Hey guys, I just bought a set of rims and tires. 205/40/r17 Kumho 711's (not 712's, need to get longer life from the tire)

The inside of the rim on the left rear wants to rub on the round circular peice on the control arm. I've talked to a few other guys that have just grounded that peice down...Is this harmful to the structure/ performance of the car? I have considered spacers, but am not sold on that idea.

Any info is appreciated.

 

You have 3 options.

1. Grind down the **** SLIGHTLY--do not do this to the point where it looks like it will sacrifice the structural integritiy of the rear torsion bar. You should still have a good amount of metal welding left, again do not grind too far down unless you want your car to fall apart while driving.

2. Use spacers. A thin 5mm should be enough, and it won't cause any problems. Just make sure to go with a brand like H&R if you need any thicker, as they come with new studs so you don't have any less turns like if you ran a thick spacer and had to use the stock studs still.

3. Get new wheels. If you read the Wheel FAQ on this website, you can find good information about the correct offsets for the Scion xB. I personally would recommend anything from +20 to +35 offset, although anything up to about a +44 will fit...anything higher will almost for sure rub the **** you are talking about in the rear, or be dangerously close to it.

Choose whatever option is best for your situation...I would first try spacers, then try lightly grounding (you can even run the spacers as well as grind if need be). And last but certainly not least--get wheels that fit correctly!

 

OK, thanks for the reply. I think I will just get spacers, with narrower lug nuts, and a slight grind on the protruding peice of metal.