Tire Stetching and Chambering

[mark III GLS]

Okay so i have seen a lot of dubs lowered and their tires stretch and cambered. I know what stretching is and what cambering is i just dont know how to do it all.Iis it good for a daily driver depending on the stretch and how would it help me with lowering? My friend just lowered his car and wants to go lower but his fenders will rub and he has no stretching. He said i should def stretch because im in the market for wheels and tire right now. What are the benfits of stretching and cambering your wheels when you lower your ride?

I have looked around and it just been a lot of pics of guys cars and not a whole lot on actually how to do it, why we do it, is it worth doing that sort of stuff. So im aking:

How do i go about stretching my tires?
How do i get a cambering done to my wheels? (im assuming just go to a shop that does it)
Why would i want to stretch and chamber my wheels when i lower the car?
Is it "safe" for a daily driver?
How much do i want to stretch my tires?
How far should i camber them in?
Is it worth doing? More than just looks (dont get me wrong they look SICK!!)

Any kind of tips, dyi's, tire sizes, rims, anything would be great.

[bagged_hag]

How do i go about stretching my tires?
How do i get a chambering done to my wheels? (im assuming just go to a shop that does it)
Why would i want to stretch and chamber my wheels when i lower the car?
Is it "safe" for a daily driver?
How much do i want to stretch my tires?
How far should i chamber them in?
Is it worth doing? More than just looks (dont get me wrong they look SICK!!)

Any kind of tips, dyi's, tire sizes, rims, anything would be great.

Okay first off that post was painful to read through. It's not called chamber it's called CAMBER. Now to answer your questions..

1. Buy tires that have a smaller width then your wheels. The usual concensus is a 205/40 will stretch decently on anything 8" wide and up. Also the brand of tire makes a huge difference in what the stretch looks like. Do research!

2. If you have to ask how to camber your wheels you shouldn't do it. Get some more experience first with suspension bits and then go from there. Mk3's are only front camber adjustable from the factory. They can be adjust +/- 1.5 degrees (if I remember correctly) with the factory strut design. The rears are much more involved requiring camber shims or washers under the stub axle. Believe me you need to know this stuff before you dive right into it.

3. Most people on here camber their wheels and stretch their tires because they are trying to fit a wider then normal wheel under a car that was never designed for something that big. Also it looks good!

4. If the work is done right and done well by someone who knows what they are doing then sure it's completely safe.

5. You can stretch your tires as much as you would like theoretically. I have seen 195/40's on a 9.5 which is a massive stretch. Granted I wouldn't recommend doing that much stretch on a daily but a moderate to somewhat severe stretch is fine.

6. How much you should camber your wheels is all about what the fitment is like and what kind of look you want. Do some more research before you even attempt something like that!

7. Sure it's worth doing if you want to do it. However it's only for looks and nothing else. In fact, lowering a car as much as most of us on here do and stretching/cambering the wheels and tires kills the handling. The Mk3 platform is already one of the worst handling platforms out there because of the solid rear beam, but all the suspension alterations most people do makes it that much worse.

But seriously, do some more research, I don't even know why I am posting this much info. There are many threads on here about camber and stretch. Look around and knowledge up before you tackle any of these projects.

[mark III GLS]

okay thanks alot. I wasnt plannign on doing anything my self i just want to know what going on. i am gonna do more research, posting is another way to get more info. What about a 7" width, what tire size for them? i found a 205/40 that fit normal on a 7"?

*sorry for the spelling.

[renob81]

Basically people stretch tires so they can fit a wider wheel under the fender to prevent rubbing. (tire is more rounded) Personally I wouldn't waste my time with a 7" wheel especially if you plan on wanting to stretch a tire (good luck finding one here in the states) and cambering your wheels in. These two things are for running wide wheels )as mentioned above). It will look stupid if you try to achieve this with a 7" wheel. You need to do your research about fitting wheels and what your final outcome wants to be.

[renob81]

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...es-and-offsets.

[mark III GLS]

I dont want to stretch stretch them, just alittle bit. And thanks that thread helps.

[wannabaja]

You can also stretch your tires and camber your wheels with a heat gun. Just take your time and make sure you do it evenly to avoid bubbles or warping.

[A3VRSIX]

you can also stretch your tires and camber your wheels with a heat guy. Just take your time and make sure you do it evenly to avoid bubbles or warping.

