Finally got around to taking a look at the rubbing problem on the GSL-SE I bought about a month ago. I'm thinking bent spindle, anyone else? If so (and if not), what else should I look or? Anyone selling a left front hub?

I'd take the assembly apart but I need to move the car again (another project needs work) so I'd figure I'd throw it on the forum in the mean time.

TIA!

 

Take the wheel off and get some photos, I cant tell anything with that pic.

 

That picture is just showing how the bottom of the spring is rubbing a wear mark into the tire. Anything in particular you want to see with the wheel off?

Thanks!

 

I suppose I should have explained the picture... =P

 

A general area pic, one from the side.

Stock wheels or Aftermarket? Any major events lately?

 

How Does It Feel When You Drive It Maybe A Busted Bearing?

 

Damn I Love This Place!!!!!

 

Here's some area pictures... nothing too exciting except that yellow paint.... I'm wondering if that was a junkyard part...? The spring is -somewhat- relatively new (I would imagine) as the Mazda replacement part sticker is still at the top of it. There are no signs of this car being wrecked, nothing looks bent... It's kinda driving me nuts.

Anyhoo!

It has the stock wheels (and no, they aren't damaged.)

As for any incidences, it's been sitting in my driveway since I got it.
It was towed on a tow dolly to my house. (Perhaps something went horrendously wrong then...?)

(BTW- it was towed due to a bad clutch. I have since then installed a new one, so the only driving I have done with it was in my driveway (maybe got it up to 25 or 30 mph.))

As for a busted bearing, it didn't feel like it. In addition, about 5 minutes ago I took off the hub and looked at the bearings and spindle (yeah I decided to just go ahead and do it - the other project can wait until tomorrow... =P). No NOTICEABLE wear in there (nothing I've seen, anyways.)

So... Any ideas?

 

Well I suppose the only thing it can be is the strut assembly itself or the spindle.... Nothing else affects the wheels position that would make it rub there (unless I'm wrong?).

Thanks for your time!

 

if you need an spindle you can use any spindle off of any 84-85. they arent side specific either. just FYI

 

Very nice to know, thanks!

 

Check the lower arm for any bends and compare it to the other side.

 

first, what size tire are you running, stock rims?

Also not related but your swaybar endlinks looks shot, i see alot of slop in there. Unless you loosened them up for whatever reason.

 

The tires that are on it aren't the RIGHT size, but they fit. They're 185/70/14's if I remember correctly. Again, they do fit and the passenger side front doesn't rub.

Yeah, they're stock rims.

I am about 99% positive my problem is a bent spindle/strut assembly. The more I thought about it, the more it ruled out anything else. Nothing else could possibly make the tire hit the spring the way it is, as nothing on the strut/spindle assembly is adjustable and even a SMALL amount of a bend in just the right spot would affect the camber in a big way. I'm willing to bet something happened while it was being towed.

The end links were loosened up by me, good eye :P

Thanks!

 

I was thinking about that too, but that would simply affect the camber, and the strut/spindle assembly would follow accordingly (and not rub the tire), correct?

Thanks!

 

Well take the rotor off on both sides and compare(chinese bluprint) the suspected bad sad with the known good side. WaLa. Hope this helps

 

A similar thing happened to my brother's 85 GSL after I put 14" LE wheels and 205-60 tires on. I found that the spring was bent. On his it hit on the second coil from the bottom. When the spring was swapped for a used one, the rubbing stopped.

Your's doesn't look right in the first picture you posted. The outboard bottom coil sticks out beyond the lip of the mount and the inboard side is not tight against the inside lip of the mount. On all 5 of my cars and on the extra GSLSE struts I have (out of the car) the bottom coil does not hang over the outboard lip of the mount. I would remove the wheel on the other side and see if the bottom of the spring fits into the mount without hanging over the lip. There is only about 1/2" clearance between the spring and stock 14" tires/wheels so a minimal outward bend in the spring can cause rubbing. I'd take a picture of one of mine, but my camera is MIA right now. Maybe someone could take a picture of their strut matching your first picture. I think you would see the difference.

Ron

 

By golly, you're absolutely right. It does overhang as compared to the other side, and it isn't seated in its lip. Nice. How did I miss that? :P

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it!
-Maxx

 

Alright... So it was overhanging.. But I have come back to the conclusion the assembly is still bent. Although it no longer rubs, the distance between the tire and the mount on that side is less than a quarter inch, as compared to the other side which has 1/2 inch.

Oh well, glad I found some strut assemblies :P

 

If your still looking to replace your rotor/hubs while you have everything apart, napa has a pretty good selection of new parts. They have all of the bearings and races needed also.

http://napaonline.com/masterpages/NO...d=3&SubCatId=4

 

That's quite nice to know, thanks!
This is my first first gen 7, so it's nice to know these things.

 

No problem..my first too, (im 15) you just have to learn as you go