I just bought my E and it had 225/40/18 which messed up the odometer spedometer, and all that...

so the best bet was to match the stock diameter without buying new wheels was to get 225/55/18, but I didn't really know it was lowered until it was on the rack. And I saw the eibach trademark... So it gives it a great look but it rubs on fast bumps and stuff, and I can not stand it...

I have a thread in the trading post about switching out OEM springs with eibach..

Well anyways that seems the only way short of buying new rims and tires (which I am not going to do) to get it from not rubbing..

I am willing to sacrifice it's stance to protect the wheel wells...

BTW it only rubs in the back...

But what other solutions are out there..

check and see if your car has the rear adjustable arms in the rear... if not your camber from the drop is not right..... u need a set of adjustable rear arms.... and you can install them yourr self... ingalls or eibach makes them there is a thread about lowering you E in the DIY forum that tells you exactly how far to space them (set them) before you install them so you dont have to do the whole trial and error thing.
-Greg

Er I think you mean you have Eibach lowering springs with the stock struts. You basically have 2 options with 2 options for option 2:

1. Adjust your rear camber excessively negative so that when the car drops the wheels clear the lip in the rear well. This option is not exactly the best idea since you'll be unevenly wearing your rear tires and therefore going through them more often. The Element 'naturally' tilts the wheels inward as the vehicle drops regardless of what you do to the suspension. The lower it goes, the more the tops of the wheels will tilt in - and it does it quite a bit.

2. Rolling/Cutting the fender. This is not for the weak of heart. This is a permanent modification to the body of the car which can either be done DIY or by an autobody shop. It's going to cost you a few hundred dollars to have it 'professionally' done either way. It is a common thing which is done on various cars that have been lowered and/or given a wider wheel. DIY on the Element is a two part phase: 1. removing the rear quarter panel plastic and trimming the well area. 2. Cutting/bending the metal which literally sticks out into the well. If you take your hand and fit it in the rear well, you will feel that the part which sticks out is very thin. Rolling the fender means you take a tool and physically push it up. The problem with this is that rolling or cutting means you are exposing the metal to water. YOU MUST SEAL THE AREA WITH SOMETHING. Highly recommended is a durable bed liner (the stuff they use on pick up trucks) or rubber sealant. If you decide to take it to a shop, ask them in detail how they will go about removing or moving the piece in question. You can go either route - Burn619 had his professionally cut and sealed with Rhinoliner while I went the DIY route with a fender rolling tool and sealed it with rubber sealant spray.


In my opinion, I would say take it to a shop and have them cut the piece off, seal the wheel wells with a professional grade bed liner like Burn did with his. After you do so, you will have to slightly adjust the rear wheels to clear the area afterwards depending on the size and offset. We are both running roughly a -2.5° angle at the 'normal' lowered ride height with no rubbing issues here. I've had a full load and no rubbing has occurred to date since I did it with 235/50/R18 tires on 18x8 +40mm offset rims. Here is the link to my Fender Rolling write up EOC thread: Click Here (http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38370&highlight=fender+rolling)


This will solve your problem either route you choose to go. Your other alternative is to reacquire the original springs and raise it back up to stock height. If you're considering this, test drive a normal Element and see how it rides. It will be fairly different and you may not like it. However, if you are interested, I have my old springs sitting in my basement that I will sell for 50% of Majestic Honda's price (they sell parts for much cheaper than the MSRP) at www.hondaautomotiveparts.com. They have seen 19,000 miles over the course of 1 1/2 years. Just to give you the option to convert back if you wish.



Edit: You do actually have a third option. Contact Eibach and see if they can stiffen the rear springs for you. You'd probably have to order a new set and they may not be willing to do it. Stiffer rear spring would reduce the amount of distance the rear travels when you hit a bad spot or you have passengers on a normal bump, but it is hard to determine. You may also have to change the rear struts to work with it and that's just asking for more trouble. Much easier to just have a body shop cut and seal the well.

srry but eibachs blow.


i WAS gonna get them but i heard from alot of people the rubbing problem so i got teins instead. im rollin on 18s with 45s on. no rubbin whatsoever.

Er I think you mean you have Eibach lowering springs with the stock struts. You basically have 2 options with 2 options for option 2:

1. Adjust your rear camber excessively negative so that when the car drops the wheels clear the lip in the rear well. This option is not exactly the best idea since you'll be unevenly wearing your rear tires and therefore going through them more often. The Element 'naturally' tilts the wheels inward as the vehicle drops regardless of what you do to the suspension. The lower it goes, the more the tops of the wheels will tilt in - and it does it quite a bit.

