Stock size fender clearance, optimal setup

[richiep]

I aksed a very similar question about a month or so ago - check out the following threads

Wheels and tires
offset and et numbers - help I'm confused

Suspension
Beam Shortening
Dropped spindles etc

I am hoping to go with a similar setup to the one you are looking at -

Kerscher brakes (vented front), disk rear and CB dropped spindles.

I Don't want to narrow the beam either.


I have decided to go for either 911 fuchs 15x5.5, mahle or pedrini alloys as these all have a 42mm offset and will allow decent rubber without having to narrow the beam. The Fuchs are my first choice 'cos I like the look of them, 4 lug Mahle second 'cos you can detail em up to look like Gas Burners (if you squint) and the pedrini's third 'cos the look crap!

One thing - and I'm guessing here because I've only ever run 155 tyres on the front of my bug - is to avoid the temptation of over - tyreing the front of your car. You'll have less clearance probs if you stick with say a 175 or 185 tire on the front. My 911 came over from germany where I guess the roads are a lot better than in the UK and it had 225s on the front and it was awfull on the pot hole'd, uneven UK roads. Real bad tram-lining, aquaplaneing and squirming over white lines. Where's that ace 911 steering I thought? Swapped the front tires to 195s and everything was far better - loads more feel through the steering, virtually no tramlinig etc. Much better in the wet as well. I guess the same applies to a bug 'cos of the similar weight distribution.


Oh, another thing I have just thought of is that I need to check if the wheels will clear the calipers - I had probs with clearance with the kerscher rear kit and 5.5in chromies on the back of my speedster. Had to "adjust" the caliper slightly with the grinder.