left front tire clearance problem -pics
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 753
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left front tire clearance problem -pics
please look at pics
after fitting a pair 1" wheel adapters i have this problem only at left front tire when turning left
245/60/15
camber : about 1,5 deg neg
caster maxed out : about 2,75 deg
i was thinking to reduce the caster to 2 deg or so. will it solve the problem?
if reducing caster is the way to go , does someone know what amount of caster is usually given with an equal number of shims front and rear at caster adjustment?
after fitting a pair 1" wheel adapters i have this problem only at left front tire when turning left
245/60/15
camber : about 1,5 deg neg
caster maxed out : about 2,75 deg
i was thinking to reduce the caster to 2 deg or so. will it solve the problem?
if reducing caster is the way to go , does someone know what amount of caster is usually given with an equal number of shims front and rear at caster adjustment?
Last edited by elle88; May 11, 2011 at 05:00 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2004
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From: Gulf of America
2023 C7 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2018 C3 of Year Finalist
I agree with the above posters. I run a P245/60/15 on OEM vette wheels with the OEM backspacing and I have plenty of clearance.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
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the minilite wheels have less backspace than oem wheels and they stick well in . i used the spacer to gain the correct back space again, actually it's just a tad more , in fact the tire doesn't stick out of the fender. uhmm i don't know what to do now...
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 860
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From: Stratford Ontario
What about trying a smaller spacer such as 3/4". You could maybe find something to use to shim wheel out till you get the right thickness to work then have your spacers ground to that thickness or order that thickness if possible. The only options are to shave fender or shorten springs so front sits slightly lower. You didnt happen to have put new springs on when doing this?
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
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From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Our old Vettes were really just poorly designed. I couldn't take it anymore and just went and bought the Daytona front end. The wheel wells are two inches farther back. I had to cut off two inches from the lower aluminum side vallances.
I run 4.00 caster and have considered machining out the adjustment slot .250 and getting over 5.0 degrees.
The pictures are 255/45 or 50 17's with 317/35/17 rears
I run 4.00 caster and have considered machining out the adjustment slot .250 and getting over 5.0 degrees.
The pictures are 255/45 or 50 17's with 317/35/17 rears
Last edited by gkull; May 11, 2011 at 10:14 AM.
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Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
The second lake tahoe picture is up their driving at 8000 feet above sea level on a calm clear day. For driving at sea level I add three or four jet sizes front and rear
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Shamong, NJ
The 80-82 nose has slightly different wheel openings, or positioning. Because of this, the 80-82 rocker moldings (what I assume you are calling "lower aluminum side valances"), are shorter than 70-79 rockers. Since the Daytona nose is based on the stock 80-82 nose, this is probably why you needed to trim your rockers. The fact that the Daytona nose is aftermarket fiberglass, may contribute to the differences too.
By the way, I'm not a big fan of customs, but that is a good looking car, and a very nice picture (well maybe not so much the one with "drying towel"
).
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
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The 15x8 minilite wheels have about 4 1/2" backspace
so i could use a suitable 1/2" spacer to have same specs as 15" rally wheels. the point is that i wanted to use those 1" wheels adapters to increase the front track width, and i don't like spacers
i'll see if i can mill down the wheel adapters but it seems that i can't mill them as much as i would like.
i have tried to reduce the caster : i gain some clearance but not enough
Drwet . the bolt you say was just slightly loose. tightened but no difference
I have bolted again the wheels without adaptors while deciding what to do
so i could use a suitable 1/2" spacer to have same specs as 15" rally wheels. the point is that i wanted to use those 1" wheels adapters to increase the front track width, and i don't like spacers
i'll see if i can mill down the wheel adapters but it seems that i can't mill them as much as i would like.
i have tried to reduce the caster : i gain some clearance but not enough
Drwet . the bolt you say was just slightly loose. tightened but no difference
I have bolted again the wheels without adaptors while deciding what to do
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Time to cut and mod the back of the wheel well.
Both of my sets of front wheels are 4 inch BS and tires taller than 26 inch diameter do rub on the frame rails on lock to lock both sides
the 255/50/17 were bad rubbing the 255/45 and 275 40 295 35 are smaller dia and they are Okay
Both of my sets of front wheels are 4 inch BS and tires taller than 26 inch diameter do rub on the frame rails on lock to lock both sides
the 255/50/17 were bad rubbing the 255/45 and 275 40 295 35 are smaller dia and they are Okay
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 9,431
Likes: 239
From: Powassan ON
The 15x8 minilite wheels have about 4 1/2" backspace
so i could use a suitable 1/2" spacer to have same specs as 15" rally wheels. the point is that i wanted to use those 1" wheels adapters to increase the front track width, and i don't like spacers
i'll see if i can mill down the wheel adapters but it seems that i can't mill them as much as i would like.
i have tried to reduce the caster : i gain some clearance but not enough
Drwet . the bolt you say was just slightly loose. tightened but no difference
I have bolted again the wheels without adaptors while deciding what to do
so i could use a suitable 1/2" spacer to have same specs as 15" rally wheels. the point is that i wanted to use those 1" wheels adapters to increase the front track width, and i don't like spacers
i'll see if i can mill down the wheel adapters but it seems that i can't mill them as much as i would like.
i have tried to reduce the caster : i gain some clearance but not enough
Drwet . the bolt you say was just slightly loose. tightened but no difference
I have bolted again the wheels without adaptors while deciding what to do
Pic of the difference without the adaptor?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 753
Likes: 0
Dodosmike
here are pics without the adapters. ugly at least
Gkull.
i think you are right . i need to shave the fender (but also mill the adapter and reduce the caster)
the house is not build around the car but always a mess to take out the car!
here are pics without the adapters. ugly at least
Gkull.
i think you are right . i need to shave the fender (but also mill the adapter and reduce the caster)
the house is not build around the car but always a mess to take out the car!
Last edited by elle88; May 13, 2011 at 02:53 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,527
Likes: 148
From: East London/SW Essex UK
Had the same issue with 255/45's on my '68 when fitting 18 x 8's on the front - except that for me the issue was the passenger side and yes the wheel interfered with the rear of the fender on right-hand lock. (I guess its the 'hand assembled' nature of the cars - or the car has been in a fender bender at some point) Temporarily I changed the caster on the affected side, this effectively moved the wheel forward in the opening - not the best solution as the handling can become bizarre at times! - shaving the end of the rocker moulding may help a little - the real answer is to section the rear of the opening to allow the clearance needed. Remember to test clearance either side when braking hard - both in drive and in reverse!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
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the problem is when the wheel is in rebound while turning : it needs even more clearance in this situation ( did a test jacking the side of car)
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 860
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From: Stratford Ontario
Not to get this side tracked but someone mentioned getting car in house. I was looking at car so much I never noticed house.LOL Can you take a pic from outside looking down ramp? That is a very cool setup. 
