# Outer edge of tyre rubbing on wheelarch



## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Hi, I have a T Class Hymer and recently I noticed that the outer edge of the rear o/s tyre has been very slightly intermittently rubbing on the inside of the wheelarch.
Not all the time but looks like it has been rubbing when cornering with body roll doing the deed.
The gap between the tyre and the inside of the outer arch is less than 1/2 of one inch.
This is on a Fiat Maxi Chassis with uprated suspension (3 leaves).
I have now put Airide on to help stop the body roll.
Just wondered if anybody else has come across this?


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## 88781 (May 9, 2005)

Hi Grath, Just curious to know if the gap measures the same on the other side wheel?

Regards Dave


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

MandyandDave said:


> Hi Grath, Just curious to know if the gap measures the same on the other side wheel?
> 
> Regards Dave


Hi,
yes when on level ground, well nearly as about 1/4 inch difference (max)
regards


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## teckie (Feb 25, 2007)

Perhaps the wheel rims and/or tyres have been changed for something wider at sometime !!! Check out the original rim and tyre specs for the vehicle and chassis !.

Teckie


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

teckie said:


> Perhaps the wheel rims and/or tyres have been changed for something wider at sometime !!! Check out the original rim and tyre specs for the vehicle and chassis !.
> 
> Teckie


Thanks,
Pretty sure it is on original wheels
Maxi Chassis with suspension upgrade and 16 inch rims


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## teckie (Feb 25, 2007)

Hi Grath... just a thought.. maybe you have your suspension lifted too high as the tyre does seem to be wider nearer the thread end than the rim end after inflating !... just looked at mine and the edge of the wheel arch is about half way up the tyre with a gap of about one and half inch clearence each side !. My Air Ride is inflated to 45psi.

Hope this helps (a little) :wink: 

Teckie


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

teckie said:


> Perhaps the wheel rims and/or tyres have been changed for something wider at sometime !!! Check out the original rim and tyre specs for the vehicle and chassis !.
> 
> Teckie


Hi Teckie,
Thanks but that is not the cause.
I originally thought of Airide as I thought that it would lift the body up to a narrower part of the tyre but having looked at it carefully, it would make no substantial difference either up or down.
But I decided to proceed and have it fitted thinking that if I can stop the body roll it would be cured. I have since only driven back from the Stratford show and it has not rubbed since, but it is still too damn near and I just wondered if anybody else had come across this.

Another thing is that this is the wheel that is under the corner bed with lots of storage always full, but there is no evidence of the suspension sagging on this side as appose to the other side. Both bump stops were about the same distance from the chassis before the Airide was fitted.
The only thing is that the van is parked on ground leaning towards that wheel.

I also thought as previously mentioned that it may be a 15 in versa 16 in wheel problem, but I have since seen a similar model with 16 in wheels and with about 1 in clearance but this other van was not on a Maxi Chassis and did not have uprated suspension.

I can see nothing wrong with the running gear and the M/H has just passed a MOT by a pretty stringent tester and he noticed how tight it was and I would therefore think that he may have paid extra attention to that side, in fact he did as he mentioned that this particular tyre was a little worse than the rest. These Michelin Camping tyres always seem to crack on the sidewalls (another subject).

Getting back to the wheel arches, I am aware of the closeness and we have run for a year and all has been ok, I am thinking that this was a design or build error.
I could put 15 inch wheels on, but as I run pretty heavy all the time, I do not want to do this.
I have noticed that the vin plate under the bonnet and the reg docs both say 3500kg, however the Hymer build plate on the side of the body says 3900kg and I therefore think it would be just a paper excersice to have it uprated to 3900 on the reg docs and I am thinking of going this route so I need the 16 in wheels.

I am today having 4 of the new Michelin Agilis fitted (hope they are better)
My M/H has only done about 10,000 but before we had it and we have had it for a year now, it stood for about 1 year and this is not good for the tyres, (maybe this caused more cracking than usual)
I have no idea how deep the cracks are and to air on the side of safety, I decided to replace all 4 (costalota)


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

Maybe the 16" rims have wrong offset or backspacing. Perhaps a bigger backspacing would move the tyre inwards and away from the arch.
How much gap is there between the back of the tyre and the inner bulkhead?

