Mugen Lowdown w/MF-10 16x7 and 215/45R16 Azenis

I wanted to give everyone some info and see if anyone has any suggestions.

Rear clearance seems okay. It seems the combo has to potential to rub on the front. Since the tires are actually wider than 215 it comes out to the edge of the top of the front wheel fender arch. I pulled, by hand , on the top of the arch to pull it out AS WELL AS pulled the plug that holds the plastic inner-fender liner as it took a bite out of the corner of the tire, OUCH. It no longer rubs on the liner-plug but it looks like if there is more than 2 inches in suspension travel it will rub on the outer most edge of the fender liner. I can't really see any rub marks but I am not sure I will since the top of the fender liner has flex room without the top plug to hold it. Fender liner does not sag, YET. I am not sure how much suspension travel the Mugen lowdowns have in the front but it may, very close to tell, catch the edge of the top of the front fender arch, the metal where the plug attaches the fender liner to the fender. I have done some pretty hard cornering and gone over some pretty jarring bumps, not on purpose might I add, and it seems to be okay so far. But I don't want to damage my tires/wheels/car.

Has anyone experienced this with suspension lower than stock like the Mugen Lowdowns and the MF-10 wheels?

Any idea on ways to resolve this? Will rolling the fender slightly, say and 1 to 1.5 inches, be a possibility?

Thank you in advance for assistance! (if you give any)

 

roll the fenders with an appropriately sized socket & some grease. It's a bit delicate, but gets the job done!

 

do you have any pics that you can post? that would be cool

 

I have the Lowdown setup with 16" MF-10s with 50mm offset and 225/45/16 PZeros. A very little rubbing of the inner fender well at full lock on one side (can't remember which).

If your MF-10s have a 45mm offset I can imagine that the problem could be worse. (By all accounts the 215/45/16 Azenis are really to 225/40/16.)


[Modified by norice, 3:15 PM 4/30/2002]

 

whats the offset on the wheels

 

...interesting... it was something I was considering...

 

I just took some pics and i'll post them here shortly, (crossing fingers) along with the offset, as i have to check. i can't remember if it is 43 or 50.

 

if yours are +43 it will be pretty close to being flush with the fender
if its +50 it will look like its tucking

 

Here are the close up shots (hope this works for MSN Photos ) I could not find the offset, i recall it being 43.

Back Looking Front Up


Below Looking Up Back


Below Looking Up Front


Below Looking Up In


Front Looking Back


Front Looking Up Back 2


Side Looking In

 

looking good so those mf 10's have been powdercoated? thats different, but in a good way

 

looks like its +43

did you paint them championship white?

BigPhatR has 225/40/16 Tires on his +50 offset Mugen MF10's and his drop is similar to yours

 

yes, powdercoated matching white. although the powdercoading has faded less then the car's paint so it is a hair off now. Time to give the paint a good spring polishing to match them back up again. Or i could just get them coated Yoshi Green.

 

I think it depends on the type of tire you use.

I have Pirelli 225/40-16s on my car with about the same amount of drop (or more) than you have and have no rubbing. My rims are 50mm offset.

 

phat bastard has a new name! but still phat

 

Anyone know if the shocks can be rebuilt? Are they basically trash after a certain amount of time?

 

I talked to King when I ordered mine, they said they can
not be rebuilt but they have never had any complaints from
customers. More than that, every one i've talked to with
the lowdowns has never had any problems. Hope that helps.


[Modified by usuck, 5:46 AM 4/29/2002]

 

Lets see a pic of the whole car! I want to see the white Mugen wheels....Looks cool.

 

That'd be costly if they can't be rebuilt... Buying another $1400+ set of lowdowns is hardly an option.

Shocks should be replaced under "normal" conditions at some point in the life of the vehicle. My stockers have 45k of "severe" driving and they're not "shot", but they are in need of being replaced.

I think the generic replacement shock makers (Monroe, etc.) give them a short lifespan of 25k or so... Even double that means they ought to be replaced at 50k or so... If your conditions are "severe" ("spirited" driving and HPDEs), I doubt the shocks will be within one standard deviation of 100% efficiency by 50k.

Every mile you drive degrades the performace and the life of every component (to quote D via Aleph's sig - "It's a wear item." = everything). At some point, you need to determine how much degradation you'll take before you pre-emptively replace that componenet. Or you wait for the component to fail catastrophically and replace it then. You take a risk either way.

 

I am just curious, how much does a new set of ITR shock assemblies go for from a dealer?

 

So, what's the verdict here? I'm looking at Kosei K-1's 16 x 7.5, +43, with 215x45x16 Azenis. 1.8" lower... I'm scared, and I really don't wanna roll my fenders... Tire Rack says they'll fit (not the Aziens, but regular 215x45's) and not rub... I'm worried... I need info!

 

I've got the Lowdowns with the MF-10's 50+ wrapped in 225/45/16 A520's...

The only time I have any rubbing is turning at full lock. They rub a bit on the inner fender up front.

Other wise I have had no problems. My camber is -1.8 up front and -.5 in the rear

 

I'm just deathly afraid of being lowered 1.8" that the Azenis will rub Even if I go with say Rota C-8's at the +50 offset...

 

can i see a picture of you car with the white mf10's on?