Tires rubbing inner wheel well, help!?

[seanserino]

Hey everyone.

I am having some issues with my wheels/tires...

I have a 2008 Mazdaspeed 3 which is lowered on H&R springs, with stock shocks/struts. It has 18x8.5 Rota SVN wheels, with a +48 offset, with 235/40/18 tires, all around.

I got a flat along with a cracked wheel last week. This was due to my tire rubbing through completely (which I didn't realize till I pulled them off) and having low tire pressure + hitting big potholes. So, yesterday I took off all of my wheels and inspected them for cracks, etc. I realize that I am rubbing the front inner wheel well and my tires have worn completely through. The rears are totally fine.

I am about to order a replacement wheel and 2 new tires for the front. I am debating if I should stick with 235/40/18 but run ~5mm spacers, or run 225/45/18 or even 215/45/18. I'd prefer to stick with the 235's though for the extra grip and I don't want to start stretching tires. I think I'll be fine with 5mm spacers, and I'm not that close to the outer fender and I can always roll it a bit.

It just seems odd to me that the tires would have worn through so much, when there was only 1 spot in the inner wheel well which rubbed, and it didn't seem too bad. Has this happened to anyone else? Think I may be rubbing elsewhere? I didn't see any other potential rubbing-spots.

Is it possible to hammer the inner wheel well back a bit? Has anyone done this?

Inner wheel well

 

[seanserino]

Also, I did notice some wear on the struts themselves, but it was minor and didn't seem like it could be the cause.

 

[schlepperock]

Did it only rub when turning right?

 

[seanserino]

It rubs on both sides, and I imagine it rubs when I turn the wheel either way. I need to look at it more this weekend.

I moved my rear wheels to the front for the time being (I'd rather have the donut in the rear, on a non-drive wheel) and I can definitely feel the tires rubbing in the front (they are also 235's but have no wear on the inside). I'm going to take the fronts off again this weekend, and hopefully I can get a better understanding of where they are rubbing. Also, going to mess with trying to cut away some of the inner fender liner, though it seems that it's rubbing on the frame metal.


I just ordered my replacement wheel from Wheel-dude, but will take ~2 weeks to get to me
I also ordered 5mm spacers for the front, which should solve my rubbing problem. I'm pretty sure I will still be able to run 235s + 5mm wheel spacer and be fine. I may decide to go with 225 just to be safe though. Hmmm.

 

[spdjnke]

With that offset with 5mm spacers you should be fine, but what you will find probably is that if you run a 45 series tire you'll probably have to roll the outside fender. I would have recommended going with 225/40 just to be on the safe side with out the spacers, with it the 235 would have been okay but in a 40 series tire as well.

 

[seanserino]

Yea I think I'm going with 235/40/18 with 5mm spacers, so that the tires match the rears. I am considering 225/40 but then they are slightly staggered from the rear.

 

[spdjnke]

slightly staggered is ok, but I think if you ran 235 in the rear it's going to rub for sure, I would stick with 225 unless your cool with rolling your fenders.

 

[seanserino]

I've run 235 in the rear, with no rubbing. My car was modded when I purchased it, so I'm not sure if the fenders have been rolled or not. Still debating 235/40, 225/40 or 225/45. Probably just going with 235's, as the 5mm spacer should help me enough to clear with no problem.

 

[boosted1]

Also, I did notice some wear on the struts themselves, but it was minor and didn't seem like it could be the cause.

I would consider upgrading the struts to Koni's or Bilsteins. Our stock struts/shocks don't handle lowering all that well.

 

[spdjnke]

if it's been lowered stick with 40 I wouldn't go 45's unless it's stock height especially at 235...

 

[seanserino]

I would consider upgrading the struts to Koni's or Bilsteins. Our stock struts/shocks don't handle lowering all that well.

I bought the car modded, but sometime this summer I want to upgrade to Koni Yellows, or just get a set of adjustable coilovers, probably BC.

 

[seanserino]

if it's been lowered stick with 40 I wouldn't go 45's unless it's stock height especially at 235...

I stuck with 235/40/18 a,d 5mm spacers. Tires will arrive tomorrow. I won't get my replacement wheel from Wheel-Dude for another week or so

 

[spdjnke]

great choice, I'm sure it will work out for ya.!! make sure you post pics before and after.