2. Rolling/Cutting the fender. This is not for the weak of heart. This is a permanent modification to the body of the car which can either be done DIY or by an autobody shop. It's going to cost you a few hundred dollars to have it 'professionally' done either way. It is a common thing which is done on various cars that have been lowered and/or given a wider wheel. DIY on the Element is a two part phase: 1. removing the rear quarter panel plastic and trimming the well area. 2. Cutting/bending the metal which literally sticks out into the well. If you take your hand and fit it in the rear well, you will feel that the part which sticks out is very thin. Rolling the fender means you take a tool and physically push it up. The problem with this is that rolling or cutting means you are exposing the metal to water. YOU MUST SEAL THE AREA WITH SOMETHING. Highly recommended is a durable bed liner (the stuff they use on pick up trucks) or rubber sealant. If you decide to take it to a shop, ask them in detail how they will go about removing or moving the piece in question. You can go either route - Burn619 had his professionally cut and sealed with Rhinoliner while I went the DIY route with a fender rolling tool and sealed it with rubber sealant spray.


In my opinion, I would say take it to a shop and have them cut the piece off, seal the wheel wells with a professional grade bed liner like Burn did with his. After you do so, you will have to slightly adjust the rear wheels to clear the area afterwards depending on the size and offset. We are both running roughly a -2.5° angle at the 'normal' lowered ride height with no rubbing issues here. I've had a full load and no rubbing has occurred to date since I did it with 235/50/R18 tires on 18x8 +40mm offset rims. Here is the link to my Fender Rolling write up EOC thread: Click Here (http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38370&highlight=fender+rolling)


This will solve your problem either route you choose to go. Your other alternative is to reacquire the original springs and raise it back up to stock height. If you're considering this, test drive a normal Element and see how it rides. It will be fairly different and you may not like it. However, if you are interested, I have my old springs sitting in my basement that I will sell for 50% of Majestic Honda's price (they sell parts for much cheaper than the MSRP) at www.hondaautomotiveparts.com. They have seen 19,000 miles over the course of 1 1/2 years. Just to give you the option to convert back if you wish.



Edit: You do actually have a third option. Contact Eibach and see if they can stiffen the rear springs for you. You'd probably have to order a new set and they may not be willing to do it. Stiffer rear spring would reduce the amount of distance the rear travels when you hit a bad spot or you have passengers on a normal bump, but it is hard to determine. You may also have to change the rear struts to work with it and that's just asking for more trouble. Much easier to just have a body shop cut and seal the well.


wastedonanime, that was an "EXCELLENT" explanation should be a STICKY!

Chief

Well I found a solution kinda ghetto but "my guy" said they should work...

no charge for trying...

I am going to keep where there only a one inch depression so i can stop the rubbing....

*fingers crossed*

Well I found a solution kinda ghetto but "my guy" said they should work...

no charge for trying...

I am going to keep where there only a one inch depression so i can stop the rubbing....

*fingers crossed*

If you are referring to a solution that is 'kinda ghetto,' I do so hope that the hand in the photo is not yours! :confused:

Chief

Your rubbing issues start with your aftermarket wheel's offset. If it is not the same as stock you're going to rub, secondly it goes to tire size, which if too big will most likely rub too.

The rear fender is so thick that most anthing lowered will rub. Like wastedonanime said, cutting the rear fender is the best bet, and having a body shop to the work is the best method, although DIY can also be done with good results too.

If you want a permanent solution.....pay to have a body shop cut the rear fender....otherwise you'll probably end up spending just as much in the long run trying to find a solution.

I decided on not cutting but rolling the fender cuz it is only off by like .75 inches.

cuz i enjoy the ride with the eibachs, and the way it looks..

If you decide to go with a shop to roll the fender, ask about their method and if they claim to use a tool, ask them to see it in person. It should look something like the one I used. I've read about people having body shops use metal poles and hammers to "roll" the fender which yielded sub-professional results. Also, they should mention using a heat gun to prevent the paint chipping. Ideally you want a place which will seal the area with some kind of sealant as well regardless to whether or not the paint chips just to be sure.

with no places to roll my fenders...




i bought a rubber mallet...

It should be easily bent. Follow the instructions up to the rolling part and then whack away. Best of luck. Don't forget to reseal the well with some rubberized spray and add a few coats all around the area. I would get some inside the bent part as well to ensure you don't generate any rust. It takes the stuff I bought 4 hours to completely dry. I would reapply at least two coats after 2 hours each with the wheels off if your can says the same thing. Ideally 3 for good measure or 4 if you have the time. Also, be sure to torque the lugs back on to the correct setting either via torque wrench or a tire shop with the proper adapters. If you don't, your wheels may end up falling off (no joke) and if they are over tightened, it could lead to permanent damage.

Well I am done...




and yessssssssssssssssssssss
:D:D:D:D:D:D

It worked I didn't need too much banging, it only rubs in spots where other cars bottom out

I'm so happy...

I used a razor to trim some of the plastic off but not too much...

i didn't need to coat with anything cuz not paint came off which I was glad...

But with the tires off I noticed that it also has SPC camber set, so whoever had this E before me took some time with it... I wonder if the person was ever on here...


MANY THANKS FOR EVERYONE'S ADVICE!!!

SPC Performance = Eibach. They probably did their research here. Good to hear all is well. Congrats. : )