# More strut rub issues



## rock421 (Aug 7, 2004)

I've been reading some older posts about the strut rub issues and have a question.

Let me give you some background. I'm the parts manager at a Pontiac GMC store, and we have a customer with the strut rub issue. We hav'nt seen this problem before, and I've searched in SI for any bulletins on the problem.
I own a 2005 myself and hav'nt had any troubles, but I have just over 5,000 on the car, and the origional KDWS tires.

Our customers car has non OE tires but they are the factory size. We are really thinking that the corss sectional shape of the tire is causing the rub. It seems to rub equally on both sides. 
Has anyone had the strut rub with the OE tires? I know the clearance is tight to begin with, and I really think the KDWs are a bit slimmer "in the hips" than some of the other tires out there.

I know that many of you have had bad experiences with dealers and their service reps/departments, but we really want to help this guy.

Personally, I am really just one of you guys and would like to see our customer get taken care of. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Brian


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## nagoat (Oct 21, 2006)

http://www.gtoforum.com/showthread.php?t=10265&highlight=strut+rub

http://www.gtoforum.com/showthread.php?t=10524&highlight=strut+rub

http://www.gtoforum.com/showthread.php?t=10959&highlight=strut+rub

http://www.gtoforum.com/showthread.php?t=6914&highlight=strut+rub

haven't experianced this myself but here are a few threads that may help you out.


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## GTO1_OHIO (Oct 10, 2005)

rock421 said:


> I've been reading some older posts about the strut rub issues and have a question.
> 
> Let me give you some background. I'm the parts manager at a Pontiac GMC store, and we have a customer with the strut rub issue. We hav'nt seen this problem before, and I've searched in SI for any bulletins on the problem.
> I own a 2005 myself and haven't had any troubles, but I have just over 5,000 on the car, and the original KDWS tires.
> ...


Tons of people have had strut rub issues with the OEM tires. This started with the 04 models. DO a search on LS1GTO.com and you'll get lots of cases. Personally I think it's related to alignment....maybe even cradle alignment. I had to have my car aligned and force balanced the day I picked it up (March 04). Since then it was aligned again at 16K miles when I put Goodyear F1s on it. I have not had a problem with strut rub and I think this is why.

Now as for the cradle alignment. Pedders has been posting the results of cars coming in to its dealers and very few front cradles have needed no alignment.
Hype by Pedders? I don't know if it is or if it may be a contributing factor to the strut rub issue.

Here's another possible explanation in this thread.

http://buckeyegoats.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=272&highlight=strut+rub


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## DrFix2Fly (Oct 27, 2004)

I believe the reason this problem is found on '04 models is because of the tire size unique to that year. The '04 has 245s on 17s where the later years have 235s on 18s. This means the '04 wheel/tire arrangement will extend 5 critical mm inboard and outboard, inboard being the problem. 

Overall diameter of the tires being the same, the 17s will have more side wall flex allowing them to rub the strut during hard cornering which is why you dont notice the problem when you mount these wheels and rotate them while the car is simply jacked a few inches off the ground. 

Both of my front wheels showed wear with one being much worse than the other. The one that was rubbed to the cord had an alignment of neg .9 deg which is slightly out of limits. The other was neg .6 which was within limits and still rubbed. All tires on this car were rotated from front to rear every 5K so my conclusion is that whether your car alignment is good or not, you will have problems with the original rubber after about 10K of use up front.

The solution is to use different wheels, alter your alignment or get tires with a different, more rounded, contour on the corner. GM will probably not admit it made a mistake unless enough people get killed. With only about 14K copies out there with this potential problem, it's not likely to happen.


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## QWKGOAT (Dec 13, 2006)

*Strut Rub*

I Had A Short Term Problem With Strut Rub After I Had New Tires Put On And They Where Not Balanced Right. Apparently The Clearence Is Minimal. I Rebalanced Them Myself And Had No More Problems With Rub .


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## ChrisB (Jan 10, 2005)

05's & 06's can still have 245/17 tires also not just the 235/18.


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## Lehrschall (Aug 12, 2006)

rock421 said:


> I've been reading some older posts about the strut rub issues and have a question.
> 
> Let me give you some background. I'm the parts manager at a Pontiac GMC store, and we have a customer with the strut rub issue. We hav'nt seen this problem before, and I've searched in SI for any bulletins on the problem.
> I own a 2005 myself and hav'nt had any troubles, but I have just over 5,000 on the car, and the origional KDWS tires.
> ...


There are a ton of posts on this. It is very simply a problem with the camber stops allowing just a shade over minus two degrees camber. The stock 17" wheels and tires will rub at just over zero degrees. It's a poor design, period.


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## rock421 (Aug 7, 2004)

Thanks you guys for the info. We are going to try and get it on the alignment rack ASAP. I'll share the before and after specs if anyone wants them.

We will do the best we can to take care of our customer, and again, I appreciate your input.

Brian


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## PEKO (Nov 30, 2006)

Sorry guys, i didnt mean to post that last post (rubbing noise when turning) When turning, A/C line makes contact with the steering shaft. GM says that the concern was corrected in production on June 13, 2005. Thats a bulletin i just found. Again sorry if this is old news or not, just trying to help.


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