[83verty]

Does anyone know how to properly fit a 9" wide wheel with tire in the front. Really wanna try to go meaty in the front. Where & what do I cut? Do I need spacers, etc? Is it not worth it and go back stock style?

I saved up for coilovers and might converting everything to SN95 front suspension to help with rubbing issues. For brakes I'm doing Power Stop Z23 Evolution Brake Kit. I swapped the stock 3.8 v6 and is a N/A 5.0. Suspension rn is completely stock and I haven't touched it yet. This car isn't a show car or a race car, (some day when I go crazy) just a cool project.

If you know any tips or know someone else who knows feel free to respond. If you have other helpful advice also feel free to respond. Thanks!

Wheel Specs:
Size: 18x9
Backspacing: 5.94
Offset: +24mm
Tire: 265/35/18

More about car: (feel free to respond if you have any tips for my car)
Sat for 7 years in Massachusetts.
Convertible, GLX.
Has 130,000 miles.
Been working on fabing floor pans and reenforce chassis.
Haven't decided on standard or auto trans. (stock: auto) (feel free to tell me best trans you've had)
First project car EVER. (feel free to tell me ur mistakes or other tips)
Been working on it since late October.
Drivers door is rusted between the skin.
Rear wheels are 18x10 (If I do fronts, if not 17x10 Pony Rs)
Wheels I want are SVE Series 3s.
Looking for affordable 2"-3" cowl hood. (again, hmu or respond)
The front bumper cover I have is pretty rough. No bends creases or dents but scratches and minor cracks. Any advice on repair?
Haven't found out how to restore rusted metal. Is there a formula or product?
I am not having locals help me. Sorry, really want this as a self project. (giving advice here will help ALOT)

 

[pkstang]

if its an '83 car you might be able to fit the wheel but think you may have some issues between the front of the tire and fender as the later year cars, 91-93 had an increased opening by like 1/2"

your wheel spec is like the 17x9 95 cobra R wheel so search around for that subject

R58 5.95 offset and were used in the front
M179 6.42 offset and were use din the rear although i think it was with the SN95 rear axle setup which was 3/4" longer

maybe someone else will chime in and confirm the R58 as its been awhile since i dealt with that wheel setup

 

[Nitrous SSC]

The fronts you can use those wheels with a 255/35/18. Any wider and you will likely rub.

I run a 255/40/17 17x9 5.94 BS. I have no rub and I'm lowered a few inches with SN95 94-95 Spindles.

 

[qtrracer]

Interesting question. The early cars through 86 ran a K member with narrower a-arm pick-ups which reduces front track by 1" (.5" per side) over the later v8 cars. That means if the K is stock on the early cars the wheel back spacing and offsets can be a little more aggressive to push the wheel outboard. If the car is a later V8 model, what was said above is probably the best approach.

On my 86, I went with sn95 A-arms which are about 1.25" longer than stock Fox chassis arms. With the narrower a-arm pick ups, this increased the front track 2.5" over stock but only about 1.5" more than then later v8 Foxes. Even so, I was able to run a 17x8 with 245/45/17s without rubbing or fender mods. I even went to a 95 Cobra R 17x9 with 255/45s with very little rubbing.

FWIW, I currently run 18x11s with 315/30s on all four corners. The car has all MM suspension now (K, a-arms T/A, PHB 4x C/Os) and fender flares.


Depending on the k member, you may have more options than you otherwise would.

 

[Jalapeno5]

You can't go wrong up front with an 18x9 with 24mm offset and '94/'95 spindles regardless of which stock k-member you have. The earlier k-members will draw the wheel in more but the most issue you'll have is rubbing of the strut dust cover depending on tire size. Which you can trim off or let it rub through until it stops rubbing.

 

[GT306]

Im running SN95 everything in the front end and wearing SVE Series 1 18x9 18x10 255/35 and 275/35. My fenders are rolled, thats about it.

 

[qtrracer]

You can't go wrong up front with an 18x9 with 24mm offset and '94/'95 spindles regardless of which stock k-member you have. The earlier k-members will draw the wheel in more but the most issue you'll have is rubbing of the strut dust cover depending on tire size. Which you can trim off or let it rub through until it stops rubbing.

The strut position dimension (i.e, wheel to strut clearance) is the same for both sn95 and Fox spindles. The earlier K will pull the wheels in more and may interfere with the inside well and/or the a-arm when turning. Also, the turning radius will be affected due to inside interference. The reason I went with the longer a-arm is because with sn95 spindles and the narrower a-arm pick-ups the loss of negative camber is pretty dramatic. Unless you move the spindle out even CC plates barely provide stock camber settings.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Interesting question. The early cars through 86 ran a K member with narrower a-arm pick-ups which reduces front track by 1" (.5" per side) over the later v8 cars.

I thought those early K-members that were more narrow ran up through 1987?

Taken from this book

Mustang Performance Handbook 2: Mathis, William R.: 0075478002023: Amazon.com: Books

Mustang Performance Handbook 2 [Mathis, William R.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Mustang Performance Handbook 2

www.amazon.com

'79-'87K-member overall width from ball joint to ball joint - 51.37"
'88-93 K-member overall width from ball joint to ball joint - 52.37"
SVO K-member overall width from ball joint to ball joint - 53.36"



------------------------

Continuing on, I test fit an 18x9 with +25 on my '88 with MM K-member and coil-overs and there was plenty of clearance to the coil-over set. Easy 1/4" to 1/2" of clearance. Where i'm more concerned however is poke. With the MM-k-member I am running 96+ Spindles, so i'm concerned with what 5MM more of poke will do vs the 94-95 spindles I had previously. It also widens the arc that the tire swings and potentially can rub on the inner fenders

 

[qtrracer]

Someone on 4eyedpride did a review and concluded that left-over early ks were sometimes put on 87 and 88 v8 cars, but all went on I4 cars after 86. The review was not exactly anecdotal as there was some evidence through 88 but very few. Moreover, why Ford did that given the use on I4 cars is a mystery.

As you know, Mathis said that some of the information in his books was changed by the editors - not entirely inaccurate info, but not entirely accurate either.

As you know, I'm running the MM k with 18x11 +19s mounted with 315/30s all around. With sn95 rear axles there is very minor rubbing on the inside which was fixed with a BFH. Up front, I run a .5" spacer and have no inside rubbing at full lock and compression. Clearance at the front C/O with 10" springs is at least .5" so I could run less spacer.