

EUROPEAN REGULATIONS:

• Measure CL L at sections SA-SA SB-SB SC-SC SD-SD SE-SE and produce CL check chart to validate.
• At all five sections the CL L value should be greater than 10 mm to satisfy the European regulations.
• Wheel guard regmt: The value of 'a shall be more than 5 mm at a line 30* forward and 50* rearward from the central vertical axis of axis of wheel.

Measurement of clearance length 'L'

Wheel Arch Distance is measured by both Measure Tool and Projections.

SB and SA section(FROM RIGHT)

SC SD SE SECTION(FROM RIGHT)

SECTION	REQUIRED CLEARANCE mm	MEASURED CLEARANCE 'L' mm	REMARKS
SB	10	10	PASS
SA	10	9.9489	FAIL
SC	10	-0.1126	FAIL
SD	10	-1.769	FAIL
SE	10	-3.5496	FAIL

CONCLUSION

The given wheel arch distance is not upto european standards. Suggested to change the SE section distance to +13.5496. Then, all other standards will be met.