I am sure this has been posted but my search with keywords was unhelpful.

My car is lowered on H&R coilovers. It can still go lower but i left a little wheel gap because the tires rub when i go over some bumps. I have heard a couple of different methods to eliminate this.

1) get stiffer springs

2) get rubber spacers for the coilovers

3) rebuild coilovers adding rubber spacers and more O-rings.

Again, t i am trying to drop it a little more to eliminate that wheel gap. I i know the coilovers can go lower so how when i do this do i stiffen the suspension? I am not trying to get new springs but do methods 2 and 3 work? any issues? does this even make sense? thanks for the help!

 

This week, I just learned about "hellaflush". Is that how low you want to go?

 

i am already pretty low ... i use mine as a daily the amount lower i need to go is maybe an inch i just need to eliminate rubbing on bumps

 

how it sits now...

how i would like it...

 

I think 2) and 3) of your suggestions would raise the car. How are you doing on suspension travel?

I think perhaps you could use a little more camber to make the wheels tuck in more to reduce rub.

I think it is already too low to be my daily driver. Hope you don't have snow where you drive. You will be a snow plow.

 

are stiffer springs the only way to reduce that bounce of the suspension?

 

as it is now it does not rub ...but you can see in the front that there is some gap. The rear is less of an issue with gap but it does rub on bumps etc. unfortunately i live in Northeast so some snow ..but i live in the city so there are other means to get around

 

If you want less travel, both stiffer springs and stiff dampers will do that. They work together to make the car hop over bumps.

Just know handling can go to crap.

 

it isn't terrible in the front i dont think --i have not felt it rub in the front just in the rear which sits fine - the front is where i really was hoping it would lower more. is there a way to test the suspension travel?

 

You should probably prepare to get some camber plates to add some camber up front. Stretch tires a little more, trim fenders and possibly stiffer springs.

I genuinely can't believe you live in a City with roads that look like that and want to put your car that low and are even considering stiffer springs. With how crappy your roads look, the car is going to ride like crap as well.

 

I just put a new set of rear tires on about a week ago. Im currently sitting fairly low on vmaxx coils. When I put the new tires on they rubbed, so I just rotated and thankfully they clear now. My coils can go lower as well, but I would have rub issues. I think the only way to get around this would be to get a smaller wheel/tire combo or get thinner tires and stretch them. Next time I need new tires im going to try 195/50R17s and see if that will allow me to go any lower. I cant really comment on the front yet, because my wheel spacers havent showed up yet and the front tires would rub on the lockring if I went any lower. Heres an awful cell phone picture of how mine is currently sitting...looks pretty awkward haha

 

Or no picture stupid app. Lets try this again...

 

Be careful about too low.

I put on a set of KWV2's and ended up too low resulting in a rebuilt front axle.

 

I read about someone else having that problem as well. I also read that you can feel vibration from the axel under moderate to heavy acceleration when too low. Was this the case with you or did it just wear?

 

I had a pretty good vibration that came under acceleration that I couldn't figure out. Ended up taking it to a shop (I did the original install) and they nailed down the fault. I compounded the problem by not installing stiffened motor mounts with the power mods I had. They discovered that my lower motor mount was torn 3/4 through and was allowing the engine to move a lot.

It is not obvious where the vibration comes from, I thought it was a clutch or transmission issue as I felt it back in my seat and the gear shifter.

All good now, and the Mini is a very competent track rig now.

 

Just thought of another potential solution (or cause) for your rubbing issue. What is the offset of the wheels you are running? If your offset is such that it is pushing the tire out, you may have reduced the space which your wheel has to move up and down.

I don't know what the limits are, but if you are running spacers or have wheels with a significant positive (?) offset, that will cause rubbing on the fenders.

Just a thought.

 

My 17" stockies rub on the inner fender in the rear...

 

I just put a new set of back wheels on about the other day. Im currently seated pretty low on vmaxx rings. When I put the new wheels on they applied, so I just turned and fortunately they obvious now. My rings can go reduced as well, but I would have rub problems. I think the only way to get around this would be to get less sized wheel/tire combination or get slimmer wheels and expand them. When I need new wheels im going to try 195/50R17s and see if that will allow me to go any reduced. I cant really thoughts on the top side yet, because my rim spacers have not revealed up yet and the top side wheels would rub on the lockring if I went any reduced.

 

Things that will help:
1) stretch a narrower and shorter tire
2) trim plastic Flares to remove lip
3) trim metal under flare if rubbing that
4) for 8 inch rim, don't go under et 30. That will sit right at about flush to fender. Maybe can do et25 rear.
5) run more neg camber (anything over -3 will significantly reduce tire life)