Have I gone too low?

[Daddio3750]

HI,
I am an interloper, but I hope you will forgive. I have a 2010 T5.1 Caravelle. When we bought it came on lowered springs (adjustable as I have the spanners) and blinged up 20 inch wheels (not branded so probably a bit on the cheap side. -size of rubbers are 275/40/20). The combination does look very nice . The van sits flat and handles like normal (well as far as I can tell for my first van) - with the exception of 2 things:
1 - on full lock you can hear the tyres rubbing / making a bit of a grinding noise - it isn't the pressure dump on the power steering pump as i back off a bit an don't yank against it.
2 - big bumps or potholes on the rebound the front tyre goes into the wheel arch and scuffs on something. All wheel arch covers are fitted properly and I think this is the outside edge of the wheel butting up against the wheel arch. I think I may see a bit of wear now.

Of course I am worried about a high speed blow out now. But how to fix? Am I just too low - there is at least an inch between top of tyre and wheel arch and it passes MOTS, and the ride is normal without being harsh. Would a slight ride height adjustment help? Or do the wheels have crappy offset hub. Or are the wheels too wide? There is no discernible offset on the wheels- the outside face is effectively flat(ish). Or is this the price of beauty?
Or is it something else entirely - MOT was fine - no issues, except exhaust starting to corrode on the box.
Would appreciate your views.

 

[T6ARF]

HI,
I am an interloper, but I hope you will forgive. I have a 2010 T5.1 Caravelle. When we bought it came on lowered springs (adjustable as I have the spanners) and blinged up 20 inch wheels (not branded so probably a bit on the cheap side. -size of rubbers are 275/40/20). The combination does look very nice . The van sits flat and handles like normal (well as far as I can tell for my first van) - with the exception of 2 things:
1 - on full lock you can hear the tyres rubbing / making a bit of a grinding noise - it isn't the pressure dump on the power steering pump as i back off a bit an don't yank against it.
2 - big bumps or potholes on the rebound the front tyre goes into the wheel arch and scuffs on something. All wheel arch covers are fitted properly and I think this is the outside edge of the wheel butting up against the wheel arch. I think I may see a bit of wear now.

Of course I am worried about a high speed blow out now. But how to fix? Am I just too low - there is at least an inch between top of tyre and wheel arch and it passes MOTS, and the ride is normal without being harsh. Would a slight ride height adjustment help? Or do the wheels have crappy offset hub. Or are the wheels too wide? There is no discernible offset on the wheels- the outside face is effectively flat(ish). Or is this the price of beauty?
Or is it something else entirely - MOT was fine - no issues, except exhaust starting to corrode on the box.
Would appreciate your views.

I would start with your tyre size.... on the fronts anyway. What widths are your wheels? Have you got a side on picture of your van?

 

[Daddio3750]

I would start with your tyre size.... on the fronts anyway. What widths are your wheels? Have you got a side on picture of your van?

The rubbers are 275 - i wouldn't know what the wheels measured in at... photos will follow when it stops raining!

 

[T6ARF]

The rubbers are 275 - i wouldn't know what the wheels measured in at... photos will follow when it stops raining!

I would say if you like how it drives and looks apart from the rubbing on the fronts, change your tyre size to something like a 235?

 

[T6ARF]

HI,
I am an interloper, but I hope you will forgive. I have a 2010 T5.1 Caravelle. When we bought it came on lowered springs (adjustable as I have the spanners) and blinged up 20 inch wheels (not branded so probably a bit on the cheap side. -size of rubbers are 275/40/20). The combination does look very nice . The van sits flat and handles like normal (well as far as I can tell for my first van) - with the exception of 2 things:
1 - on full lock you can hear the tyres rubbing / making a bit of a grinding noise - it isn't the pressure dump on the power steering pump as i back off a bit an don't yank against it.
2 - big bumps or potholes on the rebound the front tyre goes into the wheel arch and scuffs on something. All wheel arch covers are fitted properly and I think this is the outside edge of the wheel butting up against the wheel arch. I think I may see a bit of wear now.

Of course I am worried about a high speed blow out now. But how to fix? Am I just too low - there is at least an inch between top of tyre and wheel arch and it passes MOTS, and the ride is normal without being harsh. Would a slight ride height adjustment help? Or do the wheels have crappy offset hub. Or are the wheels too wide? There is no discernible offset on the wheels- the outside face is effectively flat(ish). Or is this the price of beauty?
Or is it something else entirely - MOT was fine - no issues, except exhaust starting to corrode on the box.
Would appreciate your views.

Also if you say you have spanner’s to adjust the ride height, you must have coil overs. If it was just lowered on the springs you wouldn’t be able to adjust those?

 

[huw169]

245/45/20 on the front would give same rolling diameter as current, but without know offset and wheel widths, it’s really just guess work.
Usually a noticeable scuff would not pass mot. Maybe it’s not obvious enough, yet.

