Both front wheels rub, on inside wheel well

Jack up the front wheels and near the steering box you will find a bolt mounted to the beam which contacts the flat spot on the pitman arm. This bolt is adjustable with a lock nut to secure final adjustment, you'll see as you turn the wheel it will contact this stop or in your case the wheel is contacting the wheel well before contact with this stop.

I'm running the same setup and using 3mm spacers all around as my wheel caps would not fit over the rear stubs and nuts.

I have the 2L 914 Fuchs with 185/65x15 tires - but also have 3/8" wheel spacers so the rims clear the front calipers and also room for ISP's Billet center caps to clear the bearing caps.  I don't have rubbing.

I see this earlier post, but I have no idea what a pitman arm is or what it looks like. Also looks like it would be best if both wheels are off the ground as you make this adjustment?  (I told my wife last week I needed a floor jack from Harbor, I guess I was correct?)

You may be simply rubbing the inner fender wells (the wheel side of the passenger kick panels).

You might have to pull the wheels to see where they're rubbing, or get it up on ramps and peek up in there. Most likely, you'll see a slightly curved, vertical rub mark on the inner fender where the tire hits.

The cure is to re-set the stops on your pitman arm (that moosey big arm going off the bottom of the steering box). There should be a 12mm bolt-like stop to limit arm travel in each direction. Simply turn them in a bit until the wheel rubbing stops.

This is pretty common in Speedsters. No biggie

Check this link out:   http://chircoestore.com/tech_articles/?p=231

#11 in the exploded view is what you're after. Check if there are bolts in there. If so, loosen the jam nut and unscrew the bolt a couple turns. If there aren't any bolts, you need some 8mm x 1.5mm pitch bolts and nuts.

Ideally, put the car on ramps or a drive-on lift. Or, take out the gas tank so you can get to the front end by the steering box with the wheels on the ground and weight on them. Turn the steering wheel until you feel contact with the wheel well. Back off slightly, then loosen the bolt until it contacts the pitman arm, then lock the locknut down. Do the same for the other side. Have a beer!

My beam had no steering stop bolts in it on my Spyder, but a very cheap and easy problem to solve. I also had to tap the holes, they were full of powdercoat. 

Wolfgang, does the 3/8 spacer, still allow enough stud thread to bite?  Based on the google search of images, I guess that the spacer goes behind the wheel and on the face of the "drum"?

YES - I'm using the OEM long Porsche alloy wheel bolts.  Kind of a pain holding wheel up and aligning with the spacer and rotor/drum holes. 

dang - 80 series!!

i run 185-60 on 5.5 steelies at a lower than normal pressure and the ride is awesome.

dropping your profile will definitely help with your rubbing.

Thanks for all the great ideas and hints.

One of the downsides to adjusting the bolts to decrease how far you can turn in your wheels is it increases your turning circle.  I've done this on my IM and my turning circle is now about the same as my Ford Ranger 4x4 pickup.

My VS rubbed on each tire also. The car also had a very steep rake and bottomed out easily.

My solution was to decrease the rake by using standard spindles. It looks better (in my opinion), the tires do not rub and I never bottom out anymore.

I disagree to a point. How much steering throw are you losing if you just stop the rubbing with the stop bolts? Not much I think. I do concede you lose a bit, but I'd rather slightly increase my turn radius than destroy my tires......

Danny's right. No real choice here guys; you need to adjust the stops to keep from destroying tires, or disaster will strike at the worst possible time. That's why they're there. The alternative is just scary...Yoda out

I should have mentioned in addition to the spacers I also have caster shims installed which moves lower part of beam slightly forward.  That would give you a little more clearance and get caster into specs if front end is lowered with beam adjusters.

Gordon, Danny, Al, Wolfgang, et al, I figured out from various input and diagrams here, the pitman arm.  I can see the flat area on it for, that 12mm bolt.  I still have only one wheel in the air, so can't turn the wheel port and starboard, but the triangular bracket that hangs off the front axle beam only has one bolt.  Without being able to turn  the steering wheel I can not figure out the location of the second bolt?  I would like to correct the bolt(s) issues and then proceed to spindles , casters, and tire profiles.

My wife's vote of confidence...."honey don't quit your day job"

Danny, I didn't say he shouldn't adjust his stops.  Obviously, stopping the tire rub is the main priority, but there is a drawback to the adjustment.  It's not a big deal, but on my car it's noticeable.  It could be with my wheel width, offset and tire size I had to adjust the bolts more.

Art,

It's a real plus that you are doing your own wrenching.  You get to know your car in that manner.  I would just inject a tiny note of caution.  After brakes, steering and suspension work can be very detrimental to your health if not done correctly.  You may want to consider having a more experienced person at least check your work when you're done.  None of us need surprises at speed.  Good on ya, keep up the good work!

Wolfgang, what are the length of your bolts? Mine are 38mm. With the spacer it appears that I'm only getting about 3/8" of bite into the rotor/drum holes. This doesn't seem safe to me.  BTW, I blue taped the 3/8 spacer on the drum face to hold it in place, reached in and pulled most out after getting thread started.

Please advise

Art- You might want to use studs and wheel nuts instead of VW type wheel bolts. I've set up mine with genuine Porsche wheel studs (and nuts- I have Fuchs alloys) and it makes the process way easier. Al 

Al;

I better go look at Stoddard, et al., to better understand studs and nuts. (don't tell my wife).  I thought my set up was all Porsche.  The Fuchs  2L. wheels all with  the appropriate Porsche stampings and the 38mm ball seat studs I thought were a matched set.  It's a damn good thing I enjoy learning new subjects.

So my "conclusion", 3/8" thread into the drums is not enough?

I'm not that familiar with the 914 stuff, Art, so it no doubt is; it's just different than the 911 hardware. The 914 was a VW/Porsche collaboration, and they probably used bolts for cost reasons. You know, 3/8" is probably enough (but don't quote me on that), but I've always been under the impression that for full holding power you need at least as much thread as the diameter of the bolt. If you can find longer bolts, you'll have to be careful they don't protrude too far into the drum, and may have to do some custom trimming. Al

The 1.5"/38mm are the OEM 914 lug bolts for the standard steel wheels NOT for the OEM alloy wheels.  On the 914 4 wheel disc brakes they use 2.5"/63mm bolts. I'm using the 63mm with the 3/8" spacers on the front.  The back are into stock drums.  I thought the rear bolts would be too long but I don't have interference -they turn freely (towed 1000 miles with no issues).  The 38mm work fine on the back with no spacer but I'd get longer for the front.  There are long locking bolts available too (I'll see ifI can find the part number - think they are Gorilla brand.

Here's interesting "thread" on using the same alloy wheelson a VW - note the picture of the bolt threads in a stock drum from the inside.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/for...ewtopic.php?t=338946