MKII Sumo Rear Wheel Ride Height/Arch Clearance

[Mike H]

I'm re-building a MKII Sumo with Granada rear suspension; the rear end sits pretty low with a little negative camber but looks about OK.
On even only slightly uneven road surfaces (normal UK roads in other words!) the rear wheels touch the inner arches under suspension movement enough to start wearing away the inner arch (accompanied by the obvious unpleasnat burning smell of fibreglass & rubber)

The people at Pilgrim advise this isn’t uncommon and builders have come up with their own solutions - what ever that means.

Does any one have any experience of this and potential fixes? (I'm unable to give any exact dimensions etc as I have stripped the back end)

[Miket]

Mike, I had the same problem when I had a Sumo.

Try turning the shockers up a few clicks ( stiffer) if that does'nt work, the only solution is to raise the ride height.

[gareth08]

Mike,s about right there the only other option depending on what suspension set up youve got is to uprate the springs to make the back stiffer.could be a bit of a rough ride though.

gareth08

[sideoiler]

Cut a hole where the wheel is rubbing and glass a blister behind the inner wheel arch. This will save you screwing up your suspension settings.

What tyre and wheel sizes are you using?

[Mike H]

I'm running the back end on 235/60/15's and the offset looks ok (not too wide and well within the arch)

I'm going to look at cutting a longditudinal strip out of the arch leaving it attached at one end thus effectivly increasing the radius of the bulk of the inner arch and then re glass it in its new position - I dont think it will look too pretty but better than bottoming out.

[rocket]

?-0 Why go cutting up your car when all u need is a pair of <bbumpstops/b> I think u may have too
contact a spax dealer or auto parts place. they slip in between your stem and stem cap on your shock.
Tus creating less travel but u keep the same shock set up!!
cool eh? if u can't get them u cant make bump stops that stop you swing arm coming up to far that bolt onto your chassis.

hope this was of use

Roger:7

[Paul B]

Hi Mike

I had the same problem mainly on the nearside rear tyre. I too run 235/60/15's but found the tyre touched the return lip of the wing rather than the inner arch, as you seem to be.

Do you have adjustable shocks as I found I had to raise it slightly to reduce the contact then made my own bump stop disc's that fit around the shock stem and under the top cap. This has eliminated the grinding without going too high.

[Mike H]

Hi Paul
I only have adjustable for damping, not ride hight and the shock wound up to near enough solid (feels like it when you hit a manhole )x( ) doesnt go high enough and the small fact ive already taken my jigsaw to the inner arch, so its fibre-glassing for me this weekend, my favorite job-not.

I need to catch up with you soon to have a look at your seat belt mountings amongst other bits an bobs - I'll give you a call

Mike