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[Mustang5L5]

New wheel that I’m going to use as my spare tire showed up. Racestar Recluse 18x5.

Miles of clearance on brakes. Now to mount up the spare tire. Went with a 145/70/18. It’s supposed to use a 4.5” rim but I think I should be ok.

Not a bad looking wheel. It's got a little weight to it though.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Ok, since I didn’t take any pics of the pass side, I figure I do that for the drivers side SFC install. Without the fuel lines in the way, a lot easier to take pics and work on this side.

Anyway, same as the PS the subframe was off about 1/2”. To be expected as it’s stated in the MM install procedures.

The only real way to bend this is with a press, so off to work I go with it, after measuring a dozen times since incant go back and forth from car to press.

I set it up in a way that I can measure the distance at the end.

Measure about 3.5” here. I need to take out 1/2” roughly

Gentle bend in the press.

Close enough. Let’s go see how it fits.

I can make this work. MM wants no more than 1/8” gap. With some light pressure from jacks I can make that happen. Not worth trying to chase making this perfect on the press. Hold with Jack and tack weld

Now to prep with a flap disk.

 

[02 281 GT]

Those are some nice looking subframe connectors.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Those are some nice looking subframe connectors.

MM makes some nice stuff.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Done. Not as nice as MM’s welding on the bottom, but it’s solid.

Glad that’s over with. Jacking up the car is comical in the sense that jacking from the front corner of the SFC near the front wheel lifts the entire side and rear wheel as well. It’s definitely stiffer now.

 

[Mustang5L5]

And finished with the kilmat and noico foam on the interior. The carpet can now go back in.

 

[Mustang5L5]

So tossed the carpet back in.

So of course after wrestling with it into place and bolting the seatbelts in I go to bolt down the radio/console bracket to the trans tunnel….


…and one of the studs snap off.

Ugh. Now I gotta pull the carpet back out and fix this. I’ll prob have to remove a small area of the sound deadener and figure out a way to get a few small tack welds in there without burning up anything.

With only one stud, it sits uneven. I have to fix this to do it correctly.

 

[Habu135]

So tossed the carpet back in.

So of course after wrestling with it into place and bolting the seatbelts in I go to bolt down the radio/console bracket to the trans tunnel….


…and one of the studs snap off.

Ugh. Now I gotta pull the carpet back out and fix this. I’ll prob have to remove a small area of the sound deadener and figure out a way to get a few small tack welds in there without burning up anything.

With only one stud, it sits uneven. I have to fix this to do it correctly.

It's always something.

 

[02 281 GT]

Speaking of broken fasteners, have you managed to extract what's left of the seat belt bolt?

 

[Mustang5L5]

Speaking of broken fasteners, have you managed to extract what's left of the seat belt bolt?

Nope. I made a few attempts but it's still pending. These bolts aren't even corroded, at least not from what I can see. They are still clean with nice threads. They are just REALLY stuck in there.

Those seat belt bolts are 7/16-20. I bought a nut and threaded it onto the backside and welded it on. Proceeded to twist it off twice. For some reason I just can't get a solid weld on it. I'm just going to buy a couple good drill bits and drill it out and rethread the hole.

On the other side, same thing. Heated the bolt out and tried to remove it but the torx shape stripped. I welded a nut onto it, but decided to let it cool off before i try cranking it off. That nut actually seems like it will hold, but I'll only have one attempt to remove it I want to jack up the car and really clean up the threads and try some penetrating fluid in there for some time, and then heat up the backside and attempt to remove it. My goal is to get at least one side out and only have to drill the other.


Asa backup to all that, i bought these. If i can't get the bolts out, or mess up the threads in the process, i'll just drill out the spot welds and weld these new plates on. I really hope it doesn't come to that.

 

[02 281 GT]

Nope. I made a few attempts but it's still pending. These bolts aren't even corroded, at least not from what I can see. They are still clean with nice threads. They are just REALLY stuck in there.

Those seat belt bolts are 7/16-20. I bought a nut and threaded it onto the backside and welded it on. Proceeded to twist it off twice. For some reason I just can't get a solid weld on it. I'm just going to buy a couple good drill bits and drill it out and rethread the hole.

On the other side, same thing. Heated the bolt out and tried to remove it but the torx shape stripped. I welded a nut onto it, but decided to let it cool off before i try cranking it off. That nut actually seems like it will hold, but I'll only have one attempt to remove it I want to jack up the car and really clean up the threads and try some penetrating fluid in there for some time, and then heat up the backside and attempt to remove it. My goal is to get at least one side out and only have to drill the other.


Asa backup to all that, i bought these. If i can't get the bolts out, or mess up the threads in the process, i'll just drill out the spot welds and weld these new plates on. I really hope it doesn't come to that.

That's a pretty good idea, actually.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Spare tire mounted. Chain shops wouldn’t touch it. Drove 20 miles out to my usual and they did it for free and BSed with me a bit about mustangs. That’s why I drive to a shop 20 miles away for my tires on all my vehicles.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Pulled the carpet out and trimmed the sound deadening out. Stud pulled clean out. I think I can drape my fiberglass blanket around the area and put some small racks on the stud. Should be pretty straightforward

 

[Mustang5L5]

While I’m here, I snapped off one stud in my rear console bracket years ago. Pulled the bracket out and figure I work on getting this out.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Finally, since the seat hardware is visible with the Recaros, I opted to get myself some nice bolts and nuts for them.

 

[TIGGER]

Pulled the carpet out and trimmed the sound deadening out. Stud pulled clean out. I think I can drape my fiberglass blanket around the area and put some small racks on the stud. Should be pretty straightforward

I would do the same to the other side while you are there. Looks like it is getting ready to let go as well.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Not a bad idea. I’ll add a tack or two on that stud as well.

 

[WhiteCobra95]

Those looks like some pretty serious flange nuts. Stout! Nice!

 

[Noobz347]

I really like these:

Do they have a deep dish too?

 

[Mustang5L5]

I really like these:

Do they have a deep dish too?

No. They have a wider wheel for the back, but it’s not a dish style wheel.