New Rims! Raise car? Spacers?

[Knifemundo]

Hey guys, recently put on some 18 inchers on my Aero and unfortunately it rubs slightly on bumps =[ It was already pretty low to begin with, these tires clear just fine, but road bumps and holes burn rubber and plastic on the fender. I think one strut might be going too since the front left rubs way more than the rest.

My question is whether there are some spacers or a way to lift the car slightly without heavily modding the car. Or do you think new struts all around will keep it from rubbing? Any ideas? Did a search, but mostly all the threads are about lowering the car, that would be counterproductive in my case.

Picture included!!!

[ji5mmy]

GenuineSaab makes some spacers that fit over struts to lift the suspension. Other than those, I don't know if there are any lifting options for stock struts. I currently have the Koni yellows with Vogtlands and the rear was sagging and rubbing in the back with 235s on RK1s, so I raised the rears to the upper spring perch and added 25mm of spacers and now I get no rubbing and the stance looks even.

[j006]

+1 on the GS spacers. Mine wasn't rubbing with Konis/H&R but it just sat too low in the rear. 15mm of spacers in the rear for me...

Cheers!

[Knifemundo]

Hmm, which spacers are you guys talking about? I only see the ones that are for the koni's. I still have stock struts.

[ji5mmy]

Those are the ones we are referring to. Those are the only spacers that I have heard of people actually using. You might be able to find a shop that could fab something similar up for you for the stock struts. A quick search on eBay showed came up with some spacers that should fit over stock struts. How well they actually hold up, I couldn't say. You might even be able to get Nick at GS to make you a set for stock struts. Probably worth contacting him and asking.

[ArmySaab]

I'm really digging those rims, they look great.

Depending on your miles you may want to consider replacing the struts all around since their stock and at least 8 years old. They are probably getting a bit tired and you might see enough of a raise on good struts that you won't need spacers anyways.

[imola_red]

Prettttttty. Are those the replica Opel wheels that someone dragged like 10 sets of from Europe?

[Knifemundo]

I emailed Nick, hopefully he'll get back to me soon. As for those ebay spacers, I did see them, but it seems like the only have rear spacers, I need them in the front mainly. I guess i'm going to have to suck it up and get new struts all around. I would really hate to drop 500 bills and be left with the same issue though.

Originally Posted by imola_red

Prettttttty. Are those the replica Opel wheels that someone dragged like 10 sets of from Europe?

Yes they are.

[j006]

Originally Posted by Knifemundo

I need them in the front mainly.

Are you telling us that your car is too low in the front? What's the offset and width on those wheels? Also what size tire are you using? Man my car is lowered - on the second set of front springs because the first set simply weren't low enough - and it STILL isn't low enough for me personally. No rubbing at all either on 225/40-18s. It's crazy that yours is rubbing with 18s and factory Aero springs/dampers, unless those wheels have some crazy low offset...

[Knifemundo]

Nick got back to me, no common spacers for the front just the rear. He also mentioned the offset might be too big. The tire size is 245/40/18. Not sure is the offset is too much since I read somewhere stock is 45.

On the rims this is the info I have.

-5X110
-18X8
-42ET (this is offset right)?
-65.1 Bore

[j006]

Originally Posted by Knifemundo

Nick got back to me, no common spacers for the front just the rear. He also mentioned the offset might be too big. The tire size is 245/40/18. Not sure is the offset is too much since I read somewhere stock is 45.

On the rims this is the info I have.

-5X110
-18X8
-42ET (this is offset right)?
-65.1 Bore

Man this is crazy. That I was expecting the offset to be at least 35ET or lower if you're getting rubbing. According to my calculations, your setup will have:

14mm LESS clearance on the inside of the wheel and
the wheel/tire will extend 12mm more the outside.

So you're talking 1.4 centimeters and 1.2 centimeters, respectively. That's not a lot of difference, especially since you're running stock springs. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one honestly. I had every intention of ordering 15mm wheel spacers to kick the wheels out at all four corners, but now you've got me thinking my wheels are gonna rub based on these numbers...

[Knifemundo]

Yea, it is a bit strange. The front left rubs the most on bumps probably due to a weaker strut. The rest barely touch on bumps. Turning radius isn't affected at all though. No rubbing on turns, just when the struts are compressed.

[sobstory95]

that is quite strange, where exactly are you rubbing? If you said it and I missed it I apologize. But I how 1.5" INCH not cm, adapters and I was rubbing about a 1/4 inch worth on the wall. once I rolled my fenders I cleared.

[Knifemundo]

I may just have to "roll" my fenders. That is where my tires are rubbing, just at the very edge of the fender. They scratch the outer wall of the tire.

Noobish question, but just exactly how do you roll your fenders? Just bend them inward? What about the plastic moldings?

[Breau]

I am having the same problem on the front driver side and it rubs going over large dips in the road. Suspension is fine and stock aero suspension, I think it is due to the fender being lower than usual because it was hit by an suv there. I just had the whole fender and liner replaced. I felt around underneath and noticed that there is a slightly raised area on the liner that I think the tire is hitting. I have no idea where to begin with rolling the liner except to maybe cut out that small raised area.

[ji5mmy]

Originally Posted by Knifemundo

The tire size is 245/40/18.
-5X110
-18X8
-42ET
-65.1 Bore

Out of all that info, the tire size appears to be too large. Stock Aero tires were 225/45/17, 235/45/17 on the later models when they started using 17x7.5 wheels. Overall diameter of the tire goes from ~25 in. with 225/45/17 then increases 1.5% to ~25.33 in. with 235/45/17. Your tire diameter increased another 1.5% to ~25.7 in.

I run 235/45/17 on my RK1s which are 17x8 and et35 without rubbing, but your extra tire section width, larger overall diameter and probably a different shoulder geometry on the tire will all add up to rubbing. New rubber at 235/40/18 could plausibly solve the entire problem. Even new struts may rub on full compression unless you go with really tall springs.

[Knifemundo]

Originally Posted by ji5mmy

Out of all that info, the tire size appears to be too large. Stock Aero tires were 225/45/17, 235/45/17 on the later models when they started using 17x7.5 wheels. Overall diameter of the tire goes from ~25 in. with 225/45/17 then increases 1.5% to ~25.33 in. with 235/45/17. Your tire diameter increased another 1.5% to ~25.7 in.

I run 235/45/17 on my RK1s which are 17x8 and et35 without rubbing, but your extra tire section width, larger overall diameter and probably a different shoulder geometry on the tire will all add up to rubbing. New rubber at 235/40/18 could plausibly solve the entire problem. Even new struts may rub on full compression unless you go with really tall springs.

Thats what I was afraid of, since the tires have already been used and paid for, I doubt a swap would be feasible. The rub is barely there though. I'll see what I can resort to without having to do a tire swap.

[Tweek's Turbos]

Originally Posted by Knifemundo

Nick got back to me, no common spacers for the front just the rear. He also mentioned the offset might be too big. The tire size is 245/40/18. Not sure is the offset is too much since I read somewhere stock is 45.

On the rims this is the info I have.

-5X110
-18X8
-42ET (this is offset right)?
-65.1 Bore

235/40 R18 is the tire size I came up with to use on my 18s. Not a hint of rubbing.