wheel arch liner probs with lowering?

Post by **mjh** » 12 Oct 2007 03:34 pm

Planning to lower my 360 next weekend.
The front tyres look fairly close to the arch liners at the moment.
Will they come into contact if i take 2 coils oit of the spring? Standard 14" tyres at the moment, but i might go up to 195/50 15's shortly.

If there will be issues, what are the solutions apart from ripping out the liner all together?

Cheers

Post by **SteveP** » 12 Oct 2007 03:37 pm

You wont be able to rip out the arch liner.. as there isn't any, that'll be the inner wing afaik...

Post by **mjh** » 12 Oct 2007 04:23 pm

Blimey, i hadn't realised that. Just took a quick peek under the wing to see what was there.

So if it can't be removed, it'll have to be modified i presume, or do they not get that close?

What have others done?
cheers

Post by **IvanAE86** » 12 Oct 2007 05:27 pm

There's not much room for lowering on 15" wheels I'm afraid.. if you do any kind of spirited driving, you're likely to bottom out. Stiffer lowering springs would be recommended with that tyre size, lower profile tyres are also helpfull.
Modifying the arches is really too much work just to facilitate lowering. I did it on my car, but there's not really an easy way of doing it that will both look good and pass MOT. I cut out the outer bit of the inner wing, and still have trouble bottoming out on the top of the wheelcasing during hard braking on track.

Post by **mjh** » 12 Oct 2007 05:40 pm

so what would be recommeded then?
going to a lower profile and keeping with the 14's?

Post by **dalahare** » 12 Oct 2007 06:14 pm

Fit it and see if it scrubs, i can't recall people having trouble with the fornt of the car when lowered, more the rear i think.

Post by **340GLT** » 12 Oct 2007 11:26 pm

I have no problems with mine.

Post by **classicswede** » 13 Oct 2007 12:42 pm

With my 3" drop on 195/15/15 or previosly on 195/60/14 I've not had any big problems. All I have had to do is hammer over the ridge on the top of the strut tower to stop rubbing. You do need to run stiff springs and good shocks or you will bottom the strut out all the time.

Post by **Ricatron** » 15 Oct 2007 09:06 am

has someone been reading PPC and thought 'hum that sounds like a good idea'

i would get some stiffer springs if you can

Post by **mjh** » 15 Oct 2007 09:57 am

cheers for the advice guys. good to know there shouldn't be too many probs.
If the ride is shocking, then i will look at uprated springs, but i'll give this a go first.

I did read the ppc article, but i was already planning to do it from other peoples experiences here and on other forums. it was quite a good read, but i'll make my own mind up about the results.

cheers all.

Post by **jtbo** » 15 Oct 2007 09:58 am

It really is not the point if there will be contact with lowering, as if you brake and turn hard you will use good part of compression damping, that will be lower than 2 coils off and do you know what happens when tire touches sheet metal with force?

Also make sure when you have turned wheels a lot there is sufficient space, tire can deform, it can be good 2-3cm that tire moves sideways depending from load and you don't like spinning tire to touch wheel arch, result will be ugly if it does.

So spring fully compressed and tires steered there still should be space around tire, that 20-30mm or modification is failed.

Post by **classicswede** » 15 Oct 2007 12:54 pm

With std offset wheels there is no clearance issues when turning.

Post by **mjh** » 15 Oct 2007 01:22 pm

What is the standard wheel offset? I've not had the wheels off yet.
The 15's i have are ET38

Post by **classicswede** » 15 Oct 2007 01:24 pm

I'm sure it's 38 or 40 depending on the wheel type so you will be fine.

Post by **mjh** » 15 Oct 2007 01:28 pm

excellent, cheers