Shocks Rubbing On Tyre

[bobdylan_55 1]

I have fitted some coilovers and for some reason the tyre rubs on the shock collar at the bottom. any ideas? They are on the correct sides etc and am rather confused to say the least.

thanks

[Strictly_Derv 34]

What coilovers have you got? Might just be worth getting a 3mm spacer on them Spacer

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

You will find this, more on cheap version's, just wind them up and get a shorter spring,

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

What wheels are you running? You would be fine with 1.6 hubs but 1.9 hubs are much narrower. I needed spacers on some high offset wheels when i swapped from 1.6 to 1.9 hubs. Also 309 wishbones don't help as they pull the tyres in even more

[Cameron 16]

Sounds like you either have the car too low or the springs are too long, on my coilovers the spring seat was always a good 1.5" above the tyre and that was set quite low! As Miles said, if you can't achieve the ride height you want then get some shorter springs.

[bobdylan_55 1]

i have wound the collars up so the car sits as high as it can because i had little sump clearance. It still rubs on the tyre very slightly.

It is the collars that are rubbing at the bottom of the spring.

Im running 1.9 gti alloys and 1.9 hubs (forgot to mention its on a 309 gti not a 205)

thanks

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

What coil overs are they, Sound very funny if you have wound them up and its still rubbing

[Strictly_Derv 34]

Just buy some 3mm spacers to clear it, simples.

[dcc 855]

Maybe he wants to fix the issue not hide it?

[Cameron 16]

What coil overs are they, Sound very funny if you have wound them up and its still rubbing

 

Sounds like he was running them stupidly low if he was having sump clearance issues.

[bobdylan_55 1]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AP-Coilovers-Peugeot-205-1-1-1-4-1-6-1-9-GTi-/280547514851?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4151ef59e3

 

they are the coilovers ^^^ but 309 ones not 205 ones if theres any difference. The reason im having sump clearance issues is because ive got a gti6 engine with a ml5t gearbox and custom mounts to make the engine sit lower to the ground for cog. Not because im a chav who runs with my arches touching the tyres.

 

secondly i dont want to use spacers as they are a quick bodge and id rather do it properly.

 

What would you recommend doing? there is probably some more thread on the shock but obviously the spring is compressed quite a bit so would i need smaller springs?

[Cameron 16]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AP-Coilovers-Peugeot-205-1-1-1-4-1-6-1-9-GTi-/280547514851?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4151ef59e3

 

they are the coilovers ^^^ but 309 ones not 205 ones if theres any difference. The reason im having sump clearance issues is because ive got a gti6 engine with a ml5t gearbox and custom mounts to make the engine sit lower to the ground for cog. Not because im a chav who runs with my arches touching the tyres.

 

secondly i dont want to use spacers as they are a quick bodge and id rather do it properly.

 

What would you recommend doing? there is probably some more thread on the shock but obviously the spring is compressed quite a bit so would i need smaller springs?

 

If you can't get the ride height you want without the tyres rubbing the spring seats then yes I would get shorter springs.

 

To add to that, if you can't get the ride height you want without getting sump clearance issues, maybe you should raise the engine back up a bit? I know it's a nice idea to get the engine CG down, but if your lowest point on the car is the sump you're going to have all sorts of problems down the line! If you raise the engine back up so you can get the ride height you want then you won't have lost anything CG-wise, since the body will have effectively moved down around the engine. Personally I wouldn't touch the engine mounts until a dry sump (much shallower) had been fitted.

[bobdylan_55 1]

If you can't get the ride height you want without the tyres rubbing the spring seats then yes I would get shorter springs.

 

To add to that, if you can't get the ride height you want without getting sump clearance issues, maybe you should raise the engine back up a bit? I know it's a nice idea to get the engine CG down, but if your lowest point on the car is the sump you're going to have all sorts of problems down the line! If you raise the engine back up so you can get the ride height you want then you won't have lost anything CG-wise, since the body will have effectively moved down around the engine. Personally I wouldn't touch the engine mounts until a dry sump (much shallower) had been fitted.

 

unfortunately without some serious work the left of the engine (as looking at it from the front) cant easily be made higher. Because of the ml5t gearbox it naturally sits at an angle so the gearbox side had to be dropped about an inch or so.

 

I think ill have another look tonight, ive got a feeling shorter springs might solve the issue.

 

ill report back when ive been out and froze my balls off.

 

thanks

[Cameron 16]

I guess I'm missing the advantages of having an ML5T gearbox, as it sounds like a massive pain in the arse! Why have you fitted one?

 

Shorter springs won't fix your sump clearance issue.

[welshpug 1,655]

their torque rating is much higher than the BE boxes.

[bobdylan_55 1]

able to handle much more torque (as the engine is producing around 300bhp and a lot of torque) hydraulic clutch, better ratios for turbo applications, cable shift.

 

the entire front of the car is low not just the sump, the sump is very low, but the whole car is low at the front in general and im unsure why. Like i said i need to take another look as something doesnt seem quite right.

 

ta

Edited December 13, 2011 by bobdylan_55

[welshpug 1,655]

the box weighs 50 kilos odd, the ML flywheels and clutches are much heavier, plus a 16v iron block engine, plus pipework turbo etc, that's and easy 50 kilos over an XU9 I would think!

[Cameron 16]

What spring rate are you running up front?

[bobdylan_55 1]

What spring rate are you running up front?

 

unfortunately i cant find any information on the springs but on another forum i person said he was running the same ones and are rated near 200lbs.

Ive got some 6" 250lbs ones in the garage that i can try if you think its worth a go?

[Cameron 16]

What length are they currently?

 

It's worth a try, the 50lbs/in extra stiffness should raise the front a little.

[bobdylan_55 1]

What length are they currently?

 

It's worth a try, the 50lbs/in extra stiffness should raise the front a little.

 

they looked quite short to memory, but im guessing 6 or 7 inch however im not 100% on this.

 

Looking on the ebay listing again, it says 30-90mm drop on front, which in a car with an extra 50kg on the front would be more like 40-50mm id have guessed? so as you say its most probably spring related.

Edited December 14, 2011 by bobdylan_55

[Cameron 16]

An extra 50kg up front equates to a ~7mm drop on 200lb springs - nothing significant.

 

Using 250lb/in springs in place of 200lb/in ones will raise your front ride height by about 30mm (900kg car, 64% front WD).

[bobdylan_55 1]

An extra 50kg up front equates to a ~7mm drop on 200lb springs - nothing significant.

 

Using 250lb/in springs in place of 200lb/in ones will raise your front ride height by about 30mm (900kg car, 64% front WD).

 

cheers for that, il try the 250lbs ones and see how i get on.

do you think the shocks will be able to cope?

[Rich_p 23]

I have some old 275lb 9" (i think, possibly shorter) that you are welcome to try before shelling out on a new pair

[bobdylan_55 1]

cheers rich but i think i need smaller springs ?

just realised the springs i have in garage are 2.5" not 2.25"