Wheels tires story (Problem Solved)

Yves

Yves

True Classic
One of my winter project is to install 15 inches wheels and tires.
Like you know, not a lot of choice in 185-60/R13 tires in North America.
I bought the Rota wheels 15 x6 for Fiat car also 4 new tires, two Yokohama SDrive 195-45/R15 for the front wheels and also the same brand two 195-50/R15 for the rear.
Today I have my first drive with the new wheels tires combo, everything is perfect, the ride quality, comfort , no vibration... but the rear tires rub little bit in the rear fenders on small bump and also the front wheels have a light rub at 85-100% full turn in the plastic fender liners edge depending on whether the car is really flat or one wheel on a bump. .
Possible solution ... roll the rear fenders and remove plastic fender liners in the front.
I not really like those two solutions .... I don't want roll the rear fenders, it is too risky .. crack the paint Etc.
And I want to keep the plastic fender liners in the front, I like the protection of road debris.
I found a tire size that has not often been mentioned on the forum in the 15 inches, 185-45/R15.
I decide to try that way , new tires size.
That tire size are available locally.

When the new tires will be installed I will give you a feedback on how is going.
 
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I have the 15 " Rotas and S-Drives

and I think that Midwest Bayless had to roll the fenders to make it work, for the exact same reasons as you state.

Isn't there some method of using a hot hair dryer or paint drying gun to warm up the fender paint to prevent the cracking. I think I recall seeing a You Tube video of it.

Maybe call Matt at Midwest for help?
 
on the rears, possibly just removing the oem steel wheel spacers will solve the problem?
 
Yves... You probably really need to reconsider...

your KNOWN options.

1. Your car is not a STOCK Concours job... so why hesitate in moding the panels a bit. Properly rolling the rear fenders with an Eastwood TOOL or a baseball bat GENTLY on a HOT day may clear the rears with no noticeable difference.

Here is a bunch of different tools, they even mention the ball-bat in the video with the heat gun! HA!

http://www.eastwood.com/autobody/fender-roller.html

2. Rubber Spring inserts or lifts or spacers, that slip in-between the coils of the rear springs... in the LARGER SPACED coils... will keep the ride nice but inhibit the spring from collapsing a bit when going over hard bumps. This was my fix for years and I used some Duco-Cement to glue the inserts in place. Here are the ones I used... about 5 bucks for 4, I used two and sent two to NZ to Ian I think...

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...25by?itemIdentifier=541219&_requestid=1261687

Here is still another option, which I kinda like better...

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...ng-spacer/_/N-25by?itemIdentifier=125837_0_0_

This is a good "band-aid" until you either install a stiffer spring or rebuild the struts. No one really hasta know!

3. Front Fender Liners... My opinion as well as experience shows that these liners are great for collecting and hiding mud and debris so that the steel panels rust away. I'd toss them and never give them a second thought. Do purchase 2 or 3 cans of black undercoating for about 3 bucks each and spray the fender-wells, as well as the remainder of the undercarriage with it. Better protection all around and makes the undercarriage easy to keep clean, as well as look good.

Hope this helps a bit... There are always some trade-offs when you mess with bigger tires and the like, and once purchased, kinda expensive to change your mind. Hopefully you can see your way past the problem without going to some extreme expense.
 
Yves said:
No wheel spacers
front and rear ...
Click to expand...

interesting... I'm running 205/50-15 on 15x6 rims with a 24mm offset, without spacers, and no rubbing whatsoever on either my '78 or my '74... but then again I am using the stock springs on both cars.
 
Yves, if you're going to stiffen the suspension

It would be a good idea to get Mark Plaia's big foot strut tower supports to protect your strut tower tops.
They lift the car 1/8 " (negligible) but give excellent support to the tower and keeps the top from bending.

Also, Matt Brannon has some 14" wheel options you might want to consider. I got a set of 14" for Mac-X, but
be warned they are much heavier than stock wheels. (heavier by like 10lbs each)
 
Solutions?

Hi Yves,

I know you are not much into performance modifications, more toward "améliorations", but temporarily removing the liners could help.

I was going to say to remove the spacers, but it seems you already did. Rolling the lips of the fender is something I did on both my X since I'm lowering them and it may save the tires or more damages to the fender if you hit a large pothole.

It seems your wheels are too much "outside" (too high positive offset) and there's not much you can do about this except changing wheels or, as you say, trying smaller tires... that may be difficult to find in the future.

