Tires touching Springs

[luke002]

Hello All!

I have P205/60R15 Radial tires, that were recently mounted on it. On the front two wheels they are rubbing against the springs slightly. the tires are probably too big. Could I fix this problem by replacing both springs with slightly smaller springs so they no longer touch the tire?

Thanks in advance

-Lukas

'78 280z

[ozconnection]

Get some 5mm aluminium wheel spacers from your local parts store or look 'em up online...ebay perhaps.

[LeonV]

That tire size should fit just fine, it's the wheel that will make the difference. What is your wheel offset?

[luke002]

would I have to install the 5mm wheel spacers on both the front and back?

I don't know my wheel offset, the wheels were "professionally" done could they have messed up the wheel offset? Either way it looks like those 5 mm wheel spacers will work exceedingly well to fix the problem! What a relief...thanks for the advice. Now I just have to find out how to install them.

[sblake01]

The wheel offset is an aspect of the particular wheel; has nothing to do with how it was mounted. I had 225/60R14 on my 78 which was also lowered and the tires didn't rub.

[LeonV]

The wheel offset is an aspect of the particular wheel; has nothing to do with how it was mounted. I had 225/60R14 on my 78 which was also lowered and the tires didn't rub.

Correct, I have the same tire size on my lowered 260Z.

Wheel offset explanation: http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/wheel-tech.html

You have wheels with a high positive offset.

[sblake01]

Well, maybe just positive enough to rub the front springs. High positive offset as found in a front wheel drive rim and they wouldn't even bolt on an S30.

[Walter Moore]

By my thumbnail calculations the maximum safe offset for a 205 on the front of an S30 is about 20mm.

What is missing here is the type of wheels that are giving luke002 trouble.

[luke002]

Its the rubber part of my tire that is touching. If wheel offset is the case, then the 5mm aluminum tire spacers will fix this problem?

[sblake01]

For some people spacers would 'fix' the problem. For me I'd get wheels that fit and work properly without spacers.

[ozconnection]

would I have to install the 5mm wheel spacers on both the front and back?

I don't know my wheel offset, the wheels were "professionally" done could they have messed up the wheel offset? Either way it looks like those 5 mm wheel spacers will work exceedingly well to fix the problem! What a relief...thanks for the advice. Now I just have to find out how to install them.

Ok, wheel spacers may not be the solution for everyone, but they do exist for the very reason you need them...to move a scrubbing tyre off what its scrubbing!

To install....take your wheel off the car, put the spacer on the wheel lugs and put your wheel back on. That's it.

If ya "just gotta have these wheels and tyres on the car", this is your most simple solution.

Good luck mate.

[70 Cam Guy]

If you use a spacer, don't go too thick on the original studs, you won't have any threads left for the lug nut. I can tell you that a 10mm spacer is too thick for the original studs.

I agree though that proper fitting wheels are ideal. They just might not be in the budget right away