Tire rubbing against front passenger wheel well.
 

Done a search and couldn't find anything concrete. Recently my front passenger side tire has begun rubbing on the backside of the plastic wheel well/splash guard, only when making sharp right hand turns. Upon further inspection, is seems that the splash guard itself has bubbled out or has started to sag in one area. Unfortunately a heat gun and trying to mold the plastic back into form didn't work, so it seems I'll have to order a new one since the tire already cut a nice slit in the plastic.

Is this a common issue? Or is my suspension messed up?

Edit: running stock tires and wheels.

Re: Tire rubbing against front passenger wheel well.
 

It is common. Mine did it since new.

Re: Tire rubbing against front passenger wheel well.
 

Awesome, did a new fender liner solve the issue, or did it come back?

Re: Tire rubbing against front passenger wheel well.
 

I never addressed it. When I joined the forum, many folks said the same thing and some suggested heating up the rubbed area and deforming it to allow space for the tire at full-lock.

It's dammed rare for me to go full-lock, so I never did anything about it. That plastic is really thick, so in my case, I don't think I'll rub through!

Re: Tire rubbing against front passenger wheel well.
 

Mine is the same. I used a heat gun like was suggested and it held for a day and then popped back out. I just don't worry about it as I rarely go full lock on the steering. I could find a fix if I tried hard enough.

Les

Re: Tire rubbing against front passenger wheel well.
 

Mine does it with the bigger race tires and it hasnt botherd anything so I just dont worry about it

Re: Tire rubbing against front passenger wheel well.
 

mine does the same and have never addressed it.

Re: Tire rubbing against front passenger wheel well.
 

I spent a lot of time trying to straighten mine out but never got it back where it should be. I ended up folding some of the tab type pieces on the edge backwards so it poped the bubble inwards and that worked.

Re: Tire rubbing against front passenger wheel well.
 

I have an 05 roadster that I've had for about a year and half, and the right front tire well swells up especially when it rains and gets wet. The result is when making a right hand turn, the tire rubs the splash guard/well. When I had a blowout on the left front tire, I was told by Discount Tire, it had oversize tires on the front, so I put the normal size tires on the front, but I still get some rubbing on the right front tire. I may try and have the splash guard/well replaced, if my extended warranty covers it, because replacing tires can get expensive!

Re: Tire rubbing against front passenger wheel well.
 

Re: Tire rubbing against front passenger wheel well.
 

Don't know about "wet" being the cause since it's a plastic and not affected by water.. but I will bet if you look closely it's bowed out towards the wheel. Had this on both my roadsters and a heat gun with just a 2x4 layed against it till it cooled fixed it. Went ahead and heated the areas against the metal inside to let it "relax" into it's position also. Problem solved.

Re: Tire rubbing against front passenger wheel well.
 

Thank you for the quick reply Mr. Miata. You're right, it is bowed out. I tried to pry it back in with a 2 by 4 up against the tire, but to no avail. When you used the heat gun, did you take the tire off? Next time I will try and use a heat gun.

Re: Tire rubbing against front passenger wheel well.
 

Yes took the tire off to have some working room. heated up the whole area.. about 18 inch diameter, then laid the 2x4 against it.

Re: Tire rubbing against front passenger wheel well.
 

Happens to me all the time! no tire wear, just annoying when backing up with the wheel cut hard.