I got my SJR 2" front lift on my Brat. I'm still getting some tire rub on the right side. Running 195/70-14 tires.

 

When tires are going straight ahead the rear of the right tire is about a half inch closer to the fender than the left side. It was this way even before putting the lift on. I've been under and looked everything over pretty good and I don't see any accident damage or anything bent due to hitting a huge pot hole or anything. It pulls to the right. I'm not sure if this is the cause of that or if it's just a toe adjustment that's a problem.

 

I've trimmed the fender a little, but mainly the tire is rubbing the pinch weld and the mount for the inner fender liner. What kind of adjustments are there to fix this? What about making the strut rod a little longer? Will an alignment get this fixed? When putting the new struts and blocks in, I didn't really see much adjustment other than the strut top adjustment and the tie rods.

 

I didn't really want to do a lot of cutting as this is a fairly unmolested body.

Are the bushings for the radius arms good? The radius arm is what sets the castor up on these cars and if its bent or the bushings are bad it will make a tire sit in or out of the wheel well.

Yeah, you've got something going on with a radius arm or bushing that's setting it back. Give everything a good look again. The factory arms are not adjustable. There is a company that makes EA81 adjustable radius arms. I have a set on one of my Brats. Just a correction to iluvdirt: The tires won't sit in or out do to radius arms. The will sit fore or aft of the centerline in the wheel well. I know it's just terminology and I know what you meant to say, but it could confuse someone.

The radius arm is also going affect the caster, isn't it? Looks like the upper strut mount is really the only adjustment and that would be for camber?

Correct. Is it close to the rear of the fender well or the inside of the fender well?

close to the rear.

So yeah, as iluvdrt pointed out initially, radius arm or bushing issue.

Got back under there today and checked the radius rod and bushing. While the bushing shows some age it's all there and looks just like the one on the left. Nothing under there is bent or out of place. There is some denting of the lower part of the body as though it was run over some rocks, but really nothing that would cause the problem.

 

I've looked through my manual but there is not a measurement diagram like I've seen in other service manuals.

 

The radius rod has about a half inch of threads beyond the nut. Might be able extend it this much, but that's probably not going to make up the difference since it's at an angle.

 

Thoughts?

If that tire is sitting farther back, there has to be something wrong with the radius arm, it's mount or possibly the lower control arm. The only way to fix it is find the damage or install the adjustable radius arms. Are you sure the tires are the same size? That could do it too. There is no factory adjustment for the radius arm, that's why there's nothing in the manual.

Edited September 1, 20178 yr by skishop69

make sure teh strut mounts (tops) are pointed correct way.  

 

the center of the pivot should be towards the firewall.