I have 235/45/17 tires on the front of my stock suspension'd 93 touring. I've never had a problem until yesterday at the track in a tight banked 20 degree 180 sweeper (Summit Point Shenandoah Circuit's replica of the Karossel from Nurburgring) when my outside front tire started rubbing on the upper fenderwell. In fact, it chewed right through the plastic covering and ate up a wiring harness causing my airbag light to come on (short circut caused a blown fuse in the airbag control box). Now I've never had this problem on this track before, so I don't know why it would start all of a sudden like that. The car is not lowered in any way and I was trying to take it easy through that section once I noticed the rubbing. I need recommendations on how to deal with this problem. Thanks!

 

well, it seems like you either need a) stiffer springs, b) to raise the ride height (coil overs, or longer springs), or c) smaller tires (a 40 profile should get you back near stock diameter).

-bill

 

A & C

 

LOL - I agree with Mahjik. My FC bottomed out a bit entering the Karussel (sp?), but only put some tire marks on the fender liner (440# springs, though). If you are chewing through the liner, then I would go with the correct diameter tire first and see if the springs are still not stiff enough to keep from rubbing.

Summit Point Shen is a really fun circuit, and the karussel is much more fun taken full-out

 

Yup... the track always reveals weaknesses or imballances in your setup.

Depending on your wheel size, a 245/40/17 might help.... and now you know why alot of track guys run 550# front springs!

 

Well what's bugging me is that it never did that before. It just started halfway through Sunday. Saturday it was fine. And if anything, my tread was wearing down so there should be a greater gap between the tire and the fenderwell. Could it be heat-releated? Maybe the springs sag more when it's hot in the afternoon? Just throwing ideas out here ;P

 

Had you run the Shenandoah before? If so, changed anything since last time?

 

I was there in April but I was running on different wheels/tires at the time so that doesn't count.

I ran both Saturday and Sunday last weekend but the problem didn't start until halfway through Sunday. I changed nothing all weekend.

Any suspension component that might have worn out in that time? I've got all the original bushings and such in the car.

 

You got faster.

-b

 

I was servicing my brakes today in preparation for the next track weekend and my roommate figured out why my passenger tire was rubbing the upper fender well.

The bump-stop was completely missing. It must have been decaying and the stress of constantly bottoming out the suspension on the karussel(sp?) must have caused it to disintegrate or at least break apart and come off halfway through the day. Good times.

 

yeah i was gonna say that, ive seen a few here, i dunno how they got the thing to dissapear like that, but yeah it does cause bottoming