Tire clearance

[dave ellis]

I want to mount a pair of Cooper cobras p295 50 R15 on the back of my b body. This will only leave one half inch clearance from the sidewall to the super stock springs. Will this be enough clearance even if I want to autocross? Everything is mounted in poly and it has front end rear sway bars.

 

[mvh]

You should expect some side deflection on the leaf springs (as well as sidewall deflection). How much, I couldn't say. As an example, my right side tailpipe is just over 1/4 inch from the leaf, and it will bang on abrupt corners just in street driving. I have factory HD rear springs and front and rear sway bars on my fastback. If it turns out to be a problem you could look at installing a Panhard rod, I suppose.

 

[Dana67Dart]

Watts linkage would be a better option. No lateral movement with up and down axel movement.


I would suggest you do some testing.

Take some cardboard and fix it to the spring so it is 1/2" from the tire side wall.

Do some hard turning and see if it touches.

A wider / taller tire or different aspect ratio might flex differently.

 

[dave ellis]

You should expect some side deflection on the leaf springs (as well as sidewall deflection). How much, I couldn't say. As an example, my right side tailpipe is just over 1/4 inch from the leaf, and it will bang on abrupt corners just in street driving. I have factory HD rear springs and front and rear sway bars on my fastback. If it turns out to be a problem you could look at installing a Panhard rod, I suppose.

Aren't panhards for coil spring suspension?

 

[Oldmanmopar]

A bias tire folds. A radial tire the belt moves as one. So if the radial tire at the road surface moves over 1/2" the side at the spring moves with it.
A 1/4" space for movement would be OK for the street. For hard corners on a sticky track add a 1/4" - 3/8" spacer behind the wheel to keep the tire off the spring. Good radials don't have much of a side wall thickness

 

[roccodart440]

That's tight by ay standards, and autocross will exacerbate that lack of clearance. I would be much more confident being closer to the leaf than the well, especially the outer well. How much do you have to the outside? If it is substantially more, consider a spacer.

Last, i'm a bit confused why you're using SS springs for autocross.