How much fender and leaf clearance is needed?

[DartVadar]

So I just got my new tires mounted and I installed them on the car. The fronts fit just fine but the rears are tight (Which I knew would be the case). I have about 1/2-3/4 inches clearance to from the tires to the leafs. The fenders are real close, so I'm going to have to trim that.

But do I have enough clearance between the leafs? I can put my fingers between so its not thaat close.

And when I cut the inner fender lip what can I put on to make sure it doesn't rust?

 

[Bad Sport]

You might be better off to roll that lip, it ads support to the well opening.

 

[PA Dodger]

I run my car with about the same clearances, maybe closer to 5/8" to 3/4". It seems too close but I haven't had any problems.

 

[DartVadar]

That's a good point, I'll just roll them, better solution, for whatever reason I never thought about that. And good to know the leaf clearance should be good.

Put 255s on the rear of my 73 swinger, looks good!

 

[jomoper]

pics would be nice. what type of wheel and offset? I always thought 245 was about the widest you could go on a Dart Without modifications.

 

[DartVadar]

pics would be nice. what type of wheel and offset? I always thought 245 was about the widest you could go on a Dart Without modifications.

Nope they fit, tight but they do. The wheels are billet specialties street lites 15x8 with 4.5 backspacing and 0 offset. Tires are BFG radial TAs 255/60/r15. It looks a lot closer in the picture but there is about 5/8 of an inch between the leaf and tire. And on the fender there isn't much room on just the right side, it turns out my rear end isn't completely center. No big deal, I'll just roll the lip a bit.

Right now the car has a stock 7 1/4 rear. The tires will have more clearance with my new rear end. A shortened 8 3/4 with the spring perches moved in a half inch.

Car looks a lot better! It had little 14 inch tires before. Here is my dirty and brown with the side trim falling off 73 dart! LOL

 

[DartVadar]

forgot a pic.

 

[Keith Mopar]

Looking real good. It looks to be enough clearance to leaf.
When you put in the 8 3/4 you'll be able to center the rear end a bit better.

 

[66 Dartman]

When i did my 66 Dart with smaller wheel well's then yours,I through the peg leg in the garbage and put in a 83/4 with MP off set hangers and used 15x8 rim with a 41/2 b/s
and the 255's were close to the wheel lip like yours,I didn't like it too close and i didn't want to mod the body so i sold them and got a custom made rim with 5'' b/s and now have 275's on with no body mod's, Here's a pic with the 255's, I'll take a pic later of the 275's and post it up. again i did not want to beat or cut the body.

 

[DartVadar]

Probably looks real good with the 275s.

I bought the tires and rims for the new rear 8 3/4 rear end, they will fit, I measured everything like crazy and found that with the new rear end dimensions 255s would clear with some extra room to be safe.

I just kinda lucked out to find that they fit with the 7 1/4. I am still making up my mind if I want to modify the fender lip. I think rolling them would be okay, but I changed my mind about cutting them.

 

[71swing]

You got plenty of clearance. My wheels tuck into the fender a little more than yours but I have the same amount of clearance as you with zero problems.

 

[qkcuda]

I removed the wheel lip trim, rolled the lip up, and then cut the trim to fit where I rolled it and reinstalled it. You can't tell from the side. I think I lost one or two attachment screw holes in the trim.