First off I'd like to say hello and thanks to everyone on this forum. Corvette owners are defitely the best!!!!! I own a 76 corvette and is a slow but steady work in progress. Heres the dilema.

Question ? When the front tires are pointing directly straight, should the gap between the tire be equal near the front feder well and the rear of the fender well ? The reason I ask is because when I sterr the car to the left nothing rubs but when I turn to the right the drivers side tire rubs the bottom of the front fender and the fron passenger rubs against the rear of the fendr. This cant be correct!!! I put the tires straight again and looked to see if the tires are centered inside the fender, and as if you didnt figure it out by now, they werent
Does anyone have a solution for this.

 

well welcome..what size tires do you have and what type of wheels do you have? could be wrong size wheels with incorrect offsets? got pictures of the wheels?

 

They are 17in TT II's; tires are 255/50/17

 

255's usually rub... ditch um for 235's if it bothers you

 

I'm looking for maximum wheelwell fillage, too. Is there anything between 235 & 255?

 

Sounds like the smaller tire would be the quick fix, still doesnt explain why it only happens when you turn the wheel to the right and each front tire rubs in two different locations.

 

My 75 does the same thing. No rub to the left. Rubs at full lock to the right. 255-60-15's.

As these were basically hand built cars, the tolerances vary. Some rub, some don't. As wildman378 says, get some narrower fronts if this is an issue for you.

And welcome to the insanity!

 

Mine did the same (rubbed on one side and not the other). Replaced all bushings with poly and the rubbing went away and clearances are now equal on both sides.

YMMV

 

i have been watching these posts for a while now since i want to travel down this path ....its a hit and miss venture with each car with these big tires

 

245/45/17's would fit and probably not rub

 

I had 255/50/17's and they rubbed, went to 255/45's and they clear fine.

Nick

 

Thanks for the responses. After checking everything out, I came up with the conclusion that I have to replace all the bushings in the front suspension, they are shot!!!! I am ordering that package from van steele, pretty good deal. Maybe this may help the tire rub problem. If not, I guess I will just have to go to a smaller tir size.

 

Just got off the phone with van steel, they said new bushings is not going to fix the problem, they said it's either an A arm weld that has cracked and just needs to be re-welded or the frame is bent!!!!!!!!!

Just got done measuring from the center of fron wheel to center of rear wheel on both sides of the car. The measurement was 98 in. fro both, I assume this is good news?

 

Its difficult to see in my picture, but my front drivers side wheel sits further to the back of the wheel arch, ie more space in front of it than behind it. Frame isnt bent, a-arms are freshly restored with new bushings....its just the way older vettes are.
Some vettes just cannot handle 255/50/17's up front. (mine only rubbed on one side aswell...on the drivers side)

Nick

 

why do you think that the wheel offset is correct? can you get a set of stock rims/tires on that car and see what your clearance is?

 

I would agree that bushings would not do the trick, unless they were really bad. If they are that bad that the tire would rub you would have other problems. I have 255/60/15 on the front. I get an occassional rub, but may be due to the aftermaket wheels. Sometimes an 1/8" or 1/16" is enough to cause problems.
How is the ride height in the front? Should be about 28" or so.

 

I had 255/50-17 and they rubbed on my spoiler. Went to 245/45

 

With 17" wheels being after market, backspacing may be an issue as well as tire width. Have you compared to backspacing on stock 15" wheels?

 

What is the difference between backspace and offset ?

 

Wheel terminology (courtesy of American racing)

Backside setting/Back spacing - The measurement from the mounting pad to the inner edge of the wheel.

Bead seat - The position where the tire rests and seals on the inside of the rim.

Bolt Circle - The diameter of an imaginary circle drawn through the center of each lug hole. Also referred to as the bolt pattern.

Center Bore - The hole in the center of the wheel machined to match the hub of specified vehicles with hub-centric wheels and machined to a generic size with lug centric wheels.

Hub centric - The center bore hole of a wheel matches the hub diameter of the vehicle. This centers the wheel via the center hole rather than the lug nuts.

Hub centric ring(s) - A nylon insert for the center bore of the wheel that keeps the wheel concentric to the vehicle's hub during installation.

Load rating - The maximum weight that the wheel is designed to support. To determine load rating requirements take the gross axle weight ration and divide by 2.

Lug centric - When the wheel is centered by the bolt holes/ lug nuts of the wheel, rather than by the center bore. Lug centric wheels should be balanced from the bolt holes.

Make - The brand name of the vehicle. For example, Ford, Chevrolet, Honda.

Model - The particular style name of the vehicle. For example, F-150, Corvette, Civic.

Mounting pad - The surface area on the back of the wheel's center that contacts the brake drum or rotor surface.

MSRP - This is the manufacturer suggested retail price per wheel. The dealer sets actual retail pricing.

Negative offset - When the mounting surface is closer to the disk/drum (Inside) of the wheel. Or the mounting pad is behind the centerline of the wheel. This type of wheel is commonly referred to as a deep-dish wheel. This offset is common in older vehicles and many of today's trucks and will bring the wheel/tire combination out away from the vehicle.

Offset - The offset of the wheel is the distance from the mounting pad to the centerline of the wheel.

Positive offset - The mounting pad is forward of the centerline of the wheel, towards the street side of the wheel. This is common in most front wheel drive cars and some newer trucks. Generally speaking a positive offset wheel brings the wheels closer to the center of the vehicle.

Plus 1/ plus 2 sizing - A concept to improve handling and performance through the mounting of lower profile tires to wheels that are 1, 2 or even 3' greater in diameter. The overall ride height remains the same.

Rim width - The width of the custom wheel, measured from bead seat to bead seat not edge to edge.

Rim Diameter - The overall diameter of the wheel's bead seat, not the diameter of the rim edge.

Rim flange - The outermost edge of the wheel's rim that the clip-on weights attach to on most wheels.

Safety bead - The raised area circling the rim of the wheel and located slightly inward from the bead seat.

Spring clips - Push on retainer clips that hold the brake from on the disc rotor to the axle during transportation.

Star pattern - The proper way for sequential torquing of the lugs in a 5 lug bolt circle.

Torquing - The securing of the wheel/tire assembly to the automobile by the tightening of the wheel's lug nuts to the studs of the vehicle's hub. Custom wheels should always be torqued with a manual torque wrench (not an impact air wrench) to torque rating specifications followed by periodic re-torquing.

Torque rating - The proper pressure to be applied in foot pounds when tightening lug nuts to secure the wheel/tire assembly to the automobile.

Unsprung weight - The total weight of the vehicle not supported by the suspension system. For example wheels and tires.

Wheel weights - Weights that are used to balance the wheel/tire assembly. They are either clipped, taped, or self adhered to the inside or outside of the wheel.

Zero offset - The distance from the mounting pad to the centerline of the wheel is 0.