 

[MM BOOST]

my question in all of this, how in the crap did you not feel/hear it rubbing, especially after THAT much damage. That is extensive rub. I had the EXACT same setup that you had, and then i swapped my h&r springs for bc coils, and I had to run 5mm spacers in the front to clear the strut. Also, I cut off the bulging pieces of the inner fender liner so that my tires would not rub on any of it. All of my problems were fixed.

 

[seanserino]

I bought the car with the mods already on it and I'm assuming the tires had already been worn down almost completely. I never noticed any rubbing from the tires, in the ~6000 miles that I've had the car. However, once I swapped my rears onto the front (temporarily), I can feel the rubbing like crazy.

 

[MM BOOST]

man, that is insane! That dude must have been completely deaf or had no senses of feeling. Incredible. Soon as I lowered mine down and pulled forward, I heard Woahhh Woahhhhh Woahhhhhh rubbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb.....backed the b**** back up after moving forward 10 feet, jacked er back up and threw on some spacers, and rub a dub was gone.

 

[seanserino]

Yup, I heard no rubbing at all because the tires were already worn down. But when I threw the rears on to the front for the meantime, they rub like crazy and it's obvious. I'm trying to limit the driving I do on the MS3, but I won't have my replacement wheel/tires/spacers for another week or so and it's raining all week, which means I'm not driving my s2000.

 

[meicalnissyen]

my question in all of this, how in the crap did you not feel/hear it rubbing, especially after THAT much damage. That is extensive rub. I had the EXACT same setup that you had, and then i swapped my h&r springs for bc coils, and I had to run 5mm spacers in the front to clear the strut. Also, I cut off the bulging pieces of the inner fender liner so that my tires would not rub on any of it. All of my problems were fixed.

zip it, some questions are best left unvoiced ;-)

 

[BigDaddyMS3]

Rubbing

Roll your fenders!
If you don't know what it looks like, just go to your local Mazda dealer and compare your car to a new one on the lot. Typically it is obvious, as you will notice that there is a large protuding lip on each fender/wheel well on the new car. What some owners do to roll their fenders is to use rubber malletts, 2 x 4s, even baseball bats, (shade tree mechanic way). Maybe the previous owner did it this way.
The ideal way to do roll your fender wells is to either rent, buy or borrow a fender rolling tool, remove the wheel/tire and connect it to your hub. Please use a heat gun to warm the fender well properly to avoid crackling your paint. A heat gun with a digital temperature read out is best. Check Youtube or this and other forum threads for DIY instruction or videos.
If this does'nt work you could always flare your wheel wells at a local body shop, ($$$).
This is just my 2 cents.

 

[tool1970]

Hey everyone.

I am having some issues with my wheels/tires...

I have a 2008 Mazdaspeed 3 which is lowered on H&R springs, with stock shocks/struts. It has 18x8.5 Rota SVN wheels, with a +48 offset, with 235/40/18 tires, all around.

I got a flat along with a cracked wheel last week. This was due to my tire rubbing through completely (which I didn't realize till I pulled them off) and having low tire pressure + hitting big potholes. So, yesterday I took off all of my wheels and inspected them for cracks, etc. I realize that I am rubbing the front inner wheel well and my tires have worn completely through. The rears are totally fine.

I am about to order a replacement wheel and 2 new tires for the front. I am debating if I should stick with 235/40/18 but run ~5mm spacers, or run 225/45/18 or even 215/45/18. I'd prefer to stick with the 235's though for the extra grip and I don't want to start stretching tires. I think I'll be fine with 5mm spacers, and I'm not that close to the outer fender and I can always roll it a bit.

It just seems odd to me that the tires would have worn through so much, when there was only 1 spot in the inner wheel well which rubbed, and it didn't seem too bad. Has this happened to anyone else? Think I may be rubbing elsewhere? I didn't see any other potential rubbing-spots.

Is it possible to hammer the inner wheel well back a bit? Has anyone done this?

Inner wheel well

Oh my god I have the same issue. My Installer asked how long it has been since an alignment. My stuff is completely stock, springs, shocks, 92k miles. I am worried about my safety driving this car now. Again my suspension is stock.