# lowered gto issues



## danf23 (Apr 29, 2015)

So I have never posted before, usually just lurk around and learn things. But yesterday I came across an issue that I cannot really find the answer I am looking for. 

I bought my car with lovells lowering springs already on it, and it sits pretty low. I recently bought wheels for it, (19" VMR v701s). the rears fit perfectly fine, the issue I am having is with the fronts. from all the research for best tire size for these wheels that people run (245/40r19), mine rub fiercely on my struts. Is it because my car is lowered that this is happening? and I have determined that a couple ways I could go are:

1. 235/35/r19 tires
2. bc coilovers to gain more clearance

I tried to google it but i couldn't find anything, but would I have an issue going down to a 235/40r19? from what I can tell the tire is narrower and shorter than the 245/40, but i am not sure if it is enough. 

I hope someone who has more knowledge with this subject can give me a hand. thanks


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## zwarren (Feb 8, 2015)

I think your sidewall is too tall but I'm not sure if that is causing your strut rub. You could also consider adding a spacer. What are your wheel widths and offsets? If you have excessively negative camber that could also contribute.

Nice choice on the v701s. I'd like to see some pics.


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## Qnko (Jun 8, 2014)

Spacers with arp studs and change the strut mounts and bearings. And that tire is tall. Car was designed for 17s/18s. By lowering it and putting bigger tires its probably gonna handle worse since you lose suspension travel and camber. Also i don't think there is a race car with a bigger than 18 wheel. Bet it looks good though


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## danf23 (Apr 29, 2015)

well like I said I bought the car with the lowering springs. Its a little too low for my liking but it wasn't an issue when I had the factory 17s on it. I tried spacers but it brings my tire too close to the fender lip and it hits the fender lip so spacers are out of the question unfortunately.

wheels are 19x8.5 w/ 45mm offset
tires are 245/40r19

I have been told that going to the BC coilovers will give me the inner clearance to run the current tires, but unsure whether I want to spend the money right now or just get a pair of 225/40, a little on the skinnier side but it will give me the clearance I need while keeping a decent amount of tire I believe


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## danf23 (Apr 29, 2015)

attached is a picture of what it looked like with the factory 17s plastidipped black (had no choice with that), and then the picture of the vmrs


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## zwarren (Feb 8, 2015)

Love the wheels and ride height. Are you sure the rear tires don't hit the fender lip? On the front, I have 18x8.5 w/ +35mm offset and 245/40/18 tires. I didn't have strut rub on the OEM struts and I don't now with BC coilovers. I don't have a problem clearing the fender lip either. If you added a 10mm spacer we would have the same strut clearance except for your extra sidewall height. I would avoid going to a narrower tire. Also check your strut mounts like Qnko said.


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## Badkat (Aug 11, 2014)

Replace *strut mounts*. Replace stock front radius rod bushings with *adjustable radius rod bushings*. Get *re-aligned*.

Strut mounts - LOVELLS POLY STRUT MOUNTS & BEARINGS GTO G8 - Kollar Racing Products

Radius Rod Bushings - LOVELLS FRONT RADIUS ROD BUSHINGS -CASTER ADJUSTABLE PAIR-GTO - Kollar Racing Products

Google GTO strut rub problems and fixes. Very common on these cars, very easy to fix.....just need to spend a little cash on suspension upgrades.

The coil overs will of course help if you were willing to spend that much. And as far the tire size goes, you could go to 225's up front with no driveability issues. I run 225's in the front and 255's in the back with no problem at all on an 18" wheel. I am also lowered about 1".

Unless you drive like Mario Andretti and you plan on going through the Chicane at 100 mph, a narrower tire up front isnt going to effect you.

I assume you are going for looks and driveability, not performance, since you are running on 19's. Correct me if I'm wrong.


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## danf23 (Apr 29, 2015)

I ended up buying cheap 225's as a temporary fix until I can save up a bit of money to do the bushings and the coilovers, id like to be able to raise the front just a bit because I believe it is just a little too low for RI roads.

And no the rear tires dont hit the fender lip. The guy before me slightly rolled the fender lips so they are not an issue anymore.

haha no I dont drive like mario andretti, I get on it every now and then and have fun but I dont see this car having a future as a race car, maybe a drag strip once or twice a year but thats it. i actually only ended up with 19s because i found them with tires used for a good deal, but now that they are on I love how they look on the car.

thank you guys for your input and the parts links, if only money was never an issue haha

how extensive of a job is it to replace those parts? havent had to do much work to this car yet


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## Badkat (Aug 11, 2014)

> And no the rear tires dont hit the fender lip. The guy before me slightly rolled the fender lips so they are not an issue anymore.


Good man! I forgot to mention the fender roll for the back, but you have it done already so your good to go there.

*Strut mounts* install............you need to pull the front strut out. Can be done by yourself with the right tools. Air gun/ratchet definately helpful especially for the top nut under the hood. Or just do what I did, you buy the parts (strut mounts w/ bearings), and find a local garage that will drop the struts and put them in for you for a reasonable price.

