How much tire rubbing is too much?

[mwm4211]

I just had a set of Falken AT3s (275/70/18) installed today after Slee completed a 2" OME lift. The tires feel great but have some rubbing:
- Extension piece on the front mud flap. It's a small square piece screwed to the front mud flap-don't know what purpose it serves. I removed this piece and no more rubbing.
- The lower control arm. I can feel this when the front wheels are turned from 7/8 to full turn.

I believe this rubbing will only happen at very low speeds, so may be OK. I'd have more serious issues if I were cranking the wheel at high speeds.
The tire database only reports one incidence (over 80+ respondents) of rubbing on lower control arm. Yet no respondents were using the Falken AT3s.

How much rubbing is too much? damage to LCA / taking wheels out of alignment?

thoughts or recommendations?

Update: I also have rubbing in wheel well when reversing at 7/8 to full turn--just right side.

 

[TeCKis300]

The sidewall lugs are probably deeper/more aggressive on this model tire than the others?

It really depends on how much contact pressure there is and if it's hanging the tire at all. Like if you were to make a hard u-turn, can you feel the tire binding to the point that it wants to stop the wheel from turning?

I had this type of contact on my LX470 with a 305, and it would only contact the frame at at 9/10s steering. Where it contacted was smooth, and it would only just kiss enough to make a little sound with contact. So it was never an issue over the 5 years of ownership.

There are some 3mm spacers shims out there that might be the ticket to stop the contact you're experiencing. The next step up would be a 1" adapter type spacer. I've been running these successfully for my 305s. There are some pros to having a wider stance with a lifted rig to bring back lateral stability with the higher center of mass.

 

[gaijin]

How much rubbing is too much?

ANY rubbing is too much.

Not a popular view, apparently ...

HTH

 

[mcgaskins]

Sounds like a personal question I personally hate when the tire rubs on anything, so I switched wheels and tires until I found the goldilocks combo for me. It's up to your tolerance, but if it's not driving you crazy and you can avoid it in all but the most extreme cases it might be fine as is.

On a side note, were you at Slee yesterday? I was there with my 200 and saw a gold one just like yours in the lot.

 

[kevinfoutch]

For what it's worth, you probably have rubbing in both forward and reverse. I thought the same thing initially but then realized the angle of the tire tread coming into contact with the mud flap simply 'caught' more in reverse whereas going forward, that angle of contact was too subtle to create any noticeable noise. I ended up trimming my mudflaps at a 45d angle based on where contact was made and the rubbing is gone altogether. Note, my wheel/tire setup is completely different but the mudflap trimming may also be a solution to consider.

edit: I realize the forward/reverse differences in contact and resulting vibration may not make sense, counter-intuitive actually, but was my best theory. BFH solution of trimming fixed it nonetheless.

 

[TexAZ]

It looks like the rub is on the KDSS bar, not the Lower control arm. look up your options for relocating the sway bar, slee offers a kit for this, or check on what others have done for spacers to move the tire out. Every solution is a give and take. If you add spacers, you may clear the KDSS, but will end up hitting the rear mud flap. Trimming plastic is a lot easier than moving metal....and for the rub in the front; the plastic can be pushed forward, then add a couple screw to pin it in the new location.

 

[TeCKis300]

Since you just got the Falkens, another option would be to return them for another tire model?

 

[blatant]

ANY rubbing is too much.

Not a popular view, apparently ...

HTH

^^Agreed. Any is too much.

At the chance of hijacking this to threads we already have, I think i agree with the above regarding tire model.

I've 275/70/18 toyo at2, ome 2", uca's. Zero rub and zero rub when twisted. Also I have more room then you show in your pics, as I'm not near the front mini flap. I figured we'd all be pretty close but then you read the tire/lift data base thread and you get all sorts of differing results.

 

[mwm4211]

Since you just got the Falkens, another option would be to return them for another tire model?

Of course that is a logical option. Unfortunately I am not super logical and opted to drive to Moab the day after I bought the tires for a family adventure on the White Rim Trail--not technical but beautiful scenery and very few other people around. The tires rub but not too bad. I'll look into relocating the sway bar, spacers and trimming mud flaps. Falken AT3s performed well on the road as well as on a few other more technical trails. Good times for sure.

 

[mwm4211]

Sounds like a personal question I personally hate when the tire rubs on anything, so I switched wheels and tires until I found the goldilocks combo for me. It's up to your tolerance, but if it's not driving you crazy and you can avoid it in all but the most extreme cases it might be fine as is.

On a side note, were you at Slee yesterday? I was there with my 200 and saw a gold one just like yours in the lot.

Yes my rig was as Slee for the lift. They took good care of me; Very good people.
I agree, tires rubbing blows. It just doesn't feel right. I need to figure out a solution.

 

[mwm4211]

The sidewall lugs are probably deeper/more aggressive on this model tire than the others?

It really depends on how much contact pressure there is and if it's hanging the tire at all. Like if you were to make a hard u-turn, can you feel the tire binding to the point that it wants to stop the wheel from turning?

I had this type of contact on my LX470 with a 305, and it would only contact the frame at at 9/10s steering. Where it contacted was smooth, and it would only just kiss enough to make a little sound with contact. So it was never an issue over the 5 years of ownership.

There are some 3mm spacers shims out there that might be the ticket to stop the contact you're experiencing. The next step up would be a 1" adapter type spacer. I've been running these successfully for my 305s. There are some pros to having a wider stance with a lifted rig to bring back lateral stability with the higher center of mass.

If I were to make a hard U turn the binding is not to the point that it wants to stop the wheel from turning--not even close. But went I back up and crank the wheel it rubs hard. Definitely worse when backing up.

 

[linuxgod]

What tire psi are you running? I'm curious if significantly different tire pressure accounts for the differences. I'd expect highly inflated tires to push the sidewall up and bulge less so you'd presumably be less likely to rub on a control arm but more likely to rub on the KDSS bar or mud flaps