Front wheel arch clearance

[miked]

I have just set my ride height to just lower than horizonatal on the front bones etc. Per recent posts. About 12 mm lower.

I am almost ready to go out but am a bit worried about the front wheel to body arch clearance. I recall someone (on here) doing some dramatic turn into an adverse opposite camber driveway and rip his wheel arches "off". I am pretty careful slow speed. I know it can deceive and I understand that lower is more for track work, but am worried.

Is there any view on the wheel arch to tyre min' clearance or am I being paranoid. I can see that straight line and normal bends will not be problem. What has concerned me is seeing one side ways with opposite lock in a picture. Surley this is the most extreme condition but could happen on spirited track day. Or just in the wet.

Any comments welcome. Adjustable supsension is great but Iam getting in a bit of pickle with my head. I have spent more time under this little Elan than any of the plus two with the standard spring and damper kit!




Mike

[miked]

Re my problem. Read some old posts by Rohan and others. Think I understand better.

Spring rate!
Tyre size!
Bump stop!

How far you get out of shape with opposite lock being the worse case. Looks like a judgement call with risk attached. Change one thing, worry about another bit.


Mike

[garyeanderson]

Hi Mike

I tore the right front arch lip off my old S4 Elan reversing into my driveway. We drive on the right and it was the arch closest to the curb and the front wheels were cut hard to the right and it hit the rain burm on the edge of the road about an inch and a half high. I had plus 2 wheels and 175/70 tires on it. kind of hard to draw any conclusions from those conditions other than they were too large and I had to re-glass the lip back on and repaint. There was not a lot of clearance to begin with, lots of 80 grit sand paper to make it clear under normal circumstances.

Gary

[miked]

Gary, thanks for the Pic's

It gives me clue on how close your front wheels sit with ride height against the top of the arch.

Mike

[tonycharente]

Hello Mike,
No you are not being paranoid...
It may have been me that said I'd damaged my front wheel arch - it was at fairly low speed but braking whilst on full lock going over a bump on turning into a car park. It was on my S4 with standard steel wheels and 155/80 tyres. Various people said "yes, that's what happens..." Having had the wing repaired I (a) changed to 155/70 at the front and (b) take great care in similar circumstances, and it hasn't happened again. However you only have to put the car on full lock when parked to see that a really good bounce will push the tyre into the wheel arch lip. And losing 12mm is not going to help - best be especially careful when on full lock!
Tony