 

[The Van Cave]

HI,
I am an interloper, but I hope you will forgive. I have a 2010 T5.1 Caravelle. When we bought it came on lowered springs (adjustable as I have the spanners) and blinged up 20 inch wheels (not branded so probably a bit on the cheap side. -size of rubbers are 275/40/20). The combination does look very nice . The van sits flat and handles like normal (well as far as I can tell for my first van) - with the exception of 2 things:
1 - on full lock you can hear the tyres rubbing / making a bit of a grinding noise - it isn't the pressure dump on the power steering pump as i back off a bit an don't yank against it.
2 - big bumps or potholes on the rebound the front tyre goes into the wheel arch and scuffs on something. All wheel arch covers are fitted properly and I think this is the outside edge of the wheel butting up against the wheel arch. I think I may see a bit of wear now.

Of course I am worried about a high speed blow out now. But how to fix? Am I just too low - there is at least an inch between top of tyre and wheel arch and it passes MOTS, and the ride is normal without being harsh. Would a slight ride height adjustment help? Or do the wheels have crappy offset hub. Or are the wheels too wide? There is no discernible offset on the wheels- the outside face is effectively flat(ish). Or is this the price of beauty?
Or is it something else entirely - MOT was fine - no issues, except exhaust starting to corrode on the box.
Would appreciate your views.

Some good advice has already been offered here, but I’ll add to it.

Based on your description of the wheel arch gap I would say that you aren’t too low, it sounds like a reasonable drop.

I would look at your tyre size as the culprit. A 275/40 is a large tyre, I’ve seen customer vans that are lowered only 50mm rub with that tyre size. It can also depend on wheel offset, so it would help to know that, but it’s likely that changing the tyre size would help.

If I know your axle weights (on a label under the bonnet) then I can advise further ref suitable sizes. I’m going to assume that the wheels are either 8.5” or 9” wide, in which case a 265/40 or even a 255/40 would be suitable, although the 255/40 is only load rated high enough for an axle weight of 1650kgs.

Either of those sizes would help towards reducing or eliminating the rubbing, but there are other options depending on that axle weight.

One other thing to try on the outside is a really simple little mod. There’s a screw at the top of the wheel arch at the outer edge which can be removed, you can push the arch liner up behind the tab the screw has come out of and gently bend it back a little. This might help even with the 275 width tyres.

To help the rub on full lock, which is usually on the inner arch you can gently heat it up with a heat gun and push it back a little. That maybe sounds a little dramatic, but it isn’t really.

Even if it does stop the rubbing, I would still change the tyre size when your current ones need replacing, but just confirm the wheel width and the axle weights and I can give you specific advice on which size would work best.

 

[Daddio3750]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I am deffo going to go down to 235 when the time comes. ChrisR, i have no idea on axle weights. Its a bog standard Caravelle used for leisure purposes only - heaviest thing in it after me is suitcases. Almost all of the time it is empty - except when travelling on holiday - which like everyone else has not happened for sometime yet.

 

[Ryder83]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I am deffo going to go down to 235 when the time comes. ChrisR, i have no idea on axle weights. Its a bog standard Caravelle used for leisure purposes only - heaviest thing in it after me is suitcases. Almost all of the time it is empty - except when travelling on holiday - which like everyone else has not happened for sometime yet.

Appreciate it was some time ago but did u get this fixed? And if so did advise above work?
I have had coilovers fitted which look amazing! But going over pot holes / bumps I am getting a bloody rubbing on the one side
I am running the normal 16” vw alloys at moment (thinking to go to 18 or 19 soon) and so don’t think to wheels to big. I not getting any knocking other than pot holes.
I am a zero ability when it comes to vans but look in the arches and the gap between tyre and van looks huge.

 

[Daddio3750]

Appreciate it was some time ago but did u get this fixed? And if so did advise above work?
I have had coilovers fitted which look amazing! But going over pot holes / bumps I am getting a bloody rubbing on the one side
I am running the normal 16” vw alloys at moment (thinking to go to 18 or 19 soon) and so don’t think to wheels to big. I not getting any knocking other than pot holes.
I am a zero ability when it comes to vans but look in the arches and the gap between tyre and van looks huge.

Hi Ryder,
I'm not at the point of complexly changing the tyres yet... But i am driving very carefully! For me the rub comes if i hit speed bumps too fast (point taken!) or a big pot hole. The inner arch thing seems to have sorted itself out - nothing has rubbed away - but i have taught the wife that when you are on full lock you don't get a tighter turn if you still keep yanking on the steering wheel! I cant identify any particular pinch point that makes the rubbing on compression, but i do think it is the arch retaining screws. I am a low mileage user, only 5,000 per year so the problem isn't expanding. But as a matter fact the van is going in for new front brakes on Wednesday and i have asked them to lift me up by 1/2 inch just to see if that helps. I don't think my drop is crazy compared to some, and the ride is fine. Anyway picture attached to give you an idea of the space i have. \let me know if you find anything definitive.

 

[BognorMotors]

As has already been said. It’s purely down to your tyres being too big.
Get the arch screw mod done, mould the inner arches with a heat gun and swap your tyres out. Problem will be 100% solved. Obviously raising the suspension will help/stop it as you have suggested, but if you want the ride height as as then new tyres are required.