Well I've had my 15x10s for 3 yrs now. Ordered them with a 5.5" backspacing. When going over bumps my outside fenderwells make contact with the sidewalls. I do occasionally race this car and what I'm looking as a last resort is some different shocks. I already have some moog 5379 springs. Happy with them. Not interested in stiff springs. What rear shocks are some of you running ? Is there a shock that might help me but also not hinder traction at the drag strip ? Thanks, John B.
I ran in to this while measuring for my 295 (18") tires. Zero offset would not work as I ran into the same issue as you. I went with more backspace. The easiest thing to do would be to trim the fender lip. Could also look at extending the lower rear bumpstop(s)
How about adding some air bags? I bought this set up to put in. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/air-60844
I run 325/50 tires on my rims. I did cut back the top of the fenderwells to the pinch welds. Also, run airbags. They will help tremendously and just slip inside the rear springs. I run about 7-8 lbs on the driver's side and 15 lbs or so on the passenger side to pre-load it for "spirited" launches from a stop light.........or christmas tree.
Thanks for the advice guys. I do have a couple of airbags. Pretty much took them out with the spring change. Using a HR bar so I thought I wouldn't need them anymore or they might some how inhibit the effectiveness of the HR bar if inflated. I'll reinstall and inflate them for street driving, then deflate them for racing.
I run 325/50/15 drag radials with no modifications to anything at all. My rims are 15x10,with 5.5" backspace,and I run the factory drum brakes.If you run rear discs,you will need 6" backspace to bring the wheel back in. One important key to this is to eliminate as much bodyroll as you can from the suspension.For example,when your body rolls to the right,the inside of the right tire will get close to or make contact with the frame or inner wheel house. Take this same approach for launching at the dragstrip. If it leans to one side,the same things are going on back there. Some aftermarket upper and lower control arms,with some type of stiffer bushing,like urethane,solid steel,sperical,etc.Rear frame braces. A rear sway bar or ant-rollbar. I run a thick rear swaybar that attaches to the lower arms,like the OEM did. I run the factory HD style springs.I'll find the number.Shocks are QA1 stocker stars.I drive this car everywhere and it drives and handles the road quite well. I do have an airbag in the right rear that I inflate to 10psi when I am at the track.The car goes perfectly straight,no leaning,etc. I run 18psi in my drag radials at the track. I have yet to hit my inner wheelhouses,frame,or outer wheels lips. There isn't really a single part that will do it by itself,but when combined with other parts,now you have something.
I also have a large rear sway bar and aftermarket upper/lower control arms with polygraphite bushings. And remember that these cars were not built to exacting standards like today's cars. They can easily be off by as much as a 1/4" car to car.
What Brian and Phillip said. I added OEM boxed lower arms and a factory sway bar and eliminated the rubbing on my rear tires (295/50 on 15X10's).
My clearance issues are not a inside fenderwell problem. It's the outer fender lip and trim momentarily coming down on the tire sidewall after a bump or depression in the road. Airbags should help even though I didn't really want to use them. My lowers are boxed and uppers are tubular adjustables combined with an HR bar. Got that part covered.
Yes both tire outer sidewalls have some contact. More so on the right. I'm thinking airbags are my only alternative. Just something to stiffen up the rear suspension a little. Not to raise it too much though. My rear shocks are more than 25 years old. I'm in the market for new ones. That might help a little. What are people here using for rear shocks that help with traction at the track ? I say at the track because on the street it's pretty much hopeless.
With both tires hitting I'd try new shocks, gas-adjust KYB's are an inexpensive but good shock to try. Also, if you're reaching the bump stop you could try lowering it a bit with some shims.
