Rims and tire question

[suki243]

I think you guys are right about him giving me the wrong offset. Today me, my dad and my uncle took the car to a body shop (they weren't any help)... the fronts rubbed... and so did the passenger rear!!! i was soo angry... I'm going to go visit him on wed. and i'll ask him if he can take one off so i can measure the backspacing.

I'm not sure where to go from here... but it was brutal driving around today.

iskwezm I came back from the shop a little to late, your friend had closed for the day but he's done some nice work. I emailed him. So we'll see what he says. It's kinda a far drive but i'm willing to take it.

So the fix is to either roll the lips of the fenders, or to get new springs?

I want to roll the fenders for extra security though; any suggestions on springs? Grab-a-track? Open tracker?
Thanks in a advance

 

[iskwezm]

Give Ed a call at SW Customs. Im gonna have him shoot my dads truck soon and when i need mine redone, its going there.

I think rolling the lips is a band aid for the wrong offset(if it is wrong)Since HE ordered them and supposedly work for Overhaulin, he should do everything he can to make you happy.............and Overhauling should find a new wheel guy

 

[coolblue65]

suki- I had a problem with my 225/50 16s rubbing when I first put them on as well, it happened mainly when making hard turns, huge bumps or up driveways, things like that. When I redid my supspension and put on the new springs and shocks, they never rubbed again.

Springs and shocks are cheap, just do it you won't regret it.

 

[suki243]

Yah, iskwezm; i just want to make sure before i start accusing him; you know?

When i bought the rims he suggested that i buy a product called undercoating and spray it under my chassis. He offered me his lift, and offered to help himself. I thought that was an awesome gesture. After pulling my car off the lift thats when he said the front bushings were shot. He said when i come back for the undercoating spray he'll also help to check out the front end and make a list for me for parts i'd need to rebuild the front end. he said he'd help me install it too.

That's why i'm a little hesitant of the guy; he talks about doing more and more work. But we'll see what happens.
If the backspacing checks out with dodgestang's chart i'll go onto replacing springs and shocks and maybe even rolling the fenders. If the backspacing is wrong i'll confront him about it.

Coolblue65, thanks; that does give some light at the end of the tunnel. From what i know these are the stock springs and shocks, the p.o. didn't say anything about rebuilding the front end. so it could be possible its time to replace them. What are the signs? any tests that i can do?

 

[suki243]

Alright, so i just came back from the shop. The backspacing checks out with dodgestang's chart.

I told him about the rubbing he said ok, he looks at the rear fender lips and points out that there is a lot of bondo there, and was about to cut a bit of the lip off but then hesitated and backed off saying that i should have a body shop do it for me.
For the front he said the same, but he put a spring spacer on each side. the front runs higher now and is a bit stiffer, e.g. when i go over a bump i don't hear the moaning anymore. He said that the front will come down in time. He also said that the shocks are fine and that p.o. spent a lot of money and took real good care of it. He said that the upper ball joints and the idler arm have to be replaced though. and it'd run me about 280.
He sprayed undercoating/sound deadener for me underneath the car, covering the rear dif. and wheel wells. If i had brought more he would've done the floor pans too.

We asked him if he thinks the rear leaf springs had to be replaced he said that they're worn down but no need to replace them, he said if i was to replace them i should go with air bags in the back, cause rebuilding leafs are a lot of work.

What do you guys think? Is he legit? or are these band aids?

 

[jcode68]

The spring spacers are a cheap temporary solution. A better solution is to replace the springs with new, which will not sag like old springs. As for the rear springs, did he say air bags or air shocks? Big difference in terms of price and performance. Neither is a choice I would make. It's actually very easy and cheap to replace leaf springs. I don't know if anyone actually rebuilds leafs anymore, that would be a PITA.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[coolblue65]

try and bounce your car up a down at each corner by pushing down the fendors. If the fendors go down more then an inch with you pushing on it, your springs are probably shot, if it doesn't nearly immediately stop bouncing after you stop, your shocks are shot too.

 

[suki243]

I believe he said air bags, he said the rear shocks were in good shape. he said he was thinking of putting them on and filling them with like 30 psi and it'd be fine. he said it'd be like 190$

It doesn't really bounce, it comes up and stays there. As for when i push it down, i'm pretty sure it goes down at least an inch. I'll have my dad observe tomorrow as i push down.

I'll see if i can get a second opinion from a mechanic

 

[iskwezm]

I wouldn’t listen to him too much anymore. Rebuilding leafs is no longer a option with the price of leafs. You can buy a new set for under $200 bucks, either lowered or stock height. Airbags are more labor intensive and would cost about 200 for bags,500 for bags w/integrated shock and you still need to run a compressor and lines/swicthes to adjust while driving.I did see a 66 coupe up north this past weekend on bags and it was sick.For him to put spacers in the front to raise the front is the wrong way to fix the problem. Either way, your car should not be rubbing with that size tire.