Front tyre rubbing!

[blueshoe182]

As the title says I'm getting some bad front tyre rubbing in my front arches when cornered hard. It's a 2004 ff 182 cup with 10mm lower eibach springs. It's rubbed on the bumper bracket ever since I've had it even when I had it on the original springs. It's on standard wheels with 205/45/16. Today after getting new tyres fitted I took a familiar corner quickly and it rubbed so badly it's torn the metal bumper bracket towards the front on the front wheel arch. Anyone got any ideas what would cause a 182 to rub this badly?! As I say it did it with both the completely standard suspension as well as with the eibachs. It's a car that should be driven quickly but the rubbing has been stopping me and now the bumpers hanging off I can't drive it at all!

 

[AlexW]

Is the wheel clearly further foward in the arch than the other?

 

[krappy]

Shouldn't be getting rubbing like that - I have 205/45/16's on Turinis on my 172 with increased caster wishbones and konis/sportlines (30mm+ drop) and I am only getting slight rubbing on the liner...

 

[Dave..]

I'll talk you through how to solve the problem.

Have a route around in your hammer draw. Every man should have one.

Take a fairly large hammer, preferably one that requires two hands.

Proceed to bash the s**t out of bumper bracket until it no longer rubs on wheel.

 

[blueshoe182]

Wheel looks central in the arch, compared to the other side which doesn't rub quite as bad.

I've not heard of other standard 182's rub this bad so I guess something must be wrong, maybe the shocks are shagged. It's rubs on the liner and on the bumper bracket.

As my previous car was a land rover I have an extensive range of large hammers but I cut the bumper bracket back with an angle grinder instead!

must be something suspension related to make it rub this bad, the new tyres are Yoko Ado8r's they stick like poo to a blanket!

 

[Martin_172]

bump stops are missing from the damper if its running eibachs and hitting the bumper bracket

 

[blueshoe182]

Only eibach springs on standard shocks.

 

[Martin_172]

and are bump stops fitted?

 

[blueshoe182]

I'd hope so seeing as the shocks haven't been changed to my knowledge. Would it really hit the bump stops in cornering, thought they were more there to stop the shock bottoming out over hard compressions

 

[Martin_172]

mine was hitting the arch liners during 5mph mini roundabouts and bumper brackets during anything more than slow driving, fitted the bump stops that were missing and it cured it straight away.

if running eibach springs its impossible for it to hit the bumper brackets if bump stops are there (assuming no bigger than 16" wheels)

 

[blueshoe182]

You could be right. I took a loot in the arch to see what damage had been done and I didn't see any gaiter/boot on the shock. And no bump stop on top of the shock body or anywhere on the piston shaft itself

 

[Martin_172]

yeah thats the problem, the dustcover and bump stops all come as one part, wests renault in the traders section can get a hold of them they are about 25 quid for the pair

 

[Fred@BTM]

yeah bumpstops missing 100%

 

[blueshoe182]

Ok so I've ordered some bump ststops let's hope that solves the problem. Just one question. Why would it be hitting the bump stop during hard cornering? I'd have thought they were there as more of a cushioning to prevent damage to the shock piston over full suspension travel?

 

[blueshoe182]

Ok so I've ordered some bump ststops let's hope that solves the problem. Just one question. Why would it be hitting the bump stop during hard cornering? I'd have thought they were there as more of a cushioning to prevent damage to the shock piston over full suspension travel?

 

[Fred@BTM]

bumpstop should actually be called by its real name - secondary damper, its part of the suspension

its there to dampen the final travel of the shock/spring, without it the ride is horrible and you WILL get tyres hitting arches

 

[blueshoe182]

Fitted bumpstops the other day and it has stopped the tyres hitting the front arch. Got them off Ebay for about £13 in the end, look like decent quality too. Thanks chaps!!

 

[Fred@BTM]

you didn't fit genuine ones?

 

[blueshoe182]

Nope!