1990 Jetta: Wheel rubbing & alignment question

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

As you all know, I'm very grateful for the advice I've gotten on this forum over the years.

I'm now at a significant point in terms of my car. I must eventually
decide whether to save or dump it. I'll be totally honest with you: I'd
prefer to save it.

Anyway, one of the issues I need clarification on has to do with my
front driver's side wheel. Some years ago, I decided to get new rims for
my car because I simply did not like the looks of the rims that came
with the car. I bought the rims from someone on Craigslist. They were
much better looking than what I had. But, if memory serves me well, they
were 14 inch rims. I think my car is supposed to have 13 inch rims. In
any case, some Good Samaritans advised me to get spacers which I did.

The only problem was that the front driver's side wheel has always
rubbed against the sway bar (and I think the tie rod). Please see photo
below.

Here's the problem: I have had the car placed on a lift and two
mechanics have looked at the wheel in question. They have both said that
the reason why the front driver's side wheel rim is rubbing has to do
with an alignment problem. They say that the wheel right now is too much
to the left and needs to be adjusted to the right.

I made an appointment with an alignment shop for Monday. But as I was
doing this, the alignment person asked me what the model and year was
for my car. I told him that it's a 1990 Jetta. He then said that Jetta
wheels for that year cannot be adjusted to the left or right and that he
can only make them rotate straight. But he added that I just bring the
car in so that he can check it and confirm whether he's right or wrong.

Has anyone ever heard about this? Is it true that 1990 Jettas cannot
have their wheels adjusted (via an alignment) to the left or right?

Below is a photo of the area that I'm talking about. Please notice the
two shiny spots on the metals that signify where the wheel rim is
rubbing.