how close is too close?

Ok, ive put new set of wheels on my car... but there is only about a 3/4mm gap between the spokes and the calipers- i think the brakes are upgraded UK spec ones as they are massive but until i get them looked at i'm not sure. anyway i was talking to the guy whos sorting out my bodywork and he said it might be worth skimming the discs a few mm. just want to know if there would be any problems with this tightness/distance as i dont want to damage anything and is it worth skimming them?

How would skimming the discs help?

Skimming the disc will achieve nothing. The caliper is fixed to the hub not the disc so no matter what you do to the disc the caliper will remain in the same place.

How would skimming the discs help?

well, i'm not mechnically minded but i assumed thinner discs = calipers were pressed/adjusted closer in? i dont know why he suggested it otherwise lol?

Did you/he mean skim the top of the caliper? Wouldn't have thought this would be a great idea as it would reduce its strength.

Surely if there missing , there missing..........they shouldnt move now should they..........else something has gone t*ts up anyway.

Get some thin spacers made tho if ur worried....

i'm pretty sure he said the discs... its just i dont want anything to go wrong as ive spent a fu**ing fortune the last 6 months to get it ready and i'm getting back hopefully friday so if something happens i dont think i'l be best pleased to say the least lol

How would skimming the discs help?

my thoughts exactly, maybe try and offset the wheels very slightly.

well, i'm not mechnically minded but i assumed thinner discs = calipers were pressed/adjusted closer in? i dont know why he suggested it otherwise lol?

Calipers are assembled into one piece. It's the pistons that move. So if you skim discs the pistons would have to move out further to grip the caliper.

That would mean more force trying to drag the piston out of the caliper and reduced efficiency.

As long as your wheel turns and there is clearance you're gonna be ok.

Surely if there missing , there missing..........they shouldnt move now should they..........else something has gone t*ts up anyway.

What about heat expansion?

What about heat expansion?

Fair point, only one way to find out then. Id get some thin spacers.....and not risk it

Well cheers guys thats a load off my mind. i was just wondering if the ground/road was bumpy or just sh*t then it could move it a bit thats all. i cant wait to drive the lean mean orange machine again

Maybe put a line of paint/tipex on the caliper & take it for a test drive. If the mark is still intact they don't rub.

If its not touching nothing should really happen, I know alot of cars that have calipers that just miss the spokes and they are fine.

You could shave a little off the calipers if you want, alot of americans do it because the ccw classics alot of the owners use need a 4mm spacer, but some dont use the spacer and shave the calipers.

do a search on supraforums.com for ccw classic and the last few pages i think tell you about it.

Most heat is generated in the disc. If it was to transfer enough through the pads and into the piston enough to make a caliper expand 3/4 of a mm

I think the seals would melt, fluid pour out, ignite and burn the tyre off causing steering difficulty first.

Seriously though, I think it would take a lot more heat than that to make a lump the size of a caliper expand by that much.

but there is only about a 3/4mm gap between the spokes and the calipers-

Is that 3 to 4mm or 0.75mm?

Most heat is generated in the disc. If it was to transfer enough through the pads and into the piston enough to make a caliper expand 3/4 of a mm

Glad i'm not the only one that found that funny. I reckon the caliper would melt before expanding anywhere near that much (0.75mm)

Most heat is generated in the disc. If it was to transfer enough through the pads and into the piston enough to make a caliper expand 3/4 of a mm

I think the seals would melt, fluid pour out, ignite and burn the tyre off causing steering difficulty first.

Seriously though, I think it would take a lot more heat than that to make a lump the size of a caliper expand by that much.

at description

Bang on mate.

3 to 4 mm is OK IF the wheels are decent, cheap ones can deform in hard cornering, and the wheel bearings are spot on. You'll soon see if they are rubbing anyway. You could mill or turn a bit off the outside of the disc hub face, but I wouldn't, there's not a huge amount of meat there, and when you think about it properly, it'll bring the rim even CLOSER to the caliper

You'd need smaller feeler gauges to check the clearance on Ivans car.

I reckon i have about a 0.010" gap between my spokes and my calipers. Not had any issues yet.

If you are concerned the wheels may rub why don't you skim a few mms of eack spoke

Is that 3 to 4mm or 0.75mm?

I reckon i have about a 0.010" gap between my spokes and my calipers. Not had any issues yet.

Me too, been like that for 3 years, not a single issue with them.