I recently installed 18x10.5 with 295-35-18s (+27mm with 6.9" backspacing) out back and today I removed the passenger side rear wheel and noticed some scratches around the rim where it meets the tire's sidewall, which I don't recall seeing upon delivery. I don't really see anything that might be causing it, there are no scratches anywhere in the wheel well so I came on here to ask the experienced people. Should I get some spacers or not worry about it.

 

When I was running 10.5"s, I had 6~7/8" backspace and was fine.

Would be VERY strange to have damage to wheels and no signs on tire. I would also expect you to have heard something. Take a close look and confirm you don't have some bracket out of place or bent causing contact.

Do you have some pics?

Jazzer

 

yea its very weird, I looked around for about 10 minutes and couldn't find anything. I imagine its gotta be a metal piece to scratch like that, but everything is painted black and there's no sign of rubbing even on the exhaust. I heard what sounded like a very low rub between metals when driving but the wheels have a couple of scratches its not all the way around.

 

If the scratch is NOT all the way around in a pattern, then a couple things may have happened.

1. Tire installer scratched them somehow during their work
2. You may have hit a lug-bolt during install yourself
3. You may not have noticed the scratches when you purchased them
4. Mini Me crawled under your ride with a screwdriver

 

LOL at #4. I guess I'll keep an eye on it, I'll remove the wheel again in a week of so and take a look. The tires came already installed on the rim and I installed them on the car myself. If I see it get any worse then I will have to gewt some spacers.

 

If you go spacers, you will need to replace lugs to go over 1/4" wide, IMO. I have 1/2" spacers installed and run extra-long/strong lugs to remain safe.

Jazzer

 

so if I go over a 1/4" I'll have to replace the lugs, damn I hope I'm not rubbing LOL.

 

Jazzer, I forgot to mention that I didn't do an alignment on the car, do you think that might help?? The car is not lowered.