No longer a mobile composter...

[bxl_lad]

Maybe you're unaware that T4s are also great composters...?
I recently happened upon a youtube video of a guy removing the front wings to reveal years of build-up of leaves and other foliage all nicely composting inside. And its true, the windscreen drains are just great capture nets for all the crap that ends up in the gully.
Anyway, in the video the guy cleans out all the crap and fits a drain kit and leaf blockers to alleviate (or certainly lessen) the problem.
You can find these kits at "Berg Bullis", a German outfit that also make a few other items for VW vans:

VW T4 Wasserablauf-Set ( Komposter-Set )

Unser patentiertes Wasserablauf-Set für den T4 Kotflügel welches durch sein Schlauchsystem Wasser und sämtliche Verschmutzung aus dem Kotflügel leitet. Nie wieder Kompost im Kotflügel! Der Ablauf-Stopfen ist so gefertigt, dass selbst der letzte Rest Wasser aus der Ablaufrinne abfließen kann. Das...

www.bergbullis.de

Its a simple kit and no doubt if you wanted you could source the parts yourself, but it was just less hassle to order the kit a support a small trader ;-)
So today i set about it!

Indeed my wings were full of crap! I also took the opportunity to fit a new foam insert for the air intake as the old one was literally growing moss!
To get to take off the wing skins you do though have to remove most of the front end - grill, bumper, indicators... The wings themselves are bonded on at the lower edge, so once the bolts are off you might have to apply a little heat to loosen them off (gently though!) After a thorough clean and a few bits of rust treated, the kit was applied and it all went back together. Another job ticked off the list!

 

[Seaview]

Thought this was going to be another portable toilet thread .........

Good job on the drain install. Hope you put the compost to good use!

 

[ArunAlec]

When I was investigating a suspension knock I also discovered this strange design ”feature” (Although the panel design is a bit different in my T5). I had to remove the screws holding the front mud flaps and inner wheel arch to clear the debris. Worth doing before the rusts starts!

 

[bxl_lad]

When I was investigating a suspension knock I also discovered this strange design ”feature” (Although the panel design is a bit different in my T5). I had to remove the screws holding the front mud flaps and inner wheel arch to clear the debris. Worth doing before the rusts starts!

So VW didn't fix this in the next generation... Interesting!
Will have to see if this kit I installed 'does as it says on the tin', but it should stop most of the debris getting behind there...

 

[ArunAlec]

It does seem strange .... unless the California isn’t meant to be used near falling leaves! Any debris from the screen area is directed straight into the void behind the front wing. I feel a diy mod coming on!

 

[Chriswoody]

How brilliant is this. I'd been aware of the issue for a while now and seen a homemade version of this solution on T4Wiki.de. I'd been thinking about doing a D.I.Y. job this autumn to protect all my new body work, but this kit looks brilliant.

For 40 Euros it's an absolute no brainer, much better than trying to source the correct bits in the D.I.Y. shop, thanks ever so much for posting.

I'm really impressed at how clean and rust free your inner wings are given the crud that was in there. Looks like you caught it in time.

 

[bxl_lad]

How brilliant is this. I'd been aware of the issue for a while now and seen a homemade version of this solution on T4Wiki.de. I'd been thinking about doing a D.I.Y. job this autumn to protect all my new body work, but this kit looks brilliant.

For 40 Euros it's an absolute no brainer, much better than trying to source the correct bits in the D.I.Y. shop, thanks ever so much for posting.

I'm really impressed at how clean and rust free your inner wings are given the crud that was in there. Looks like you caught it in time.

Was surprised too, when I saw how much was there I worried for what was going to be underneath... but also expected more after almost 20 years (though not sure if anyone cleaned up previously).
Indeed the kit is worth it, I'm sure you can fart about buying all the bits, but like this it's done. A morning's work and a few kilos lighter, and free compost for the garden!