SWA formerly RB Midget needs rear fender flaring

[RickB]

Thanks!

Yes everything is tight in the back, just a little weird that the drivers side was inset a little more than the passengers.
I'd guess 3/8".
This is measured from the unmolested top of wheel well arch to tire clearance.
In other words sticking my hand up in there and feeling how much space there was between the well and the tire.

Yes I do feel more road feedback, but steering is kind of sensitive like I'm toed in a bit.
I need to check my alignment.

I'd have to see what the flare looks like Trevor, I think it would be good but would have to see. I wouldn't want much flare up there of course.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Something that has always bothered me about the Midgets/Sprites is the mismatched fenders. The Bugeye has no flares. All the rest have flares on the back, but not the front. It is especially noticeable on the RWA cars.

 

[nomad]

Rick, my "Midget 50" car had a offset on the rear towards the passenger side. Apparently not uncommon. I know my spring bushings are bad and am in the process of completely redoing the rear. Rebuilt springs and panhard rod, perhaps shocks as well.


Kurt.

 

[Pythias]

Paul A. used to tell me that no two are alike in this regard except by chance. Their tolerances weren't too close for either putting the fittings into the body or the welding the fittings onto the axle. Expect variation.

 

[RickB]

Paul A. used to tell me that no two are alike in this regard except by chance. Their tolerances weren't too close for either putting the fittings into the body or the welding the fittings onto the axle. Expect variation.

Yes, that was my feeling.
It seemed to drive ok like that so I've left it alone.

Almost all the steering wheel vibrations disappeared when I fitted the new front tires. There was still a little so I started checking all the bolts on the rack and the front suspension. One of the bolts holding the rack on the passenger side was a little loose.

While I was at it I hit all 6 grease fittings with the grease gun and gave things a good looking over.

I checked the alignment, it was toed in a bit over 1/8".
I adjusted it to zero, and I like the feel of it a lot better!

 

[Guest]

Paul A. used to tell me that no two are alike in this regard except by chance. Their tolerances weren't too close for either putting the fittings into the body or the welding the fittings onto the axle. Expect variation.

And I was worried about my opassenger side offest.

I've been thinking about cutting the axle tube down 1/4" and rewelding. I havetrouble with the tire touching over big bumps or hard turns.

 

[RickB]

You could take everything loose under there and center it but who knows what that will do to your ride. Maybe better, maybe not.
I wonder how many of these are closer to the passenger side like that?
How much space do you have between the tire and the upper edge of the fender on each side? Mine was about 1/2 inch different.

 

[Guest]

I tried loosening it and moving but it won't budge.

 

[nomad]

Mine is going to get centered. After crossing a series of railroad tracks I end up going sideways! My bug-eye was off as well. I had to do some major work on the spring mounts to get it right. It had apparently been manufactured that way since the mounts were rust free and had never been tampered with.

Kurt.

 

[RickB]

I will be very interested to hear about your progress, what it takes to get it done and if there is the desired positive outcome.

 

[2091351]

Swap Springs side to side and re-measure, they could have some Mfg. Bias.

 

[RickB]

With what I hear about modern manufacturing (ehem Boeing ehem) tolerances, being off by an inch or less on the body from one side to the other was probably totally acceptable.

 

[Billm]

Watch it Buddy!!
We aren't THAT bad!
BillM

 

[nomad]

I will be very interested to hear about your progress, what it takes to get it done and if there is the desired positive outcome.

First move is a set of rebuilt springs. From there I will do a lot of measuring and fudge where it seems like it will work. Rebuild on the front is in order as well so I can trust a measurement from opposite front spindle.

Kurt.

 

[RickB]

Watch it Buddy!!
We aren't THAT bad!
BillM

Not what I heard...

I suppose though that 1 or 2 percent on a 200 foot long jet isn't so bad right?

Heck that's nothing on a Spridget!!

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Wow a set of wider than stock wheels being tight on a SWA car, never heard that before We're working our way thru a fitment issue with early SWA Midget as I speak, we have a customer who has the 13x5.5 Retro 4 on his 62 Midget, he has slight clearecne on one side, and the tire rubs on the othe side sitting still, I tested the same wheel width offset on a 62 SWA Midget on my end, I didn' have the wheel rub sitting still, but it's close, I think if the fender lips were rolled it works fine, but I found out over the years as you all have, no two of these cars are just alike, the factory just was not that exact. So my latest plan to try to correct this issue on early (which sits lower than most) SWA Midget/Sprite, is to adjust the offset of our normal 13x5.5 wheel, I know we can take the 4" basckspacing of the 13x5.5 wheels and make them 4.25", because thats what backspacing is on the 14x5.5 wheels,ans it appears I need a bit more backpsacing for some of the early SWA cars.

Rick, as I look at the pictures of your car with those wheels on it, it appears they even have less offset, the fronts looks to sitting outboard a good bit. I applaud your efforts to get it all to work.

 

[Guest]

Swap Springs side to side and re-measure, they could have some Mfg. Bias.

Did that and bought brand new ones and still the same.

Wow a set of wider than stock wheels being tight on a SWA car, never heard that before

Well, seeing you're new to this whole British car thing you'll catch on soon enough.

Hap, we can't see the rest of your post. I could see it when I quoted you but not in the post.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:] I know we can take the 4" basckspacing of the 13x5.5 wheels and make them 4.25", because thats what backspacing is on the 14x5.5 wheels,ans it appears I need a bit more backpsacing for some of the early SWA cars.[/QUOTE]

Careful there. Then you get close to the rear springs. I have 3/16 inch spacers on my rear wheels to keep the 14x5.5" retros and 185/60 tires from rubbing the springs. Actually, 1/8" would probably have worked, but I had some 3/16" aluminum on hand.

 

[RickB]

Rick, as I look at the pictures of your car with those wheels on it, it appears they even have less offset, the fronts looks to sitting outboard a good bit. I applaud your efforts to get it all to work.

The Bugeye bonnet kind of accentuates that effect IMHO.

Like Trevor said before a small flare on those wheel wells would be nice if done well.

 

[sswarin]

Rick,

Should have gotten the Spridgetech bonnet with the slight flares.....

Steve