Hi all, just fitted 18" x 8" rims to my 1997 Sport Saloon. They are shod with 225/40 tyres. The wheels fit just fine with an ET of 45 the wheels don't stick out or rub on the inside, but what i am getting is rubbing on the outer edge of the rear tyres against the rubber trim on the rear arch lip.
I can hear it and smell the burning rubber when i go around corners, even slowly.
Ok so what i wanted to know, are Impreza Sport springs softer than STi's or WRX's. Are there standard ride height, harder rear springs available?.

With the standard 15" wheels, the car was comfortable but a bit soft handling for my tastes.

 

Hi there

If you are smelling rubber during the cornering,this probably means your wheels rubbing
You will need to have yours arches rolled(Arch enemy are highly regarded as best,we are used them too)

Jura

 

Thanks Jura, yes i have read about rolling the arches on other posts but unsure about what this involves. Only last month i rubbed down, filled and painted both rear arches. I might see if i can use the jack to push out the arch a little.
Still think stronger springs would be easier.

 

You should be running a 35 profile on a classic and 18's and even on 35 the lowest et you should run is ET51 to avoid arch contact.

 

Hi there

Arch rolling is not supposed to damage yours arches,just they're only roll your existing arches and that's it

Without the rolling arches you will still have problems with rubbing and this can end in tears,simply is not worth to risk it

Jura



This can't help,he running 8J wheels and if he will put 18" wheels/tyres he will still have rubbing issue,some people have problems just running STI(New age) wheels just due they're getting rubbing

Arch rolling is best option and probably cheapest option if he want the keeps the wheels and tyres

Jura

 

225/40 on a classic will give false speedo readings.
They should be 225/35 to get closest to the original rolling radius.

The 225/35 will also give you another 11.5mm of arch clearance due to the overall diameter of a 225/40x18 compared to a 225/35x18 is 23mm larger.

But the biggest problem is the ET45.

I run 8x18 ET51 on 225/35 and I am so close to buzzing the arches it's un-measurable.

 

Thanks for your help Scott and Jura, so i've seen an arch roller on e..y at the moment. Will give that a try, failing that will see if i can get some other tyres. I couldn't find what the original 15" rims offset were, only when i took them off i could compare them.
With the 8J rims on now, they are pretty much flush with the outer edge of the arch. And i have about 25-30mm clearance above the tyre to the arch. I can see its been rubbing on the outer edge of the tyre, just below where the tread stops. (If that makes any sense). On the inside, i have a fingers width between the tyre and the strut.

I am driving a few miles less than the speed limit at the moment as i know the rolling radius is not the same, but have not yet calculated it in MPH.
These are the biggest rims i've had on a car so far, and with my french cars before, i could either adjust the torsion bar or adjust the hydraulics to suit the ride height.