my eyes hurt going through 101 pages and I still could not find an answer to the question I'm trying to answer. Tried Google search in a number of variations and still no good answer.

My question has to do with minimum clearance between tire and spring up front to compensate for tire flex on my S4 TurboVert.

Every single comment discussing minimum tire clearance was about avoiding fender rub.

Specifics, I'm running RB springs, 17/8 front wheels and putting 225/45's on the front which leaves without spacer about 1/8"clearance tire to spring at rest. I never track the car, daily driver.

I'm thinking I should have at least 3/8" minimum clearance which would require a spacer in my case.

So, to say again, what should be the at rest minimum clearance between tire and spring up front (using a 225/45/17) to compensate for tire flex on my S4 TurboVert.

I was just going to PM RETed, but noted on his profile he hasn't been online the last couple of months. So appealing to the general community.

Opinions?

 

Don't know if it counts, but I have about a 4-5mm clearance between the tire and the spring on my car, and it hasn't rubbed.

255/40/17 is the size. You should be good if you have at least that much between your tire and the widest section of the spring.

 

1/8 might be a little close. Put some white out or touch up paint where you think it might hit and go drive the car hard and check it. You could even use tape.

If you have 17X8s and they are that close to the strut you have plenty of room on the fender side. I would just put on a 1/4 in spacer and be done with it.

 

What size wheel are you running?

I'm particularly interested in Hozzman's question because that entire thread basically deals with what can fit when you have coilovers. But since I'm running springs in the front and rear, there is a lot less room in the wheel well and its a whole different ball game.

 

He runs a 17X9 +24, same wheel specs as I run. and we both have coilovers. You can run that size wheel in that offset with 235/40/17s but that is as big as you can go with regular springs. I ran that setup with RB springs and Tokico Blues before I got my coilovers. You will need to roll the fenders, and it will still slightly rub the fender liner at the top of the wheelwell over large bumps at speed.

A safer setup with regular springs is to stay with 8in wheels up front, and 225s.

 

225 on an 8 isnt bulged at all, so you're probably fine. isnt your wheel the closest thing to the spring? or does it sit under the collar?

in my case, the wheel would hit before anything else, so as long as it clears, its all good. the strut is angled away from the tire, and street tires dont flex much at all unless theyre bulged

EDIT: readfail. i see you're not on coilovers sooo... i dunno. never had stock style struts

 

I'm right around 1/8" clear with 255/40r17s up front 17x9+25.5 effective offset. That just barely rubs the coilover spring when flogging it around an autocross course. That said, the place mine rubs is a smooth and a relatively benign surface so I decided to live with it since clearance to fenders is tight too.

I'd have been happier if Shine's +30 mm Foresight fenders were actually +30. I shaved the lips of mine and found +22 mm at best.