My other solutions are not necessarly to your taste. Maybe just trying to fit camber bolts to get the top of the tire more Inside the fender may help, but you may end up with shorter tires life. (Or you can do it by enlarging holes in the shocks or with camber plates).

Other option would be to raise a little the suspension. There is the cheap way, with rubber or adjustable metal spacers. I have some at home if you want to try. Or the expensive way with an adjustable coil-set-up. But honestly, it seems the wrong way too me. Raising a suspension to get wheels to fit is something I did when a was young (and stupid). And stubborn. I had bought wheels and they were going to fit the car.

Daniel Forest
Montreal
 
Looking like I'm on the good way

Thanks everyone for all inputs and possible solutions.

Today what I do, I moved the 195-45/R15 to the rear (Remove 195-50/R15),
And I installed my original 185-60/R13 at the front for the road test, the goal, test if I have the same issue with 195-45/R15 installed at rear.
With a white wax pencil I made a reference marks on the outside edge of the rear tires to validate if the 195-45/R15 rub at rear position. Good surprise they not rub :).
Now my plan is to buy for the front 185-45/R15, that tire size is available localy.
With that solution I have the best for me, no fender rolling lips and keep the plastic liners at front.

  • My wheels setup
    Rota wheel 15x6 offset +15
    No Shims
    Rear coil Spring from IAP Red spring
    Front MWB KYB coil over solution
    Also Big foot from Mark Plaia at the four corners.
I will do a report when the 185-45/R15 will be installed.
 
Yves said:
Thanks everyone for all inputs and possible solutions.

Today what I do, I moved the 195-45/R15 to the rear (Remove 195-50/R15),
And I installed my original 185-60/R13 at the front for the road test, the goal, test if I have the same issue with 195-45/R15 installed at rear.
With a white wax pencil I made a reference marks on the outside edge of the rear tires to validate if the 195-45/R15 rub at rear position. Good surprise they not rub :).
Now my plan is to buy for the front 185-45/R15, that tire size is available localy.
With that solution I have the best for me, no fender rolling lips and keep the plastic liners at front.

  • My wheels setup
    Rota wheel 15x6 offset +15
    No Shims
    Rear coil Spring from IAP Red spring
    Front MWB KYB coil over solution
    Also Big foot from Mark Plaia at the four corners.
I will do a report when the 185-45/R15 will be installed.
Click to expand...

Wow, 185/45-15? That size isn't even on our radar screens down here in the USA... I would do that in the front and 195/45-15 in the rear if I had that option here.
 
Yves do you have any pictures of these wheels on the car? Very interested in seeing how they look on an X :)
 
Rota Wheels

There is a picture :)

Ian0vEc.jpg
 
185-45/R15 Installed

The new front Nankang tires 185-45/R15 are installed
and no more rubbing on the plastic liners:dance2:.

The final setup ....
Front 185-45/R15 Nankang tires
Rear 195-45/R15 Yokohama S Drive

If somebody in Montréal, Québec need 195-50R15 Yokohama tires I have a set of 2 to sale ... less then 100Km.


Here are some pictures of the unusual tire size, 185-45/R15

6zaQWvV.jpg


o5jku5z.jpg


PAYGO04.jpg


x5Hzwhl.jpg


GMKWD9k.jpg
 
Yves, old buddy.

I hope you like the Rota wheels as much as I love mine.

I went with a 15x7 wheel and I'm running 195/45/15 tires all around. Although I removed the vinyl liners, I don't think I needed to in order to get rid of a little front rubbing when I hit a bump on a 180 deg. turn. I removed the front spacers and they've been fine since then. However, you did mention that you don't have spacers installed.

Anyway, I think you'll like the better cornering with a wider tire and the compliments you'll get on the Rotas.

Mike
 
I'm normally not a fan of "modern" wheels on classic European sports cars, but yours look enough like the classic Mini-lites to trick my eye into thinking they "belong" on the car.

Very nice!!:):king:
 
Dan Sarandrea (Phila) said:
I'm normally not a fan of "modern" wheels on classic European sports cars, but yours look enough like the classic Mini-lites to trick my eye into thinking they "belong" on the car.

Very nice!!:):king:
Click to expand...

I got a set of these Monza Abarth style wheels coming :)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331049068528?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

And 4 Nexus 195/45r/15's coming too
http://www.ebay.com/itm/291126539195?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Greatly anticipating it all to get here :)
 
Thanks

Thanks Ricardo and all for the kind words:)

The season for us in north starting :excited: ...Yes...!
 
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