I often wonder if anybody actually thinks about it when they upgrade rim size!!


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## keithfw (Jul 14, 2007)

I may be suggesting the obvious, but have you checked your axle loading - if the axle is overloaded this could cause intermittent rubbing especially on cornering


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

pete4x4 said:


> Maybe the 16" rims have wrong offset or backspacing. Perhaps a bigger backspacing would move the tyre inwards and away from the arch.
> How much gap is there between the back of the tyre and the inner bulkhead?
> 
> I often wonder if anybody actually thinks about it when they upgrade rim size!!


Good idea but are the standard Ducato 16 inch rims
I have had the new tyres on (Michelin Agilis and have pumped about 10 to 15 psi more in the airide on this side and it looks like the problem is solved  
I think that with all the weight of everything that I carry on that side that maybe this spring has gone a little weak.
Incidentally I will open a new thread up about the tyres but I am very impressed with them.
Very noticable better ride and much quieter.


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## merctoby (Jan 18, 2007)

*you are over weight !!!!!!!*

i think if i were you i would take the motorhome to be weighed in , the other thing i would do is check out the shock obsorbers ,

your springs will always take a little more on them than is mentioned for axle weight , you could have a cracked leaf hard to spot too ,
also i would get a set of stands , best ones to get are the ones you would find holding up , static caravans and place them under the chassis. when laid up for periods ,

just a thought , for you .possiblity :idea: you might have spacers fitted , these widen the tyre . lots of people do this .

hope you sort this out , 
it,s safe to be safe  .

all the best , 
denton.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

*Re: you are over weight !!!!!!!*



merctoby said:


> i think if i were you i would take the motorhome to be weighed in , the other thing i would do is check out the shock obsorbers ,
> 
> your springs will always take a little more on them than is mentioned for axle weight , you could have a cracked leaf hard to spot too ,
> also i would get a set of stands , best ones to get are the ones you would find holding up , static caravans and place them under the chassis. when laid up for periods ,
> ...


It is sort of sorted as have had Airide fitted, but it should not have needed it as already has uprated suspension with 3 leafs on each spring.
I had the Airide fitted as I rightly suspected that it may be rubbing when the body is rolling on cornering. Weight wise it is always around the maximum 3500kg, however it is downrated from 3900kg so really running at maximum of 3500kg should not do damage.
I have redistributed the garage area under the bed as a lot of weight was on the side that was rubbing and all is now ok, but it is still pretty near and that is the design.
The m/h is never laid up as it is in use every 2 weeks or less, however when parked, the particular wheel in question is/was in a dip and maybe that has contributed to the van settling very slightly low on that side while at home, but when on the road, that side is not low.
I will have to check out the springs more thoroughly.
Thanks


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## merctoby (Jan 18, 2007)

*check out ? ,*

ALSO HAVE YOUR SHOCKS CHECKED OUT !. :!:

hi their , you should fit heavy duty shock obsorbers , when you car pulls a trailer you put uprated shocks to bear the cornering sustained . i had the hymer s660 the front drivers side was always leaning in , when we did roundabouts , the lean would end up with a rub , although you now fitted airide , i would still invest in rear heavy duty shock obsorbers you will notice the difference right away , when you leave a vehicle awhile it will settle as the fluid in shock will cease to be and settle,s . when you drive the shock action of road use will pump fluid inside and will hold it,s weight . 
so i would not rely on airide to support you in corners hydraulic fluid in side obsorber works 2 ways when you are on bumpy roads the fluid prevents your rear being thrown up and down , as with air it would just push up . 
still check your weight at weigh bridge ,

we had lots of these problems in the workshop , on commercial vehicles . they are more critical .

all the best , and take care .

denton


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

*Re: check out ? ,*



merctoby said:


> ALSO HAVE YOUR SHOCKS CHECKED OUT !. :!:
> 
> hi their , you should fit heavy duty shock obsorbers ,
> still check your weight at weigh bridge ,
> ...


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