front wheels rubbing on bumper brackets

[Martin_172]

got an issue where my 172's front tyres are rubbing on the bumper brackets, after rubbing through the arch liners! this is happening both on 16" 172 wheels (was doing it really badly) and on 15" OZ F1's with 195/50/15.

the car is running cup dampers, eibach sportlines, a combo ive used many times before and running factory camber as before, yet me or anyone else who has ran this setup doesn't seem to have this issue? any ideas?

car has been on a hunter alignment machine and all is OK its doing it equally on both sides?

 

[MG cup]

Cup arms, my cup does it but it only rubs away the bulge of arch liner over the bumper bracket. I have left it to make its own wheel shape hole instead of trying to cut a suitable hole. Rubbing the bumper bracket itself makes a completely different metallic noise.

 

[krappy]

Cup arms, my cup does it but it only rubs away the bulge of arch liner over the bumper bracket. I have left it to make its own wheel shape hole instead of trying to cut a suitable hole. Rubbing the bumper bracket itself makes a completely different metallic noise.

^^^This.

I have put cup arms on my 172 (Konis/Sportlines) and since then I have worn holes through the arch liner - didn't do it before I fitted the arms...

 

[Ph1 Tom]

Mine does it, I've decided to leave it and sort its own 'cut-outs'

 

[Martin_172]

im running cup arms too so that makes sence with the extra castor I assume?
are you guys getting rubbing on the bumper brackets too though as I am!

 

[jesus]

Bend the brackets using mole grips.

 

[MG cup]

im running cup arms too so that makes sence with the extra castor I assume?
are you guys getting rubbing on the bumper brackets too though as I am!

Yes its because the caster. You shouldn't need to bend anything with just sportlines, I have driven my car pretty hard on track with them and 205/45/16 and never touched the bracket. Just let the tyres run there course on the liners would be my advice.

 

[Martin_172]

its definitely rubbing on the brackets, ive ran this exact setup on all 3 of my 172s and never had any issues on the other 2, even with 16s but yet on this im having bother, even during 5-10mph cornering on full or nearly full lock (although just on the liners when doing that) but when pushing hard round bends or hitting dips in the road it will catch the brackets.

also, when I open the doors and jump up and down on the sills im getting a loud noise coming from BOTH dampers depending on what side I jump on, it sounds like air in the damper oil or something?
these are brand new dampers with brand new sportlines with brand new top mounts, along with brand new bottom arms, track rods, ends etc its all brand new just rebuilt 100 miles ago.

are these dampers possibly shot? it handles as it should, feels grippy like it should yet it does feel like it has a bit more body roll than I remember but I was coming from a coilovered car!

 

[Martin_172]

also worth noting it sits at "normal" sportline height

 

[MG cup]

Not sure then bud, my car (a cup) doesn't touch the brackets. Is there witness marks on them or it just sounds like it?

 

[Martin_172]

rubber on the brackets too so its definatey touching them, I cant get my head round it.
going to check the part numbers on my eibachs to make sure ive got the correct 2.0 ones and not the 1.2 ones, my invoice says 2.0 ones but you never know!

 

[Martin_172]

done a good bit of reading up on here over the last hour and found out that cup arms leave you with a lot less room when lowered due to extra castor as mentioned above, looked back through my paperwork and found out that although the change over date for cup arms was 09/2002, my 03 plate car was built before that and just registered late, hence how my ph1 and first ph2 didn't have this issue, but my current 52 plate one (which had extra castor arms although I fitted a new set) rubs!

as for the new dampers making this oil noise on bumps etc, its normal too and loads of topics came up about it so seems bumper bracket modification is next!!

 

[MG cup]

Yes its because the caster.

Lol :banghead: thats what I have said up there ^^^^. Cup arms have extra caster and with Renault doing it this way (moving the wheel forward) instead of moving the strut top back it will rub as we have all said. I just don't think it is rubbing your (metal) brackets with just sportlines though.

 

[Martin_172]

that cup arms leave you with a lot less room when lowered due to extra castor as mentioned above

Lol :banghead: thats what I have said up there ^^^^. Cup arms have extra caster and with Renault doing it this way (moving the wheel forward) instead of moving the strut top back it will rub as we have all said. I just don't think it is rubbing your (metal) brackets with just sportlines though.

keep your hair on dear!

it is rubbing on the metal brackets as I marked them up and when I took it a blast it removed all the marker off them!

 

[DannyR]

Are the rubber bump stops in place on the shocks?

 

[MG cup]

keep your hair on dear!

it is rubbing on the metal brackets as I marked them up and when I took it a blast it removed all the marker off them!

Hairs firmly on darling haha

 

[Martin_172]

Are the rubber bump stops in place on the shocks?

now theres a thought, ill check today when im at the car

 

[Martin_172]

Are the rubber bump stops in place on the shocks?

bag of chocolate coins for this man!!!
no bump stops fitted, there was none on the spax kit that came off so in my mad frenzy to get it all fitted ive never noticed!

 

[MG cup]

That will be it. Not the first time I'v heard Danny give that advice either. You wouldn't think they roll enough to be on the bumps stops but they must.

 

[DannyR]

I had the same problem. I bought new shocks and cooksport springs. I went from coilovers to those so I never saw where they should be, if at all!

 

[Martin_172]

Good stuff mate, managed to source a set today so ill sort it tomorrow! As above i never thought they would roll that much!

 

[DannyR]

There about £7 each from Renault I think. Just a pain fitting them as such a simple thing and will take an hour or two!

 

[RyanWarner93]

@Martin_172 is this any easy job fitting bump stops? I’ve just got a clio yesterday and when full lock (nearly) the tyre rubs. Now I’m don’t know much but how do the bump stops, stop the tyre from rubbing?

 

[Louis]

@Martin_172 is this any easy job fitting bump stops? I’ve just got a clio yesterday and when full lock (nearly) the tyre rubs. Now I’m don’t know much but how do the bump stops, stop the tyre from rubbing?

Just smash the brackets out the way.

 

[Martin_172]

@Martin_172 is this any easy job fitting bump stops? I’ve just got a clio yesterday and when full lock (nearly) the tyre rubs. Now I’m don’t know much but how do the bump stops, stop the tyre from rubbing?

easy job, remove both top mount nuts, jack car up, front wheels off, remove both lower shock bolts, remove the shock, spring compressors on (if not running lowering springs), remove top mount nut, lift off the top mount, slide the bump stop in and refitting is all of that in reverse!

better late than never for a reply too, a set of bump stops fitted, of course cured the problem!

 

[RyanWarner93]

Cheers mate, how do the bump stops, stop the wheel from rubbing on the bumper/plastic infront?
@Martin_172

 

[Martin_172]

Cheers mate, how do the bump stops, stop the wheel from rubbing on the bumper/plastic infront?
@Martin_172

because it stops the front suspension travel going past the point it should