Wheel Spacers and Lowering Issues

[pabla]

Hello all,

Just yesterday I lowered my 2014 p85 with lowering links (58mm front 78mm rear) and installed a set of 20mm spacers. Its sitting on OEM staggered turbines 245 in front and 265 in the rears. The fitment looks amazing, but now I am troubled with a few things. When reversing the front wheels rubbing against the fender liner when the wheels turned about 90%, ive read that people have tried pushing in the fender liner with a heat gun, has anyone had any success with this? Also if I am travelling on the highway and hit a large bump the car rubs on the liners. I am beginning to think I went too low. I haven't gotten an alignment yet, could that possibly help the rubbing in the front? Another issue im having is vibrating at 130kmh+, I checked that the spacers and wheels are both seated correctly and there's no play. I do remember my wheel guy telling me that one of the front rims is slightly out of shape.. could this be why im experiencing vibration? I haven't read about many owners with 58/78mm lowering links on 20mm spacers with the stock turbines, maybe its just too low. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[jmaddr]

Another possibility is you may not be too low but perhaps too wide. Likely it’s a little of both and you will have to find a happy medium.

An easy check (as I’m not familiar but don’t think you can change the lowering level with links) is to take out the spacers and go for your ride. If you stop hitting the liner, you are too wide (or again a combo of the width and lowering) and can think about thinner spacers vs changing the lowering level. A bonus of this will be you will check if the spacers are the reason for the vibration (common issue if the spacers are not hub centric).

 

[pabla]

Another possibility is you may not be too low but perhaps too wide. Likely it’s a little of both and you will have to find a happy medium.

An easy check (as I’m not familiar but don’t think you can change the lowering level with links) is to take out the spacers and go for your ride. If you stop hitting the liner, you are too wide (or again a combo of the width and lowering) and can think about thinner spacers vs changing the lowering level. A bonus of this will be you will check if the spacers are the reason for the vibration (common issue if the spacers are not hub centric).

I am planning on having a ride without the spacers to check for rubbing. The spacers are hub centric and from h&r so good quality. Cannot go thinner unfortunately, cause the oem studs will stick out too much and prevent the wheel from sitting flush.

 

[cmarshack]

For the front you can fix the rubbing with proper caster adjustment and you need to get it realigned anyway, now that it is lowered.

 

[pabla]

For the front you can fix the rubbing with proper caster adjustment and you need to get it realigned anyway, now that it is lowered.

Thought caster was not adjustable.. or is that camber?

 

[MalaMia]

Hey folks,

new here and recently acquired my Raven S Performance and loving it!. I've had experience lowering my previous cars and plan to do the same with my S. I've gone with brackets (1.5" drop from std. adjustable variable air height settings) given the limitation on TMS stick control arms, I'm getting aftermarket control arms (two sets, 1 for camber and another for toe) these will allow for greater range in alignment variability that is required to relieve minor rub and premature tire wear. I highly recommend aftermarket control arms along with alignment. Happy to provide more detail on this if required, hope it helps.

 

[colindo1990]

cause of rubbing in the front is cause by the lower offset from my experience.

 

[pabla]

Hey folks,

new here and recently acquired my Raven S Performance and loving it!. I've had experience lowering my previous cars and plan to do the same with my S. I've gone with brackets (1.5" drop from std. adjustable variable air height settings) given the limitation on TMS stick control arms, I'm getting aftermarket control arms (two sets, 1 for camber and another for toe) these will allow for greater range in alignment variability that is required to relieve minor rub and premature tire wear. I highly recommend aftermarket control arms along with alignment. Happy to provide more detail on this if required, hope it helps.View attachment 536956

Going to try an alignment first, then may be raise the car a few mm back up. Thanks for the suggestions though if nothing else works I’ll be looking into some control arms!

