Protege 18s Rub, HELP!! Aftermarket struts needed?????

[aMaff]

edit: ok 40 is too low, 45 is the lowest it should be.

45 would pull it closer to the strut.

 

[xDJ DUBx]

ahaha

yeah wheel offset(shady)

 

[L8R]

40 is way too low. +45 or higher.

 

[aMaff]

I must be taking crazy pills. Dude says 40 offset is (somehow) rubbing the strut (I assume the tire's too wide). Y'all tell him to use a higher offset, which brings it closer to the strut! What am I missing?

 

[protegeV]

I dont understand how they're only rubbing the struts with added weight in the car. the distance between the wheel and strut should not change no matter how much weight is in the car...the wheel is bolt to the hub to the knuckle, to the strut, it shouldn't move. now when you compress the spring, the wheel will get closer to the fender, but thats about it...Im lost

 

[nate0123]

The only thing I can think of is that over bumps, the alignment's changing (which is normal) allowing the tire to hit the strut body. Only thing I can't figure out is that McStrut suspensions gain POSITIVE camber under compression, meaning it should get further from the strut. Unless once it bounces back up it's hitting the strut then. I dunno.

negative

 

[shane02pro5]

Dude 40 is the tire profile not the wheel offset. Your offset is too high right now in combination with too much rubber 225/40's even with a wheel spacer then going to be rubbing on the inside of the fender. 48-50mm offset will tuck under the fender only with a 215/35/18. Try some wheel spacers first maybe 5mm to pull the wheels out but check your clearance on the fender as well. Sedans have a little more room in there than us wagon owners.

 

[aMaff]

negative

Last I checked, under compression, the protege's suspension moves towards positive camber (i.e. the top of the tire moves away from the body)....

 

[nate0123]

I dont understand how they're only rubbing the struts with added weight in the car. the distance between the wheel and strut should not change no matter how much weight is in the car...the wheel is bolt to the hub to the knuckle, to the strut, it shouldn't move. now when you compress the spring, the wheel will get closer to the fender, but thats about it...Im lost

(mswerd)

actually my guess is that the rubbing is on the inner fender liner, probably toward the front of the car... go check there for rub marks

 

[nate0123]

Last I checked, under compression, the protege's suspension moves towards positive camber (i.e. the top of the tire moves away from the body)....

none that I've ever seen...

 

[aMaff]

none that I've ever seen...

You're right. I don't feel like arguing or looking it up right now. You win. I made this up.

 

[nate0123]

some old pics, but my protege was dropped about 2" and as a result had a healthy dose of negative camber...

 

[awsmp5]

i would suspect that under compression the back wheels would go negative...?

 

[fourthmeal]

See that gap in there? That gap should NEVER change while driving the car, no matter how much you Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, and Dodge that suspension. That Strut bottom stays put right there, and moves with the tire/wheel assembly, as does the entire rear hub assembly.

The tire size you have is WRONG, given the vehicle you are working with. For reference, there is a wheel/tire calculator on my signature for you to use.

18x8's work on this car (the RX-8 wheels fit perfectly), but only if the offset is correct paired with the right tire. It is a careful dancing act between offset, wheel size, and diameter. You mentioned you are running the 18x7.5" Sportmax wheel, which probably a 45mm offset, which should work given your vehicle. But, the tire height ((225mm x (.40 x 2) /25.4) +18 is the formula) is too tall, and is interfering with something else along the way, and the width is a tiny bit too wide as well.

You need to change tire sizes, and see if someone will buy your 225/40-18 tires. They fit a lot of other Mazdas OK, so maybe go that way.

Like other said, you need a 215/35-18 tire should work. Tire Rack says a 215/40-18 will fit as well. BTW, I really, REALLY trust Tire Rack.

Tire Offset - 40

Here are a couple of pictures of the problem.
At the moment theyre not touching but thats because Im not hitting a dip hard or have 4 ppl in the back

 

[justanothermp5]

See that gap in there? That gap should NEVER change while driving the car, no matter how much you Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, and Dodge that suspension. That Strut bottom stays put right there, and moves with the tire/wheel assembly, as does the entire rear hub assembly.

The tire size you have is WRONG, given the vehicle you are working with. For reference, there is a wheel/tire calculator on my signature for you to use.

18x8's work on this car (the RX-8 wheels fit perfectly), but only if the offset is correct paired with the right tire. It is a careful dancing act between offset, wheel size, and diameter. You mentioned you are running the 18x7.5" Sportmax wheel, which probably a 45mm offset, which should work given your vehicle. But, the tire height ((225mm x (.40 x 2) /25.4) +18 is the formula) is too tall, and is interfering with something else along the way, and the width is a tiny bit too wide as well.

You need to change tire sizes, and see if someone will buy your 225/40-18 tires. They fit a lot of other Mazdas OK, so maybe go that way.

Like other said, you need a 215/35-18 tire should work. Tire Rack says a 215/40-18 will fit as well. BTW, I really, REALLY trust Tire Rack.

wow now that u point that out it actually makes sense that it shouldnt rub over a bump lol
but i would suggest coilovers?? idk if that will fix the problem and there quite expensive so....basically ignore this lol

 

[thewrench]

The camber argument is irrelevant . The angle of the wheel relevant to the strut CANNOT change as the spindle is securely (hopefully) bolted to the strut with 2 rather large bolts. If it's not touching in that photo, it won't ever touch, or else he has bigger problems than tire rubbing.

edit: Haha, slow typing ftl. (loser)

 

[fourthmeal]

The camber argument is irrelevant . The angle of the wheel relevant to the strut CANNOT change as the spindle is securely (hopefully) bolted to the strut with 2 rather large bolts. If it's not touching in that photo, it won't ever touch, or else he has bigger problems than tire rubbing.

EXACTLY!!

Its an issue of the tire touching elsewhere. Pop off that tire, and look all around for rubbing going on. If you have to, chalk the entire tire, and then have people get in the back and load it up, then the points that touch should show on the the inner fender area. This will tell you what's up.

 

[aMaff]

d'oh! Everyone's pwned. I didn't even think about the lateral movement lol.

 

[aMaff]

Protege: Check.
Compression: Check.
Positive camber: Check.

The rear's not as obvious, but you've got a clear, head on view to the front tire (note the sidewall flex. Kind of a cool pic of what you're tires are doing mid-corner)

I don't know how else to put it lol. There's a reason that double wish bone suspensions are generally favored over MacStruts for performance applications...

 

[Salmon_Rob]

even with the ttl rear suspension set up doing its best to counteract this, the protege goes positive under compression and load. andrews picture is PERFECT proof of this. op, get different tires, better offset, or spacers.