My passenger front wheel from rubbing the inner arch when i go to almost full lock.

It's not just rubbing slightly, it's torn the plastic and the paint from the bodywork behind. Any way i can stop this? Tried 4mm spacers but it still done it. Any further and my wheels will be sticking out of the arches

 

put some jubilee clips on the ends of the steering rack to stop it turning too far

 

Problem is tho, it happens before full lock.

For instance, if i need to do a U-turn

Thanx for the suggestion tho, will keep it in mind

 

are your wheels the right offse? and what tyres you running?

 

My wheels are et35 and I'm running 195/50/15

 

the rack prob aint central.

if it is, then its prob the wrong rack (as FRST had its own rack)
or the wheels are to blaim.

i had it years ago and it was cos i got given the wrong rack when i replaced it

 

I know it didn't with the standard rims. As far as i know, the rack is the original XR2i one

 

xr2i ones are same as other fiestas, its only frst that has different rack as its a quick rack and has a lock to lock of 3.75, where as the xr2i etc has a 4.25 lock to lock, thats another halh a turn

 

Ok, is there any visible differences between the 2 so i can see if it's correct?

 

the problem is you running 195/50/15s you need a 45 profile, the rack makes no differance altho the frst rack is a different ratio the car still has the same turning circle

 

There is that i guess. But i reckon it would still rub with 45's on coz it's catching quite heavily and that's just before it reaches full lock

 

Try getting all the tracking, castor & camber checked

 

50 profile dont mean jack, i had 50's once as i needed tyres asap and thats all they had, and they rubbed, but then even with the 45's before and after it still rubbed.

you can get limiters for the rack, or used to be able to.

your problem if its not the rack etc, will be due to wheel size, if you have 6.5x15's your ok, if you got 7x15's it will rub, but off set comes into this as well.

 

to check the lock to lock, turn it full lock 1 way, say to the right, then count the numberof full turns the steering wheel makes plus any 1/2's or 1/4's and that will tell you what lock to lock you got, from there you can work out what ya got.

 

I'll check the width of the wheels then. Am i right in saying that et35 offset is probably the wrong offset aswell?

 

tbh mate off the top of my head i cant remember what the standard offset of the fez is

 

Doh!

 

Standard offset is ET37 i believe.

Im runnig 7x15" Alloys with 45 profiles and i get VERY slight rubbing on full lock - this is with an offset of ET35. The alloys are ET40, but they rubbed badly on the shocks so im using 5mm spacers.

HTH

Im ordering a set of 6.5x15 ET37 alloys soon - wil be interested to see if they rub or not - i doubt they will with an extra 2mill of clearance and half and inch less width.

 

the the higher the number e.g et40 the closer to the shock the wheel is, or another way of looking at it, the further away the center is.

that about right?

 

jayRS - correct - hence why ET40 rims caught on the inside against the shock, then with 5mm spacers (making them ET35 offset) they didn't rub - ie further away from the suspension.

 

sweet, i got some mondeo rims to go on my fez that are ET40, i got coil overs so thats not a prob, well fronts "might" need a small spacer to clear the ARB drop link bolt as the 15s touched it, well did untill i file 4 mm off the end of it

yeah thats good, cheers for that mate, hopefully the rear will be ok now as with the rear disc conversion it pushed the wheel out about 20mm and the wheel started to catch the arch a bit

 

But mine are ET35 and they rub like fook on full lock???

 

get some restrictors and fit them in the rack, ford might still sell them

 

Also depends on width of the rims you have.

 

Fuck it, i'm gonna put the standard ones back on for now i think

 

dont give up so easy mate, how wide are ya rims?

 

Just got the tape measure out coz i couldn't be asked taking a wheel off to look behind it.


8" wide


Think i've found my problem

 

Bingo

Atleast you've got to the bottom of it. 8 inch wide is Escy Cos territory

 

I don't know. They don't look as wide as escos rims. Maybe i measured them wrong or something.

I know the guy i bought them off had them on a MK3 Escort Cabriolet and he had no problems

 

Ok, i took a wheel off and behind it was stamped "7.0xJ15" which is weird coz it's definately 8" wide

Double checked on my standard wheels and it's got "5.5xJ13" and i measured that at 5.5" wide


So is the stamp on my 15" wheel wrong then?

 

na prob not, did you allow for the tyre?

thers ya problem mate, 7 inch wide, same as me, and same problem.

all ya can really do is make sure the rack is central and when the tracking done there isnt loads of adjustment on that side.

oh and hope for the best

it is a tiny bit possable that a small wheel space will help it (not stop it, and fit 1 to each side)

 

The wheel is the same width as the tyre. Took the wheel off and measured from the inner rim to the outer rim. 8".

Sold them to my bro now anyway. He has my old XR2 and they fit on there no probs

 

fair play then mate, problem solved

 

Change of plan. In a last ditch attempt, i'm gonna try 6mm spacers and trim the plasctic arches right back

 

 

Didn't work. Standard rims back on. Think i'll save up for some Mondeo 16's now

 

 

i've got some for sale, the 4 spoke 'turbo' design in 7.5". had them on my mk1 escort

 

What do they look like? Any pics?