Front wheel well gap issue?

[fitnessguy08]

I just fitted the body today before sending it to the bodyshop. My frt wheels sit pretty close to the fender lip in the frt. Should the wheel be centered in the fenderwell between the frt and rear ofthe wheel well? Will aligning it move the wheel in the opening? It site like the wheel is about 1/2 inch too far forward.

[Joe]

No, they aren't perfectly centered in the wheel well.. I just went out and measured my Chevrolet daily driver and that isn't centered either. Very little on these cars are symmetrical, but they still look dang good!

[efnfast]

It may not be perfectly centered but it also shouldn't be as you're describing (almost rubbing the body). I'd tweak the body around to see if you can improve it a bit.

[Jeff Kleiner]

More positive caster will effectively move the wheel center rearward, but it is by a very small amount. More negative camber brings the top of the tire inward, positive camber takes it out.

Jeff

[Joe]

It may not be perfectly centered but it also shouldn't be as you're describing (almost rubbing the body). I'd tweak the body around to see if you can improve it a bit.

I guess it depends on what "pretty close" is.. If it's only a half inch off of center it shouldn't be "that close." :)

[fitnessguy08]

well, if your looking at the tire at about 9 o'clock i can fit 1 finger between the tire and the wheel well opening. at the rear side about 3 o'clock i can fit a solid 2 fingers. It looks way forward and when turning the tires it clears by about 1/4 of an inch at most.

[fitnessguy08]

Also, in my 1st post by saying it looks like it needs to come back a 1/2 inch I meant it needs like a 1/2 inch to have a good amount of clearance for turning and stuff.

[Joe]

Wow, that's close.. What tires and wheels? Which model of roadster? They may have closed up the clearance on MK4's.. On my MK3 as you can see plenty of clearance.. I have 17" wheels..

http://www.ffcars.com/photopost/data/551/IMG_1612.JPG

[fitnessguy08]

I have an mk4 and I think they tightened up the wheel opening abit over the mk3. I have much much less clearance than that picture. I'm running a 245/40-18 in frt but its still only a 25.71 overall tire hieght which is the same as a 245/45-17.

[Joe]

I have an mk4 and I think they tightened up the wheel opening abit over the mk3. I have much much less clearance than that picture. I'm running a 245/40-18 in frt but its still only a 25.71 overall tire hieght which is the same as a 245/45-17.

Ahh, 18" rims.. I'm running 255/40's on a 17" rim on the front and those are tight to the inside wheel well aluminum when turning sharp. Looks like you're feeling the effects of a really large wheel/tire and a tightened up wheel fender opening on the MK4. If nobody else chimes in tonight, if I were you I would call Richard at North Racecars tomorrow and see what he says. http://northracecars.com/wheelofferings.html

[fitnessguy08]

most people I see on here run a 245/45-17 which is the same overall hieght as my 245/40-18. The wheel well looks to more than accomodate my wheel package its just pushed too far forward. If it was back 1/2 inch it'd be perfect.

[Jeff Kleiner]

How "fitted" is the body at this point? How are the rears in their openings? Can you move the body forward? Since it doesn't have the Frankenstein bolts in the sides or the fasteners at the brake ducts up front the Mk4 offers more flexability in this regard than the earlier cars. Additionally, you realize that the wheelwells lips get opened up during the bodywork phase, right? As delivered, right from the mold, there is a lip that goes inward; most of the lip will come off as the opening is given it's finished contour. Doing that will create additional clearance. It should look something like this after it has been trimmed and rolled:

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj43/jkleiner/Mk4%207276/100_2237.jpg

Good luck,
Jeff

[Pierre B]

I let ride height deetermine fender clearance front and rear. Initially, I set the height to Factory specs, then moved the car slightly up as required to prevent chronic fender rubbing of the tires when I hit bumps. I also lined my fenders with 3/8-inch foam matting to prevent rock hits from underneath causing starring in the paint or fiberglass. I had that problem with a Lotus Europa years ago (no foam). So now, I still get minor rubbing of the rear tires on severe bumps, especially when I have a passenger, but mostly the tires are rubbing on the foam.

[fitnessguy08]

problem resolved. I adjust the castor(which was way off) and then added about 2 degrees of neg camber and its sitting nice now. I have plenty of clearance now and i'm a happy guy. thanks for the help guys.