[wannabaja]

Its true I work in a tires shop and we charge people a ton of money to stretch their tires and camber their rims. All we do is go in the back and use an industrial heat gun that does the job faster then a heat gun you could buy at, say, Lowes or Home Depot.

[A3VRSIX]

Its true I work in a tires shop and we charge people a ton of money to stretch their tires and camber their rims. All we do is go in the back and use an industrial heat gun that does the job faster then a heat gun you could buy at, say, Lowes or Home Depot.

By doing what? Making the rubber softer and more flexable? A tire isnt gonna stretch unless its a smaller width....

I have never been soo confused in my whole life...

Yes I DO know how to camber and stretch as I have been doing it on my cars for about 10 years.

[mark III GLS]

i heard that you have to put lighter fluid or gasoline into the tire light it so its seats itself on the wheel then quick fill it with air to keep it inflated. is that true or is there some other way to do it?

[weakshht]

[joser11]

Heat gun will do the trick

[wannabaja]

i heard that you have to put lighter fluid or gasoline into the tire light it so its seats itself on the wheel then quick fill it with air to keep it inflated. is that true or is there some other way to do it?

While you have a basic concept of how it could be done, its not the preferable method. You can find videos of this method on the internet but it is much safer to use the tool we have at the shop for excessive stretches. It basically releases a ton of air at one time to pop the beads.

[wannabaja]

By doing what? Making the rubber softer and more flexable? A tire isnt gonna stretch unless its a smaller width....

I have never been soo confused in my whole life...

Yes I DO know how to camber and stretch as I have been doing it on my cars for about 10 years.

With the right heating technique you can actually shrink the rubber where needed to provide the stretch.

[vento86]

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[never2low]

Feeling much smarter after reading this thread

[Hurt]

You can also stretch your tires and camber your wheels with a heat gun. Just take your time and make sure you do it evenly to avoid bubbles or warping.

How do you give your car camber by heating your wheels? Bend them?

[mtn_dub]

Just lol'd so hard 'chambering'

but on topic, you don't have to take it into a shop to get it "cambered" you can do that yourself but if your not willing to click the search button and do some searching of your own then you definitely won't be willing to get your tires "stretched" and wheels "cambered". What you see in those pics takes a lot of work, knowledge and know-how... As well as blood, sweat and getting some dirt and grease under your finger nails ... That's if you want to do it right

[vento86]

You NEED to bend ur wheels to get that chambered look


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[A3VRSIX]

How do you give your car camber by heating your wheels? Bend them?

HA! I wasnt even gonna touch that one...

[mark III GLS]

Would putting a 195/50 on a 7" wheel give you a little stretch. thats all i want, nothing crazy

[Dmoneythegreat]

Also...you're not gonna get stretch on a 7" wide wheel with a 195/50.

[mtn_dub]

By doing what? Making the rubber softer and more flexable? A tire isnt gonna stretch unless its a smaller width....

I have never been soo confused in my whole life...

Yes I DO know how to camber and stretch as I have been doing it on my cars for about 10 years.

I honestly hope you're kidding..

[vento86]

Wow, just wow. I seriously hope the people answering are just trollin' (I know you are...vento )

Camber...with a heat gun? The fuck?


Also...you're not gonna get stretch on a 7" wide wheel with a 195/50.

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[Pineapplegti !]

I smell trolls getting trolled by trolls.

[vento86]

I smell trolls getting trolled by trolls.

Ur the biggest troll on the mk3 forum


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[Dmoneythegreat]

[mk3_vws]

You've got to be kidding me. I've been further even more decided to use even go need to do look more as anyone can. Can you really be far even as decided half as much to use go wish for that? My guess is that when one really been far even as decided once to use even go want, it is then that he has really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like. It's just common sense.

[vento86]

You've got to be kidding me. I've been further even more decided to use even go need to do look more as anyone can. Can you really be far even as decided half as much to use go wish for that? My guess is that when one really been far even as decided once to use even go want, it is then that he has really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like. It's just common sense.

You've been Rick trolled.


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[mtn_dub]

wondering when this will be locked

[vento86]

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[nater]

Ur the biggest troll on the mk3 forum


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I'm pretty sure you've got him beat.

To the OP: please read up on the subject but unfortunately not in the mk3 forum. There are a few forum members that ruin it for many and just like to turn threads like this into crap.

Try the wheel/tire tech forum, you'll get better results there. Good luck!