Stance Coilovers, 225/50 r16.

My driver side tire rubs and seems to sit around 5MM closer to the spring perch.
I measured and it is exactly the same problem with a stock wheel.

I know I could add a small spacer, but I rather just take care of the problem.

Speculations?

 

How much camber are you running up front?

 

Camber is adjusted at the strut top plate so that would not affect how close the spring is to the tire. My guess is that somebody slotted your strut to knuckle bolt holes to adjust camber. Loosen the 2 bolts and see if there is movement camber wise there, if there is that is fine you just need to have it aligned.

 

Yeah, I was going to say that the camber should not matter. -1 btw.

But I really don't know anything relevant about caster. I was also wondering if it could be early sign of the wheel bearing going out, even though I don't have any of the usual symptoms.

I looked on google and apparently alot of people have an issue with driver side front rubbing spring and or perch without an definitive answer. I can get it aligned, but it will have to wait till everything else is finished.

You can see the small wear band in this picture below the tread.

 

there is some slack in the strut mount holes, it's possible they just got tightened in slightly different angles. try loosening the strut mount holes and putting a pry bar between the strut and the knuckled and tighten the bolts under load.

 

Anyone think this bushing could be the culprit?

 

I guess that's actually a bearing with a terrible looking seal?

It seems to me the upper bushing above it could definitely cause this problem also. Maybe I should go ahead and replace them?

 

The closeup pic is misleading, but it looks like a ball joint to me. You should verify that you're ball joint has no play good per the FSM, but seems an unlikely cause.

I had a similar issue and it turned out to be a bent front spindle. Mine was significant enough to see visually once the hub was removed, but if it's slight you might need to measure it.

 

The only thing it could realistically be is a bent knuckle, bent strut, or cam/crash bolts where the strut (coilover) mounts to the knuckle.

You would know if the spindle was bent as the bearing would be shot.

IF there are not cam bolts then, Knuckles are not hard to find. Get a used one and swap it and see.

Why not just add spacers to both sides? No reason to run the tires that close to the springs anyway.

 

Originally I was just going to run a 5mm spacer, but then I figured that it was better to address the problem and not just the symptom. I don't think anyone makes a 5mm hubcentric slip on for these cars, so Im going to start taking it apart anyways.

Its not the strut/coil, because the problem stays even if i swap them drive to passenger side.
I didn't want to have to take the bearing off etc till I was reasonably assured it was a knuckle/spindle issue, which I feel like it is now from your advice.

Thanks.

 

You don't need hubcentric spacers (no matter what the interweb experts on this site tell you).

But, the stock studs really cant be used with any spacers at all. A bunch of toyotas do use the same hub bore that the FC has so you can order pretty much whatever off ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2pc-3mm-5x114-3-Hubcentric-Flat-Wheel-Spacers-60-1mm-CB-Hub-Toyota-Lexus-/281107560735?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Make%3AToyota&hash=item417350f91f&vxp=mtr
I have and run a set of those in the rear on my street FC because i have front wheel lug studs in the rear hubs and they are only threaded about 2/3ds down the shank so in order to not bugger up the threads on my lug nuts i have to run a 3mm spacer.

I also run the 1/2" inch spacers from flatout-motorsports.com on the track they are not a tight fitting hub centric either.

again the only problem is the stock wheel studs are not long enough to run really any spacer, including 3mm

 

This statement is false, my bearings were fine on a bent spindle.

Finding a junkyard knuckle is a good idea, but look at the spindle as they are a weak point.

 

you know I just got a used set of Tein springs and one of them had the paint burnt off in one spot where a tire was rubbing. look carefully at left and right springs to see if the spring sits the same way on each side. It may simply be that the way they are wound that it is just closer to the tire on the one side. They can only go on the strut one way so there is no fixing it but at least you will know that is why and not because you have something thats worn out.

 

this is probably causing the difference you're seeing. i always pry the knuckle away from the strut at the top before tightening the bolts.

 

technically we are talking about the same cast piece. by my definition of a bent spindle is one that would necessarily screw up the bearings. If it's bent at the base it's more the knuckle that is bent. Splitting hairs but not a false statement. Carry on.

Also i wouldnt run a set of bearings that had been on a bent spindle "fine" or not. You are asking for trouble. Been there, done that...

 

My only point is that you can't eliminate a bent spindle as a potential problem just because the bearings aren't smoking. Otherwise I agree, don't reuse bearings from a bent spindle.

 

Will front end alignment not play a part? Say a tie rod is bent or out of adjustment. Or even the sway bar is loaded in favor of one side.

 

nope, the wheel is completely stationary in its alignment with the strut.

depending on the strut mount holes you probably will have a small degree of slack to adjust some camber with, which does increase or reduce tire to strut clearance.