*Radius Rod bushings* you can do yourself. Only needed tools are a breaker bar and a torque wrench.

I just mentioned the Mario Andretti tire thing because I notice alot of people freak out on here about going to a smaller tire. If you like to fast turns or you road course, of course you dont want to run a smaller tire. Just normal driving, the 225 up front will work just fine. Straightline, or drag racing, I would put a bicycle tire on the front if I could get away with it! lol. Just dont go to a small tire in the back, ever. These cars have too much power not to have traction.

Good luck, and nice looking ride


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## danf23 (Apr 29, 2015)

the only thing i would do to the rear now would mini tub it and put bigger tires in lol. 

The tools and work I have no problem with, perks of having a shop with a lift. I just wasn't sure what all is involved with the work. 

but with the fender rolling I need to fix the rear fenders.
Yes its a good thing it has been done....but it was done pretty hack.

As the car sits it looks like the passenger side was done with a hammer and the driver side was not touched. I believe when he did the lovells springs the rear cradle got misaligned which is why one fender is rolled and the other is not. I have no idea how to check to see if it is out of alignment and I don't even know where I can go to get the tool to fix it if it is.

If I ever decided to road course it in the future it would only be after all 4 corners getting coilovers and I would get a dedicated set of wheels for racing, but that is nowhere in my future. at the moment with all the things I have yet to fix that was either hacked or not taken care of.


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## svede1212 (Nov 1, 2005)

Which drop springs are they? The 20mm drop should have no problems with good bushings and an alignment. I'm not sure your reason for "coilovers" (the front already is a "coil over over strut"  ). Bushings and some good struts/shocks will be fine.


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## Badkat (Aug 11, 2014)

> the only thing i would do to the rear now would mini tub it and put bigger tires in lol.


LoL! I love it! A Goat with a fat a$$ eats alot of ___________!

Fill in the blank.......Mustangs, Chargers, Challengers, Gas, .....................all of the above! ROFL!


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## danf23 (Apr 29, 2015)

so just an update, its been awhile but ive been busy with other things and vacation. the 225/40s have way too small of a sidewall for me to be comfortable driving the car in RI, so i returned the tires, bought bc coils for the front and the radius arm bushings. would i still have to buy the poly strut mounts and bearings also with the coils? i havent yet as i was unsure if they are still required or not.


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## AlaGreyGoat (Jul 6, 2006)

I keep seeing it posted that bad strut mount bearings, radius rod bushings, etc, can cause strut rub. It can't.
The only movement/adjustment on the car that has ANY effect on strut rub is at the lower strut mounting to
the spindle. You can remove ALL the bushings on the car and NOT effect the tire to strut distance.
Only loosening the two bolts at the bottom of the strut and moving the angle of the spindle in or out will change
the distance. Bad bushings will cause alignment problems (movement of the whole strut/spindle assembly)
but not strut rub.

Larry


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## zwarren (Feb 8, 2015)

AlaGreyGoat said:


> I keep seeing it posted that bad strut mount bearings, radius rod bushings, etc, can cause strut rub. It can't.
> The only movement/adjustment on the car that has ANY effect on strut rub is at the lower strut mounting to
> the spindle. You can remove ALL the bushings on the car and NOT effect the tire to strut distance.
> Only loosening the two bolts at the bottom of the strut and moving the angle of the spindle in or out will change
> ...


Fixing the alignment issues caused by bad bushings can cause strut rub. Rubber strut mount bushings collapse and the bearings wear out so it is usually good to replace them when installing coilovers.


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## AlaGreyGoat (Jul 6, 2006)

The strut to spindle connection is metal to metal with 2 bolts. The distance "X" in Fig A
is the distance from the tire to the strut. The ONLY way for this distance to change is
to loosen the 2 bolts at the connection and change the angle between the strut and the spindle
in Fig B. Nothing else can change this distance, except maybe bending the spindle or strut.

Larry


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## danf23 (Apr 29, 2015)

all parts came in, car is up on lift and old suspension is out as of last night. coilovers will go in tonight, and i will take pictures and post them when I get a chance. So far so good though, only issue I have encountered is the OEM sway bar links nuts are locked up so I have to cut those off.


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## danf23 (Apr 29, 2015)

Got everything apart, about to mount up the coilovers, used the strut mount that was on the OEM strut w/ lowering springs. and the mount was so worn down I had about 1/2" of play moving the coilover up and down after it was bolted up. so needless to say the car is still in the air until the rubber strut mounts come in.

also, I am unsure whether it is worth it to try to sell the lowering springs? I do not know how many miles on them, I also do not know off hand what drop they are, but I do know that they are lovells according to the part number when I did look them up once....i just dont remember what that was. Worth it? or just junk?


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## svede1212 (Nov 1, 2005)

You can sell those Lovells. Strut mounts are pretty much a wear item so it's not surprising. You're going to have a pretty stiff ride with those new coilovers.


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