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[b92]

I have 18x9et30 wheels (Apex ARC-8) up front and am having an inner clearance issue with my KW coilovers - I am fine at my current ride height but I went to lower it this past weekend (7-10mm) but couldn't get the wheel back on due to contact with the strut.

In order to get to the ride height I want, my plan is to swap my current 235/40 PSS tires to 225/40 PSS (which I currently have on my stock wheels). I am not sure if this will be enough to get to the ride height I wish to achieve so I am thinking of adding a 3mm spacer to be safe.

This becomes tricky because I don't really want to push my wheel farther out than it already is, so if I add a spacer then I will want to increase my camber as well. I am currently at -1.0 on both sides so I plan to pull my alignment pins for another -.4 or -.5 degrees.

Will increasing my camber affect inner clearance with the strut? If so, should I increase that 3mm spacer to a 5mm instead?

Current inner clearance:

[Antetokounmpo]

No. The wheel will always be the same distance from the strut since as a macpherson strut (when changing static camber, nothing else), the whole upright (strut, hub, brakes, etc.) move together. The wheel will always be the same distance from the strut no matter what the static camber is (again, we're assuming the only change is adding camber plates, no spacers or other offset wheels which will change this). Negative camber only helps clearance from the fender.

In other words, your steering inclination axis won't change relative to your wheel camber on the macpherson strut.

[b92]

Thank you very much for your informative reply, exactly the type of answer I was looking for.

I will move forward with the 3mm spacers to minimize the chance of any contact

[Banana Clipper]

I literally could not fit a credit card between my tire and strut and it was fine. If you're not rubbing now you wont rub but nothing wrong with a small spacer to make sure.

[b92]

There's some rubber marks on the strut so there is some rubbing going on now. When I lower the spring perch, it will make contact with the tire so I will add the 3mm spacer

[Digitalize]

Tyre will flex during load, so that clearance could change. You don't want something that's rotating rubbing against your adjustable spring perch, as it could spin the adjuster.

Originally Posted by Harambe

No. The wheel will always be the same distance from the strut since as a macpherson strut (when changing static camber, nothing else), the whole upright (strut, hub, brakes, etc.) move together. The wheel will always be the same distance from the strut no matter what the static camber is (again, we're assuming the only change is adding camber plates, no spacers or other offset wheels which will change this). Negative camber only helps clearance from the fender.

In other words, your steering inclination axis won't change relative to your wheel camber on the macpherson strut.

All of the above is true *UNLESS* you're adding camber via longer control arms (such as the M3 arms, etc.).

[Antetokounmpo]

Originally Posted by FCobra94

All of the above is true *UNLESS* you're adding camber via longer control arms (such as the M3 arms, etc.).

Correct.

[Socket]

Put in a spacer to push the wheel out and provide more clearance
5mm or 10mm should be sufficient

[b92]

Originally Posted by Socket

Put in a spacer to push the wheel out and provide more clearance
5mm or 10mm should be sufficient

Yeah, I'm in between 3mm and 5mm. Although I could get away with it in terms of fender clearance, I don't want to push the wheel out further because it will be uneven compared to the rears.

I hate our rear fenders. I have mine rolled and am running -3.5 degrees of camber yet I'm still rubbing.