Tire Rubbing On Inner Fender; Why?

If you continuously hear the sound of rubbing your tire with the inner fender or the wheel well, you have a problem that you need to fix immediately. There can be multiple causes of tire rubbing, such as issues in wheel alignment, wheel offset, use of the wrong specification of tires, etc.

However, the most common cause of tire rubbing in your car is insufficient clearance between the tire and fender. This can be fixed by checking the wheel alignment, measuring offset, etc. 

You must have enough clearance since it will be dangerous if the fender is well into your tire or if the tire is too close to the fender.

Thus whenever you start hearing noises of tire rubbing, do not ignore it and take your car for the proper diagnosis and fixation as soon as possible. Do not try to fix it with yourself at home unless you know what you are doing.

Table of Contents

• What Causes Fender Rub?
• How Do I Stop My Tires From Rubbing My Fender?
• Will An Alignment Fix Tire Rubbing?
• Can Tires Pop From Rubbing?
• What Is A Fender Liner?

What Causes Fender Rub?

Following are the causes of tire rubbing in your car:

1. Misalignment of the wheels: The wheels could be cocked inwardly or outwardly, which causes the vehicle to pull to one side.
2. Over-inflation of tires: If your tires are overinflated, the extra air will expand when it gets hot, and this may cause it to bulge out above the rim of your tire, causing there to be too much room for your tire on the inside edge but not enough room on the outside edge causing a tire rub.
3. Change wheel offset: Wheel offset is the distance between the center line of a wheel and its hub mounting surface. The greater the offset, the larger the wheel about its mounting position. Generally, more rubber is required to fill gaps between large diameter wheels and smaller hub openings. This can cause rubbing in small vehicles, especially when offset changes are not accounted for, such as after an accident or wear on a vehicle caused by regular use.
4. Incompatible tires: If your new tires have an increased outside diameter compared with your original equipment tires, they may rub against or drag on your vehicle’s fenders or bodywork at full steering lock.

The inadequate clearance between the tire and the body causes your tire to rub the inner fenders. Thus it would help if you watched for the causes mentioned above to identify the issue and fix them in no time.

How Do I Stop My Tires From Rubbing My Fender?

If your tires are rubbing and making a slapping noise against your fender, it’s time to get to work. That noise is an excellent indicator that the tires need some adjustment. This is because there may be excess air pressure in the tires, and they are not sitting correctly on the wheel wells, causing them to rub up against your car fender.

This occurs when the tire has little to no clearance between it and the side of your car. Other causes include a broken or damaged fender, warped axle, bent frame, or worn shock absorbers. 

To stop your tires from rubbing the fender, you first need to know the cause of the problem. 

So here is the step-by-step guide to diagnose the issue and fix it:

• First, check the tire pressures; the tires should be evenly inflated.
• Check the wheel alignment; use a straight edge, plastic ruler, or even a tape measure to check if your wheel alignment is off and if so, adjust it using the center cap/tire gauge at your wheel for this; this may change as you drive around with these new tires.

If you find nothing wrong, you can fix the issue by rolling out the fenders to provide tires with some space. You will need a heat gun, car jack, wheel arch reforming tool, etc.

1. First of all, lift your car with the help of a car jack.
2. Attach the wheel arch reforming tool tightly.
3. Finally, use the heat gun to apply the heat to the corner of your vehicle and gradually roll it in. Again, do it slowly and correctly to make it work.

That’s it; with these easy steps, you will notice extra gaps between the tire and fenders that will resolve the rubbing issue.

How to Fix Tire Noise at Low Speed?

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Will An Alignment Fix Tire Rubbing?

You should ignore the tire rubbing issue as it can be risky for your safety and further damage other components of your car. Furthermore, as you tire, rubbing can be caused by several things. 

Thus you need to take your vehicle to the expert for a proper diagnosis. And sometimes, it’s potential that the problem can be resolved by simply aligning the wheel properly. 

The misalignment of wheels is caused due to worn-out tires, improper handling, and improper installation. Thus, you must place the wheel back in their positions, and if the issue remains, you should get the proper repair done. 

Clunking noise while driving is also caused due to rubbing of tires on your car. This issue can be resolved by determining the cause and repairing it. You should keep an eye on whether your alignment is off, as it can lead to severe damages if not fixed soon enough.

Piece Of Glass Stuck In The Tire; What Should I do?

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Can Tires Pop From Rubbing?

Yes, tires can blow out of continuous rubbing. However, most people change the wheels to larger specifications to modify the car’s looks without asking an expert.

However, the oversized tire causes the issue of rubbing as there is no space between the tires and fenders or wheel well. Thus continuous tire rubbing may lead to blowing it out, causing severe damage to the car. 

To avoid this accident, you must cover the wheel well or take the wheels back to the manufacturer’s specification. Thus it would help if you asked the expert before modifying the car’s wheels.

What Is A Fender Liner?

The fender liner is a protective component of your car that protects the dirt, mud, water, and slush from getting into your engine bay.

The fender line is made up of plastic that you will find between the fender and engine. It is essential as it protects the engine from getting damaged. In addition, a good fender liner is an obstacle between the car and the slush that might otherwise find its way into your engine bay.