[Vapor50Fox]

Ok, so I read all over about rubbing lock to lock when you use a 245 45 17 on the 03 Cobra Wheels (17x9). Thats cool...understand that. However, my big problem at the moment is a rub w/ the tire when I go over bumps or brake hard. The left tire goes up into the well and rubs on the lip. I have no drop and everything is stock.

The shop tells me the struts are good; however, I do know I need a new rack/pinion, and end link bushings (they are gone totally right now).

To me... I see a lot of cars with this wheel/tire combo without this issue...and since I'm not dropped and have multiple inches of clearance I wouldn't think my front end should dip so much.

Can springs go bad over time?

At this point I want to get new struts up front, but I also really want to do a set of drop springs; however, thus far I don't really know why I'm having this problem for me to know this is going to fix it. All I know is I have seen guys with the same year, same size wheels/tires including the nearly 6in back space who have some kind of performance strut w/ drops ranging from eibach to ford c springs without the kind of rub issue I'm having.

Any thoughts here? At this point I'm going to blindly order all the parts including the steering and new end links and hope the fix is in the mix somewhere...but based on whats happening now if I drop it and do all that I'm going to be in a world of hurt with rubbing if it doesn't fix the problem. Literally...you can't drive it without it diving into the well and rubbing..hell.. even going from a parking lot with an incline to a flat road will put it up into the well. HELP!!!!

Thanks all!

93 LX 5.0

[jessemachone]

did you check your ball joints?

Edit: If you are still rolling with a suspension that is almost 20 years old, you may want to consider replacing all of the rubber bushings up there.

[89lx]

are you five lug? if so what do u use to five lug it

[Vapor50Fox]

I personally haven't checked the ball joints. Since you mention them, I'll start looking into that as a possibility. I wonder if it's something the guys should have seen in the visual inspection I had them do....

Also, no, 4 lug...

Thanks to you both for input!

edit: BTW, jessemachone, by 'all' do you mean one of those full bushing rebuild kits for the front end that are 150-200 bucks?

[93hatch]

I ran those rims twice, the inner rim will hit the a arm on lockout aka doing u turns or very sharp turns, other than that its fine. I ran 245s up front. If you dont mind it rubbing a bit, get em. Youll get used to it and learn to avoid it

and my car was lowered 1.5"

[Vapor50Fox]

Originally Posted by 93hatch I ran those rims twice, the inner rim will hit the a arm on lockout aka doing u turns or very sharp turns, other than that its fine. I ran 245s up front. If you dont mind it rubbing a bit, get em. Youll get used to it and learn to avoid it and my car was lowered 1.5"

Well... the car had em one I bought it, so it's not a choice of whether I want em or not or I'd make sure I went with an 8in wide wheel. You're spot on with the a-arm though, that does happen... I'm going to put in a steering limiter just to make the world easy. It's just not worth me buying all new wheels to fix a rub issue.

[93hatch]

why replace them? Its minor and only at like 95% lockout. You learn to deal with it, if you like the wheels keep em and get used to it

[93hatch]

reread your post, oops

[ReverendDexter]

Roll your fenders. I'm running 17x9s up front with 255s on a ~1.5" drop with 1/4" spacers, and I have no rub (I do have rub on the back of the A-arm and inside the rear wheel wells without the spacers, though).

[95tbirdv8]

to me it sounds like you need the bushings and/or ball joints. it shouldnt move the wheel that much at heavy braking.

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by 95tbirdv8 to me it sounds like you need the bushings and/or ball joints. it shouldnt move the wheel that much at heavy braking.

I dunno, a stock 4-link pushes a LOT of weight up front under braking... with stock springs and shocks, I don't doubt it's enough to rub.

[Vapor50Fox]

So are we thinking with a full Spring/Shock/Strut kit, and maybe some new ball joints that should firm me back up to where I'm not having that problem?

And again, when we say bushings...are we talking that full kit thats a couple hundred bucks or are there some individual ones I can just check out?

Thanks very much for chiming in guys! It's been a thorn in my side for a while now...

[95tbirdv8]

Originally Posted by Vapor50Fox So are we thinking with a full Spring/Shock/Strut kit, and maybe some new ball joints that should firm me back up to where I'm not having that problem? And again, when we say bushings...are we talking that full kit thats a couple hundred bucks or are there some individual ones I can just check out? Thanks very much for chiming in guys! It's been a thorn in my side for a while now...

for the bushings i would get the whole kit and get it over with (yes the couple hundred one).if you do one at a time its going to be more work. if the shocks are factory i would change them, they must be really loose. that might be the whole problem. is the tire rubbing on top of the fender or towards the front of the car when you brake?

[Vapor50Fox]

Originally Posted by 95tbirdv8 for the bushings i would get the whole kit and get it over with (yes the couple hundred one).if you do one at a time its going to be more work. if the shocks are factory i would change them, they must be really loose. that might be the whole problem. is the tire rubbing on top of the fender or towards the front of the car when you brake?

Got it.

It's the top of the fender...damn car just nose dives.

Seems like my fix will work, and add in some bushings... I'm good w/ that.

[95tbirdv8]

if it just rubs on top, you might just be able to fix that with the shocks. but it would just be a band aid, until you change out the other stuff

[ReverendDexter]

Springs and shocks aren't going to fix this issue. The best they can do is minimize the times when it happens.

The problem that you are experiencing is that as the wheel goes through its available travel, it can come in contact with things it's not supposed to. The only way to FIX that is to move the item the tire contacts, or limit the range of motion (though the use of things like bumpstops) so that it can no longer move to the point of contact.

All the springs, shocks and/or bushings in the world aren't going to stop the rub from occurring if you don't do one of the above.

[mustangtommy]

ya its time for you to do quite a bit of work to the suspension i personally would go with a tubular front suspension cause getting the stock rubber bushings out of the a-arms is a bitch to say the least and if you are gonna stay stock you have to have at least a propane torch to heat up the outside of the bushings cause they are glued in and you have to break loose the glue, no matter how f-ed up they are they will still be a hoe to get out without heat

[mustangtommy]

Originally Posted by ReverendDexter Springs and shocks aren't going to fix this issue. The best they can do is minimize the times when it happens. The problem that you are experiencing is that as the wheel goes through its available travel, it can come in contact with things it's not supposed to. The only way to FIX that is to move the item the tire contacts, or limit the range of motion (though the use of things like bumpstops) so that it can no longer move to the point of contact. All the springs, shocks and/or bushings in the world aren't going to stop the rub from occurring if you don't do one of the above.

this is not true a properly made progressive spring (say eibach sportlines) get harder as they compress meaning that you more than likely will not even make it to the bump-stop before the spring will get to hard for the car to move it down anymore, so just saying man you should research spring designs before talking just saying

[Colt.45]

I have that combo on my "90"SSP.I have new steering rack,I put those little restrictors on it so it doesn't rub lock to lock.I also did a complete poly bushing swap . 10 way Strange struts and shocks,set on 7,and new ball joints with Ford
"c" springs.Still if I hit a hard bump or dive on the brakes while turning right I get a little rub.But I,m used to it so it doesn,t bother me too much.Good luck,hope You get it worked out.

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by mustangtommy this is not true a properly made progressive spring (say eibach sportlines) get harder as they compress meaning that you more than likely will not even make it to the bump-stop before the spring will get to hard for the car to move it down anymore, so just saying man you should research spring designs before talking just saying

No spring that anyone is going to put on a street car is that stiff. All you've done is increased the amount of force it takes before the tire makes contact.