How to tell if front wheel is rubbing against strut?
 

Hi guys,

This may sound silly, but I tried to search and found nothing, most thread are about how to solve rubbing problem and not about diagnosing a problem.

I am currently running 18x9.5 +40 with 245 35 18 tires all around. I am on stock suspension. When I mounted these wheels the tire shop said the front will not clear the strut so they put on 3mm spacers in the front to be safe.

But I am still suspecting that the front might slightly rub the spring perch. I guess my question is how can you tell if it's rubbing? What sort of noise should I expect to hear or what am I suppose to feel?

Right now the car drives normal, handles normal and no extra banging noises over bumps or anything. But when it's quite outside I can hear a slight whisper sound coming from the wheels, so am I rubbing?

I have put about 300 miles since I mounted my new setup and I am still alive, but I am hesitant to take it to the track. I was thinking maybe I should get coil-overs to get some more clearance for a piece of mind.

Thanks for helping,

I think I posted in the wrong section should go in the wheel/tire section

Have you checked the inboard side of the wheel and tire or the spring perch for marks? That would be the obvious first step.

jack up the car and look at the spring perch. If one area looks like the dirt and/or paint has been rubbed off, then its rubbing. If not, you're good. You probably dont even have to take the wheel off

Jack and rotate the wheels by hand. Should be obvious.

+40 3mm spacer is a +37? I have 9.5 +38 w a 235/40, its close, shop told me same thing, but no rubbing, ive pushed it pretty hard for about 500 miles now and checked the sidewall regularly.

Just to specify on a previous post, to jack and spin the tire by hand, make sure u jack it up by the suspension, not the usual jack point (or the suspension will relax and allow the tire to hang inches lower than ride height). Im sure 99% of people know this, but theres always the 1 that will surprise you :)

Doesn't matter if the wheel is hanging down if you're only worried about wheel to spring seat clearance. The wheel is firmly attached to the hub, which is firmly attached to the knuckle which is firmly attached to the strut.

You could take the strut/knuckle/hub/wheel out of the car entirely but the wheel/tire to spring seat clearance won't change.

im running 18x9.5 e37 with 255/35 square and im not rubbing. Im dropped on eibach sportlines too.

At least in my case, the rim lip is close to the seat, but as they are fixed ;) that is not my concern. The sidewall is close to the spring itself, which was my tire guys concern. I picked up 5mm spacers that i will throw on at the first sight of rubbing.

put some blue tape on the spring. if the tire rubs on it, it will leave a distinct tire mark/rub

No, I doubt that your wheels/tires are rubbing. That "whisper sound" you're hearing is your brake pads lightly brushing the rotors, which is normal.


Heh. Far be it from me to interfere with a man's rationalizing to justify the "need" for those nice coil-overs he's got his eye on.

Peace of mind is good... ;)

To properly check clearance on the spring you need to go through the full range of motion of the strut, just at ride height doesn't tell you the full picture.

You also need to take into account any roll or flex in the sidewall of the tire.... Theres alot of factors, thats why im "driving it and checking it" but the clearance when at ride height is a very good starting idea, better than the clearance w the suspension relaxed (as ud have to leave the roads surface to see this outside of the garage) and 90% of the time you can tell right away if it will hit or not. I was very sure mine would not rub, but the shop was (as they were w my last car, rightfully so) concerned that it MIGHT, so as not to dismiss their concern, ive been checking for rubbing.

lol yeah I was trying to justify for a set of V3s lol.