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front suspension question

To: "Alpine Discussion List" <alpines@autox.team.net>
Subject: front suspension question
From: "Bill Mounce" <bmounce@rcn.com>
Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2005 10:57:36 -0400
Good morning fellow Piners

I have completed my SV and put 14" Panasports all around, and discovered a
problem.  When turning right, the right front tire rubs the wheel arch at
about 3 o'clock; this is the part of the arch made up of the front valance,
where it wraps around.  When the piece was put on, to make the seam match, it
pointed down a bit, and therefore back a bit.  When you look at my wheel arch,
the radius pinches a bit at 3 o'clock.

13" wheels, no problem, 14", problem.

I thought my three solutions were, in order of preference:

1. Go to a lower profile tire, 50 v. 60, see if that worked.

2. Go to 13" Panasports up front.

3. Take a pie shaped section out of the valance, push the wheel arch edge
forward, patch it up and repaint the section.

However, I took the car for inspection, and my mechanic looked at the
suspension, and made the following observation, and here's the question
(finally):

He said it looks like there is some adjustment that would allow me to move the
entire wheel backwards 1/4 to 1/2 inch, OR, a frame shop could pull it back
then realign it. Is anyone familiar with an adjustment that would allow me to
do this?  He said some piece looked 'slotted' that would let me do this.
Alternately, what is the consensus about having it pulled back then realigned?
Final question, I have not yet had a front end alignment, might this alone do
the trick?

All suggestions appreciated, thanks.

Bill Mounce
SV, running on three 14s and one 13

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