Clearance for lowering!!

[fastygaz]

Hi all,
Does anyone here have any experience with 5.5 wide 17mm offset wheels on a lowered late type 3?!
I'm dropping the Fasty very soon and I wanna run 5.5" slotmags but it looks like there won't be quite enough room to tuck 'em into the rear wings!!
Just need to know if anyone on here's run this kinda setup and whether they had any issues with rubbing?!
Any help gratefully received as always!!
Gaz

[Marko]

you will have all sorts of problems with them rubbing on the arches especially if your car had IRS set up and 205 tyres on the rear! I have 35 offset 914 alloys with 185 tyres and they sit just right..

[fastygaz]

I'm not planning on having wide rubber, slightly stretched on if anything, just need to know that the wings aren't gonna hit the rims themselves !!
Gaz

[Marko]

as a guide line I had 25 offsets on the rear with 205 tyres, when lowered one spline the tyres were touching the arches! with 17mm offset you have a further 8mm width so even tighter! maybe a 165 tyre will clear, maybe not. you will also have trouble with full lock on front even with low profile tyres.. 35 offset rim is ideal for a lowered type 3 even then you just have to be careful on tyre choice. I found 185/65 was a no no on front so dropped to 185/55 (yet to actually drive my car but it clears static )

those slots are nice retro rims but more suited to Bugs.

[fastygaz]

Thanks for your help Marko, I could see there were gonna be problems but I was hoping I was wrong!!
Looks like I'll have to stick with the 2 liters that were the original plan (not a massive disappointment I must say)!!
Thanks again buddy
Gaz

[blueridge]

I have 5.5 steels on my squareback 25 mm offset with 195 60 15s and have about 15mm between wing and tyre .i ran with 175 55 15s on the front when lowered to clear the wings

[Marko]

I have 5.5 steels on my squareback 25 mm offset with 195 60 15s and have about 15mm between wing and tyre .i ran with 175 55 15s on the front when lowered to clear the wings

IRS or swing axle?

[purplepeter]

Damien's ( Blueridge) car is IRS

[Marko]

strange, when I had 25mm offset on rear of mine it was undrivable as there was 0 clearance! was OK before I lowered it though..

[eagle]

I am now running 5.5J's on the back with 185 tyres I think - too wet to check . It's close though

[fastygaz]

I've got 5.5 et17 rivieras on at the mo which used to rub at the back with 195/65s, and it's not particularly low at the moment...had to switch tyres to 185/60s and rol the inside lip over on the wing!!
Looking to go substantially lower and I can see that even with skinnier tyres they're gonna hit, so a change of plan it is!!
Gaz

[eagle]

The tyres fitted are 195/60 15

[blueridge]

[haz]

I've got 5.5 et17 rivieras on at the mo which used to rub at the back with 195/65s, and it's not particularly low at the moment...had to switch tyres to 185/60s and rol the inside lip over on the wing!!

et17 rivieras? didnt know they came in anything other than 15", love to see a pic.

Ive got 15" Rivieras & they had 195s on when I got them to try, no way they would go under the rear arch, I put 175 50s on and they only just fitted even 2ish splines down, ended up running 175 80s on the rear as the gear ratio was stuffed with 50s, about -10% on the rolling diameter so the engine just felt like it was screaming for mercy at 60+mph!!

Fronts have loads of room with 175 50s, can even get full lock, the lower profile effectively lowers the car without loosing suspension travel, which is precious as in NZ you need a special certification to modify any suspension parts, adjusting is ok though

bluebridge, take it 3 point turns are a thing of dreams, come to think of it so would any single figure point turns yeah? , Love the look of the 17's though.

[blueridge]

I've got hydraulic suspension so when at ride height I can get full turn with no rubbing.

[haz]

Thats just cheating!!

Ps whats the badge you've put where the front plate used to be, was thinking of doing that rather than getting it soomthed out.

[blueridge]