Before I begin, let me start by saying that I searched this whole forum with no answers at all, NOR a person with a similar problem.....

I have a 03 evo 8 that is lowered on Tein S springs. I just purchased a set of Racing Hart 3 piece rims. They are 18 X 8.5, 26 mm offset, with a set of RT-615's (Falkens 245/40/18), and bolted them on. The member that I bought the rims from had shown me on his evo, on how he trimmed the inner lip of the rear fenders for a little extra clearance. His fenders were professionally done, and looked great. So in knowing that I would have to do the same thing to my fenders, I did the same...I took off a little more off of the inner fender lips than his actually...


NOW the problem...

The left rear tire was basically gouged BIGTIME by the fender!! The right rear is hardly touching at all (all during hard high speed turns, or rebound after a speedbump). The fenders cannot be trimmed anymore.

I have verified the following:
alignment....OK (rear) camber/caster/toe
4 wheels same offset
ride heigth same on both sides
both rear inner fenders trimmed equally to maximum
body (pan) straight (per frame machine laser)


SO...I am led to believe that possibly the rear sub frame/chassis is slightly shifted towards the left side...

Has anybody seen this before? OR has anybody ever loosened the rear suspension mounts and shifted them slightly? I have on other cars before (back when I turned wrenches for a living), but not on the evo?

 

hello...anybody?

 

bumpty bump?

 

Check your wheel bearing. If it's on it's way out, check them all. If you're offset is aggressive enough that you had to roll the fenders, then any play out of the wheel bearings might be enough to cause the tire to rub.

 

I don't think it's to far fetched have one fender slightly closer the tire then the other, I have seen that on other cars, production line variances will occur.

There doesn’t have to be much difference, maybe just 1mm, to make this happen. It could very well be the one side that does not rub is just barley missing the fender. Since it’s a cut finder with I assume a rough edger it would not take much to start it cutting in.

I would suggest a proper offset of something like 35 to 40 mm.

 

what about going to a body shop and having them take measurements of the chassis to see if its ok. Every car is different so running such aggressive offsets is a hit or a miss in most cases. Your other solution is to run a proper offset. good luck

 

take it to an frame machine if you think something is out... it would say its probley a worn bearing or worn rubber peice in the susp. a alinghment wont tell if a bushing is giving up under hard turns.. you have an 03, i would say replace with new stuff..

 

Thanks for the input guys...Just to note though...The car just came off a laser frame alignment machine, and it is on the money. I never though about the wheel bearing idea...but I know that there is no play from the rear knuckle (left side). I will definatley double check the bearing. FYI guys...the car has 62K miles...all from the southern california freeways. If the bearing issue is OK, than I am going to start throwing rear end bushings at it. Thanks for your inputs guys...I appreciate it greatly!!

 

see people do say thanks....

 

It rubs on the left side. Your on the left side. Have someone measure your clearance with you in the car. Mine rubs more on the left and the left side is rolled more. My left rear drops 1/4 with me in it. Right rear doesn't move at all. Add more negative camber. Cheaper than new rims with a different off-set.

 

What other symptoms are there of a worn wheel bearing? Or a wearing one... Any noises or anything?

 

The camber idea is I think the easiest solution, as well as the cheepest to. What is weired though is the frame machine shows my car as dead nuts, and the alignment is as well? BUT if you observe the rear tires from the back end of the car...it looks almost like the left rear has about a 4-5 mm offset from the right? I know it sounds weird, but the rim offsets are the same. I am gonna throw it on the lift on Mon. and see if there is a minimal adjustment to the rear suspension carriage (sorry for using the word "carriage", I don't really know what else to call it)? If I can't shift it to the right by about 4-5 mm, then I will just adjust the camber as needed. Thanks again guys for your help and input! It is truly appreciated.

 

huh i was thinking the same thing as tahoe....left side..driver side. yah i would ck clearances with you in the car. One would think with hard cornering, extra weight in the left side and the amount of flex in the stock rubber bushings could be causing this too.

most worn bearings make noise or cause vibration.

 

Thats what I am thinking..

 

What kind of noise/vibration?

And on the question of the bushings, do aftermarket coilovers use the stock rubber bushings still? Are they important to replace?