Just had Eibach's (Pro-kit) installed on my stock struts. Thought 1" lower would look better/ride better/perform better. I sure didn't expect rubbing problems. Just ran at Sebring today and front left tire rubbed the top of the wheel well badly on right handers. After we stopped in the pits to check the tires (Thank God, no cuts!) we noticed that the left front fender/side of car was definitely about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch lower than the right. Any ideas on what could be causing this? I didn't replace the pillow mounts and ironically the ones on the right (the high side) look in worse shape than the left. WTF? I know that when they installed them (supposedly a reputable garage) they had to twist the **** out of the strut to get it to align with the bolt hole on the bottom; I guess this is common since when the spring seats properly it twists the strut off of it's normal alignment. Anyway, is it possible that they torqued one in one direction to align it and loaded it more/expanded it? while on the other side they twisted it in the other direction which compressed the spring and thus it caused the difference in height?

Anyway, I have stock wheels tires 225/50 R 16's so that should be no issue, but it's ridiculous that this setup with supposedly better springs rubs like this when the stock spring setup didn't, on the same course/same turns, etc. I know they're 1" lower but RUBBING?

Thanks so much for your input. It sure F''d up my track day. OH, and these f'ing geniuses also didn't even connect the sway bar to the control arm on the left side as well, which I noticed after a few laps as the connector was hanging down. I thought this would solve it but it didn't. Can't wait to talk to this shop tomorrow and rip the owner a new one.

btw, I checked to make sure Fronts were in front, backs in backs. Have the .001's on the front and .002's on the back, which is correct, I believe.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

David

 

this may not be much of a help...

but I believe that if you switch to lowering springs you are supposed to get new struts as well....

I've had two FD's and both had issues with the front left side riding lower than the right.

I've heard this is common but I've never found the reason behind it.

I have Eibach's with the 99 spec 17" wheels and my front left tire is slowly f'ing up my fender

 

I had the same kind of rubbing problem on my car. I put yellow Koni's and PFS Blue Springs on my car. It lowered my car a little over an inch and gave me the same problem. I still have rubbing on my left front inner fender on the top side. I think that the only solution in my case is to get a ground control kit.

As for the cause of this problem. I asked this question once before and was told that the FD was designed such that the suspension on the left hand side (our drivers side) was to be lower than the right hand side. The reason was that when the "driver" got in on the right hand side (in Japan) the car would be level. Instead of adjusting the car back the other direction for the USA I think they just adjusted the springs. It's kind frustrating, but it makes sense to me.

- Cody

 

I have the Eibach's w/ Koni Yellows and the left side front is about an 3/4 in lower than the right the back is about a half in. different.

From what I have found through numerous searches is that what VTAOE said is the best explaination.

I have no rubbing though.

 

Or maybe because all the miles that are on the car are with the driver sitting on that side. You don't always have a passenger. Just my opinion.

 

David,
Something doesn't sound right here. I agree with you - the Eibach ProKit springs do not lower the car enough to cause interference with stock wheels and stock size tires. I had Prokit springs on my 94 Touring and had no interference problems even though I tracked the car heavily.

I would have another mechanic take a look at the install. Your mechanic should not have needed to torque the shocks to get them installed. BTW, the FD has shocks, not struts. The front shocks are unique for each side - maybe the mechanic swapped sides? Did he install the upper spring perch and bump stop properly? Are the springs you got the proper ones for the FD (check the part # stamped on the springs)?

I now have a Ground Control coilover setup on my car which lowers it even more than the ProKits did along with larger wheels/tires - I still get no interference. Something's wrong here...
Dave
edit - spelling

 

your shocks might be worn out, id try some stiffer aftermarket shocks, the ride will be bumpier but you will get alot less rub.

I had Eibachs w/ Koni yellows and id get alot of rubbing on the softer setting. Turning up the stifness eliminated wheel rum on all but the most brutal bumps.

 

DaveMc:

I pretty much checked everything out and it all seems to be installed OK. I DID not replace the pillow mounts; maybe I should have. They seemed to be OK but I didn't have new ones to compare to. Everyone told me how expensive they were so I opted not to do it.

As far as the torque-ing of the shocks to get them to line up, there's no way around it. When the spring seats properly in the spring stop, the hole for the bottom to attach to the control arm is about 50-60 degrees off and HAS to be twisted just to get it attached and aligned.

Keep those ideas coming. You think my pillow mounts are the problem?

Thanks.

David

 

I don't think the mounts are the problem. Worn out pillow mounts should NOT result in the car bottoming out enough to rub. Koni Yellows (all Koni's, I think) have 3 different spots for the mounting perches. The instruction manual says to use the very top perch spot. Check the shocks (you'll have to remove them) and make sure the proper perch spot has been used. If the lower spot is currently in use, that could be the reason you're having rubbing issues.

 

Pillow mounts.

Join Mazdacomp, now Mazdamotorsports or something. I think they were $50 ea or so.

I have Eibach springs, very slight rubbing on the top of the fender liners up front. Also when I got the car in '98 it was completely stock. When I had stock sized R compound tires on it would rub slightly also. The rubbing I'm having is just enough to clean the dirt off the liner, not rub a hole in it.

Jeff