Lower question how much gap

[fordf350camper]

How much gap do you need above the tyre before it hits the wheel arch.My mate wants to lower his car so what gap is needed.Thanks

[dave21478]

Well, some basics....

The standard arch gap unit of measurement is made in kittens.
Here you see a standard height car with an arch gap of one standard kitten....


Now, lowering that car by approximately 40mm in old measurements would compress the kitten somewhat, but it would still be ok. Any more would reduce the gap to half a kitten, and half a kitten is not a pretty sight. This is where the saying comes from about how cutting springs kills kittens.

[dave21478]

In reality, it depends on loads of stuff....mainly spring rate. Unless its something super exotic, google should provide pics of the car at various ride heights and comments on rubbing etc.

[dodgerover]

Feb 10, 2014 19:46:41 GMT dave21478 said:

Well, some basics....

The standard arch gap unit of measurement is made in kittens.
Here you see a standard height car with an arch gap of one standard kitten....

PMSL Don't forgot you can also use the old imperial measurement based on nuns

[welshpug]

if its rolling on standard diameter wheels and tyres, then its wheels will disappear into the arches a long way then hit the bump stops, its only when you go sticking taller or wirer or the wrong offset wheels that stuff starts rubbing.

[MrSpeedy]

Feb 10, 2014 19:46:41 GMT dave21478 said:

Some pure genius words

You Sir, haz won the internetz!

[ChasR]

Feb 10, 2014 21:58:48 GMT welshpug said:

if its rolling on standard diameter wheels and tyres, then its wheels will disappear into the arches a long way then hit the bump stops, its only when you go sticking taller or wider or the wrong offset wheels that stuff starts rubbing.

Pretty much what Merion said. It is easy to go with one simple failsafe measurement but there is more to consider.

My Porsche has the front wheels sitting into the wheelarch with the top of the arch sitting over the wheels. The wheel does go lower still over bumps etc. but due to wheel offset (the wheels do not stick out loads) and the arch shape (it is quite flat) this is how one can get away with it.

A similar thing can be said for the Stag. OK it is not quite as low, but due to the increasing camber present as the car gets lower or the rear coil spring compresses the wheel will tuck into the wheelarch, away from the arch lip (some cars do this but to a lesser degree (BMW E30 rear suspension and E36 are two examples (I am fairly sure quite a bit of stuff with IRS on the rear does the above (with the exception of the Jag IRS setup, which maintains relatively constant camber).