Rubbing Tires Suck

[Chris Baker]

I bought an 02 GT convertible for my wife and it has 18'' Staggered Bullitt wheels. 10 out back 9 in front. The rear tires are being shredded from wheel well rub . I bought a pair of 555s 285-35-18 to replace the soon to be trashed ones. They still have 90% tread. Damn!
I am looking for someone who has run the 285-35-18s out back and advice on a good fit/look for the front. I have 235-40-18 in fr. now and they do not rub but I am not sure how the 285-35-18 rear and the 235-40s fr.will look together. Will the rear tires slill have a higher sidewall in the back?

 

[Chris Baker]

I bought an 02 GT convertible for my wife and it has 18'' Staggered Bullitt wheels. 10 out back 9 in front. The rear tires are being shredded from wheel well rub . I bought a pair of 555s 285-35-18 to replace the soon to be trashed ones. They still have 90% tread. Damn!
I am looking for someone who has run the 285-35-18s out back and advice on a good fit/look for the front. I have 235-40-18 in fr. now and they do not rub but I am not sure how the 285-35-18 rear and the 235-40s fr.will look together. Will the rear tires slill have a higher sidewall in the back?

 

[PDOGG74]

Wow to be honest they shouldn't be rubbing, if you go to the American Muscle they sell the staggered rim set in that size. I have 275/17 front / 315/17 rear and I dropped 2" all around using Eiabach Sportline Springs (red) and no rub. I have had 4 full grown adults in my car and hit pot holes and everything and still no rub. Go to American Muscle and put in your car year and see what they offer or recommend. Granted my car is a MACH1 03 and may have different wheel well size than your 02. Another reason too is you may need new shocks or struts, sometimes the worn out struts and shocks may not be giving the suspension support you need and maybe causing the rub. Please keep us informed I wonder what you find out and what the rub is too.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Where exactly are you rubbing? fender lip? Any good pic of the damaged area?

Your tire sizes are pretty much inline to what they should be.

Stock tire size is 245/45/17 which is 25.7"
285/35/18 is 25.9"
235/40/18 is 25.4"

So your OD's are fine, so really the issue more than likely is wheel offset specs. Do you recall the offset and BS specs of the wheel you are running?

Is that really a 285/35/18 in that photo? That rear tire looks larger in sidewall height.

 

[Chris Baker]

Hey, thank you for helping to try and figure out my problem. Just got to my computer and seen your replies so I took a couple photos but it is by a guy holding a flashlight in one hand and a phone in the other at 11pm . They don't show much. The tire damage is mostly on the passenger side . The tire is rubbing on fender . Not over speed bumps but while say turning right into a fast food parking lot where the parking lot is slightly at an incline. I also just noticed while trying to get a pic. that the left side has about 3 inches between fender and tire with minimal rubbing damage and the right side has about 5 inches between fender and tire parked on flat concrete. This is the side with the most damage. My rear tire size is 295-45-zr18. I bought her the car as a Christmas gift so I am still learning the car. My problem must be a worn suspension part because many other stangs run 295s with no issue but which one? shocks, springs, something else? I don't believe the previous owner did any maintenance or upgrades. Its at 113,000 mi. I put 1000 on it.
One more clue is , if I go over a bump , no rub. If I encounter a slight dip , scccrrrape. Also It tends to scrape more while there are passengers. I have all the tools and a brain but don't have time to play eenie Minnie mo with a cars parts I barely know. If any of this sounds familiar to you guys please help me stop destroying 200 tires.
I do know how to work on cars but have never had a race car to learn from. Sincere thanks for helping this dummy figure out his wifes car over the internet.

 

[Chris Baker]

Where exactly are you rubbing? fender lip? Any good pic of the damaged area?

Your tire sizes are pretty much inline to what they should be.

Stock tire size is 245/45/17 which is 25.7"
285/35/18 is 25.9"
235/40/18 is 25.4"

So your OD's are fine, so really the issue more than likely is wheel offset specs. Do you recall the offset and BS specs of the wheel you are running?

Is that really a 285/35/18 in that photo? That rear tire looks larger in sidewall height.

I have not mounted the new tires yet which are 285-35-18. The ones I'm having problems with are 295-45-zr18. Mainly the right side is rubbing on the fender lip at the 2 o clock position. Its a matter of time until It blows if it keeps rubbing. The tread is 90 % and I hate to trash a tire and know I could have had two hookers and a pizza with the 200 bucks for its replacement.. It must be suspension that will remedy the problem but where to start?

 

[Chris Baker]

I have not mounted the new tires yet which are 285-35-18. The ones I'm having problems with are 295-45-zr18. Mainly the right side is rubbing on the fender lip at the 2 o clock position. Its a matter of time until It blows if it keeps rubbing. The tread is 90 % and I hate to trash a tire and know I could have had two hookers and a pizza with the 200 bucks for its replacement.. It must be suspension that will remedy the problem but where to start?

Just kidding about the hookers!

 

[Mustang5L5]

That tire is huge for a Mustang. I don't mean width, but in height. A 295/45/18 is 28.5" in diameter. That's nearly 3" larger than OEM diameter

I think the smaller diameter tire will solve your issue