Front Wheel Clearance?

Paint, body preparation and modification, interior work and electrical
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jeffball610
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Joined: 15 Sep 2006 14:12
Location: Las Vegas, NV

Front Wheel Clearance?

Post by jeffball610 »

As many of you know, running larger wheels and tires up front requires some clearancing of the inner wheel area to allow full steering. However, I have seen very few pictures of this, let alone a "how to" on it. My search terms aren't matching anything anyone is posting. Does anyone have a write up on this or at least some pictures of the process? It's a bit ridiculous how wide my car turns right now and I'd like to resolve it before I do any other work to the chassis sheet metal.
1972 Datsun 510
7-bolt 4G63T, EVO 9 pistons & rods, Garrett GT2971R, "Flipped" Stock Intake Manifold, Toyota R154, Z31 R200 w/ CVs
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duke
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Re: Front Wheel Clearance?

Post by duke »

I have done this on a friends car, but I don't have any pictures. There might be some on his build thread on Ratsun but I'm not sure. Basically what I did was split the seam at the back of the fender well, move it back ~1", and re weld. This was for wide wheels and large flares.

If you are not running extremely wide wheels, I think the better solution is to shorten the TC rods to move the wheel forward in the wheel well. This has the added benefit of giving you additional caster, which is always a good thing. On my car with 15X7 0 offset wheels and 205/50 r15 tires I have plenty of clearance at full lock and I haven't modified the fender wells at all.
Duke Schimmer

'72 2-Door 510
"Simplify and add lightness."
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jeffball610
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Re: Front Wheel Clearance?

Post by jeffball610 »

I've been contemplating getting control arms and T/C rods, and maybe that's a better solution than cutting my good sheet metal. I'm running 16x7 wheels (I think) with some 205/50/16 tires. There's quite a bit of rubbing happening, but only on tighter turns. I don't have issues driving around, and that's why I haven't done anything about it yet.

I'd still like to see some more info on this, but of course Photobucket (which hosts most of the thread pics) is being stupid and no one has pics up.
1972 Datsun 510
7-bolt 4G63T, EVO 9 pistons & rods, Garrett GT2971R, "Flipped" Stock Intake Manifold, Toyota R154, Z31 R200 w/ CVs
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jeffball610
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Joined: 15 Sep 2006 14:12
Location: Las Vegas, NV

Re: Front Wheel Clearance?

Post by jeffball610 »

Mr. Peter Brock was at my local Cars and Coffee yesterday, and he said it's a pretty simple procedure. Others have suggested moving the wheel position with T/C rods etc., but I think surgery is necessary in this case. I'll be tackling this in the near future. I'll keep searching for posts and tutorials on this, but I might have to make my own for others to follow (or as an example of what not to do).
1972 Datsun 510
7-bolt 4G63T, EVO 9 pistons & rods, Garrett GT2971R, "Flipped" Stock Intake Manifold, Toyota R154, Z31 R200 w/ CVs
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duke
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Re: Front Wheel Clearance?

Post by duke »

Get in touch with 510T on Ratsun. He has some pictures of what I did on his car, but with the whole photobucket thing, they don't show up anymore. I bet he would repost them if you asked nicely.
Duke Schimmer

'72 2-Door 510
"Simplify and add lightness."
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510wizard
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Re: Front Wheel Clearance?

Post by 510wizard »

I probably am sounding like a broken record today, but it's all in the "Bible", Trevor Harris doing his magic on the front wheel wells.
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Byron510
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Re: Front Wheel Clearance?

Post by Byron510 »

Adding more caster (which most driver do prefer) will also aid in the clearance needed at the wheel well. Moving from the stock setting of nearly zero to 3 degrees of cast moved the wheel forward over an an inch. My caster at 5.5 degrees moves my wheel forward over 2 inches. It's clearly visible in any photo taken of the Bronze. And my green 68 solo II car ran the same setting (just below 6 degrees) under stock Nissan metal fenders and no inner fender mods with 205/60 14's with miles of clearance in the day. I know we are all moving up past 15" tires now as the performance tires keep getting bigger. It's a PITA really, but it's what needs to happen I guess.

Keep us posted.

Byron
Love people and use things,
because the opposite never works.
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jeffball610
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Re: Front Wheel Clearance?

Post by jeffball610 »

I'm running 205/50/16 with a 10mm spacer up front. Of course, this is with some S12 V6 struts and Z31 hubs and brakes. So most of that won't apply to anyone else. I'm planning on getting lower control arms and T/C rods in the near future and using my camber plates to add caster. I'm not sure if that will be enough, but I'm open to trying it.

I only suggested cutting since several people have done it and the legend himself, Mr. Peter Brock, said I should. I'd rather not cut anything since I have really good sheet metal. I've already hammered over the seam to get a little more clearance, but it's not quite enough. I'll hold off on cutting for now and get the arms installed first.
1972 Datsun 510
7-bolt 4G63T, EVO 9 pistons & rods, Garrett GT2971R, "Flipped" Stock Intake Manifold, Toyota R154, Z31 R200 w/ CVs
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Byron510
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Re: Front Wheel Clearance?

Post by Byron510 »

Good plan. The added caster will help a ton with clearance at the foot well. Eventually you do run into the front of the fender - but of course, and as you mentioned, you offset and type of strut used will change this. The 280ZX strut/hub keeps the wheel face inboard quite a bit. I used an A510 strut with the ZX hub to move it inboard even more - trying to reduce the scrub radius as much a possible with my zero offset 15x7 wheels. So you are right, there are many different recipe's out there.

I agree to hold off, get the caster kit in there and then see where you are at.
I found that the stock bushing is maxed out at 3 degrees - the rubber is really twisted at that point. So going further requires a monoball/spherical bush/rod end type arrangement for the inner LCA mount at the X member.

Byron
Love people and use things,
because the opposite never works.
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