 

[Russell]

Hello all,

Just yesterday I lowered my 2014 p85 with lowering links (58mm front 78mm rear) and installed a set of 20mm spacers. Its sitting on OEM staggered turbines 245 in front and 265 in the rears. The fitment looks amazing, but now I am troubled with a few things. When reversing the front wheels rubbing against the fender liner when the wheels turned about 90%, ive read that people have tried pushing in the fender liner with a heat gun, has anyone had any success with this? Also if I am travelling on the highway and hit a large bump the car rubs on the liners. I am beginning to think I went too low. I haven't gotten an alignment yet, could that possibly help the rubbing in the front? Another issue im having is vibrating at 130kmh+, I checked that the spacers and wheels are both seated correctly and there's no play. I do remember my wheel guy telling me that one of the front rims is slightly out of shape.. could this be why im experiencing vibration? I haven't read about many owners with 58/78mm lowering links on 20mm spacers with the stock turbines, maybe its just too low. Any help would be appreciated!

The rubbing noise in front are caused by the tread blocks catching on the vent slats. Dremel the slats back to stop the noise.

 

[pabla]

The rubbing noise in front are caused by the tread blocks catching on the vent slats. Dremel the slats back to stop the noise.

View attachment 536994

Thats what my tire guy was saying to do, we did some heating and bending of the fender which helped. What length links are you running?

 

[cookie99]

its not the links. I've use all size links on the 21" turbines with no rubbing. As soon as I put spacers on, it rubs no matter what I do. I've decided to only run spacers in the rear, the fronts look fine without them

 

[Russell]

I did 5 mm longer than stock, front and back. Equates to about 1" drop.

 

[colindo1990]

Trust me, rubbing is caused by spacers.

245/35/21 is 27.8 inches rolling diameter

running a 255/30/21 will solve the front rubbing issue because rolling diameter is now 27.1 inches

 

[pabla]

its not the links. I've use all size links on the 21" turbines with no rubbing. As soon as I put spacers on, it rubs no matter what I do. I've decided to only run spacers in the rear, the fronts look fine without them

Im also experiencing rubbing when going over quick elevation changes at highway speeds too so thinking of going a bit higher than current. From what ive read some owners have head success with running 20mm spacers all around. Worst case I take the front spacers off like you

 

[pabla]

Trust me, rubbing is caused by spacers.

245/35/21 is 27.8 inches rolling diameter

running a 255/30/21 will solve the front rubbing issue because rolling diameter is now 27.1 inches

Unfortunately I just put brand new tires on a few weeks ago so I can't change them again

 

[colindo1990]

I was running 245/40/20 of my 20x10 et 20 and it rubbed on full locked turns
now I'm running 255/35/20 and rubbing problem solved.

245/40/20 = 27.8 inches tall
255/35/20 = 27 inches tall

 

[pabla]

I did 5 mm longer than stock, front and back. Equates to about 1" drop.

Are you experiencing any rubbing at highway speeds over quick elevation changes? Trying to figure out an ideal ride height

 

[Russell]

Are you experiencing any rubbing at highway speeds over quick elevation changes? Trying to figure out an ideal ride height

Not on my fronts. My rears sometimes do. They are 20x10 ET26 on 295/35 and the shoulder of the tire rubs a little bit on the inner edge of the bumper. Over time (read: as it wore down the bumper) it hardly rubs. When I had 275/35 there was no rubbing at all.

Rubbing can be fixed by choosing a different tire size or wheel offset. Which one are you willing to change?

 

[pabla]

Not on my fronts. My rears sometimes do. They are 20x10 ET26 on 295/35 and the shoulder of the tire rubs a little bit on the inner edge of the bumper. Over time (read: as it wore down the bumper) it hardly rubs. When I had 275/35 there was no rubbing at all.

Rubbing can be fixed by choosing a different tire size or wheel offset. Which one are you willing to change?

View attachment 537027 View attachment 537028

I had a quick look at the rears and don’t see it rubbing on the bumper lip itself. I am seeing that it may be rubbing on the liner as well, but it’s hard to tell. To combat this I think I may just take the spacers out, not looking to get new tires/wheels just yet

 

[colindo1990]

295/35/20 is too tall for the rears