Car feels almost F-ing brand new!!!

90TGP · December 20, 2002, 07:48:59 PM

Well I got all of my suspension parts installed today. Front and rear KYB GR2 struts, Suspension Technique's front lowering springs, and KYB front and rear strut mounts. Well, my car feels almost like a new car. It handles great. I don't have anymore weird noises coming from the struts, its sits a LOT lower [I can only fit two fingers between the lip of the fender and the tire, about a 1 3/4"-to-2" drop up front.] and looks more aggressive. When I go over railroad tracks, the car goes up and down evenly like its floating on air.

I haven't pushed it hard through the "twiztiez" yet because of this one weird problem.

Ok, when I make a turn [like onto a side street], a loud scrapping noise comes from the front [both sides depending on which way I'm turning]. It sounds like metal is scrapping the ground. I'll have to check it out tomorrow to see if their really is something from the motor touching the ground. It couldn't be my wheels could it? I know that they are 8" wide. It doesn't make the sound if I'm turning backwards out of my driveway [which is inclined, probably 10-20*]. What could be causing this problem!?

idbeast · December 20, 2002, 09:10:54 PM

The Front tires are scraping the inner fender wells... :wink:

90TGP · December 20, 2002, 09:38:35 PM

Sounds like the problem. So how do I fix it?

idbeast · December 20, 2002, 10:28:03 PM

The dropped front end is causing it (tight clearance with wheel tire combo), there is no easy fix, sorry

90TGP · December 21, 2002, 06:56:03 AM

What if I went with a 7" wheel?

Mike J. · December 21, 2002, 08:47:51 AM

Yeah, you could put some of the Bonneville gold wheels on the front with
225/55/16 tires which are about an inch less wide but have almost the exact same diameter as our 245/50's. That way you wouldn't have to buy new rear equip. but you could change to other wheels of course if so inclined. I have been told all tires need to be of the same dia. but can be any diameter you chose, so you could go with smaller dia. all around to get even more clearance around the turns.

corvette · December 21, 2002, 01:10:57 PM

Tires the same size all around is a mis-nomer, they only need to be the same on each axle!
Look at the super-cars, they have different sizes front/rear.

Lowering and then a compromise in tire width doesn't achieve anything in my opinion, because you need the width up front in the twisteez, I would go back to a little suspension height and raise the front a little. If it really worked to lower it, ASC/McLaren would have done that as part of the package.

The 245's are great for this car, it has almost as much footprint as my 'Vette, 225's would be a dissapointment in my opinion.

Looks are one thing, but performance is another, so with what you've done so far, keep after the performance and keep the looks as stock as possible and KILL the buzzbomb imports with your tricked out sleeper!

idbeast · December 21, 2002, 05:56:08 PM

Antilock brakes NEED to have the same size tires on all four corners, you can change sizes but they have to the same distance (circumference) around!!!! :drinking:

corvette · December 22, 2002, 08:28:20 AM

Thanks, I had forgotten about that stupind item.

or

you could reprogram the antillocks as I imagine the cars with different sizes have done!

90TGP · January 14, 2003, 06:42:04 AM

Would this work? 235/45/17 tire on a 17x7 wheel? The speedo would be 0.01% off from stock.

I also just found out that GM had a service bulletin for the front tires rubbing against the inner fender well. I will need to buy the damn bulletin from NHTSA [5 pages long]. I think what they do is add a brace to the front bumper that pulls the inner fender wells forward to keep the tires from rubbing. Must have been bad to have a service bulletin.

turby · January 14, 2003, 07:36:29 AM

My right front tire rubs the fenderwell. It's freaking annoying. :evil:

Mike J. · January 14, 2003, 08:48:59 AM

Actual tire diameters and tread widths vary from Mfr-Mfr :!: . That tire size looks to be actually about .2-.3 of an inch less dia. than our orig. size and the with is about .5-1.5 in less with both varying by Mfr. You will have to do the measuring to see what is likely to work but I would still recommend something around 1-1.5 less tread width in front and if you change all 4 tires/or wheels, less diameter will clear better. Find the size you need and then look at each mfr specs. the .2-.3 diameter of that tire size less than than our originals would be closer to about a 5% error in your speedometer. P.S. as tough as these 9" wide front tires look, they are probably overkill and a smaller tire width of at least 7.5 " should handle the job.

Mike J. · January 21, 2003, 07:23:58 PM

Heres an ebay auction that has 16x7 gold wheels for sale. They say 8" wide wheels but shouldn't be because that wasn't an option in 1995 and the tires are the skinnier 225's. Auction end in 1 day 19 hrs from this post !
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2400496136&category=33748

1trucavalier · February 04, 2003, 01:05:46 PM

hey 90tgp did you ever get your rubbing problem fixed? I am using 235-45-17's and they do not rub at all.

90TGP · February 04, 2003, 06:13:34 PM

Nope, not yet. But I'll probably go with 235 when I get my new wheels.