275s and 10.5 inch rims out back in 85?

[SmockDoiley]

So I've been looking at all the rims they have on Ebay and all the companies say the rim packages are for 94 and up. I know that isnt a big deal if the rims are standard 8 inchers, but what about the deep dish rims. I want to do the deep dish bullitts on my 85, with preferably 17x8s but all I can get are 17x9s in the front. You think 17X9s with 45/245s and 17x10.5s with 40/275s will fit on my eibach dropped 1985 GT. I have no quad shocks so dont mention them. The worst case scenario is I have to use these on my 95 and I'll just move the 99 Cobras back onto the 85. So at least if it doesnt fit it will look just as cool on the 95. I have the dark green on my 95 and I think the dream rims would be the fr500 deep dish package in the dark anthracite, that would look sick.

Lastly, I am using 7/8ths spacers and longer studs to use the newer rims on my lincoln rotors. It worked fine with no clearance problems with my 99 cobras and 235s up front, and that is why I wanted to get 17X8s so I could do the 235s again. I'm not going to put a 235 tire on a 9 inch rim because that would look stupid. I know the rim size isnt the big deal, but I hope that extra 10 cms on the tire doesnt make a problem.

More importantly though, have you guys been able to mount 275s in the back of your 5.0s, and does the 85 have a smaller fenderwell than the 87 and ups.

Thanks for the help. One more thing, know where I can piece together a 17X8/17X10.5 deep dish anthracite bullitt set?? That would be the ideal setup. I dont think you can do the FR500s in 8 inch.

 

[86bluecobra]

i don't know about the 9 inch in the front but what i do know is i have 275's on 15x8's and they work on my 86. i know weld used to offer 15x10 inch draglites for the fox's and they worked well. minus quads of coarse. 10.5's im not sure

 

[SmockDoiley]

Dont the 275s stick out pretty far on those 8 inch rims. I would think the walls would start to get unstable. Even 245s stick out some on a standard 8 inch rim. I think the 235 fits great on an 8.

 

[86bluecobra]

they do stick out a bit i guess but a 8 inch rim is what they recommend for the tire. i only run 20 psi in them so i get the entire foot print contacting the road.

 

[Rick 91GT]

I just put a set of 15" x 10" with 6.5" backspace Draglites with a 275/60 on them on a 85 and it was tight! I had to heat and beat a little to get them not to rub.

Not exactly what you are doing but the tire/rim was 28" tall when on the car.

 

[Michael Yount]

Smock - my brother's in the wheel/tire business; he's building a drag/autocross 85 with full MM torque arm/coil-over suspension and Cobra brakes -- with the right pieces in the back and the right backspacing, he's fitting 315/35/17's on a 10" wheel in the back.

 

[SmockDoiley]

Now MY, that is quite a tight fit!! I dont think there is going to be much problem out back. I figure I may have to lip the fenderwell and of course the quad shocks are gone and that should be it. Up front I wonder if the 9's have a different backspacing and offset that would make the different between rubbing and not, and if that 1/3th of an inch wider tire is going to make it worse.

 

[Michael Yount]

Other's will have to help you with the front -- he's running 275/40's up front on a 9" wheel - and his wheels are aftermarket with exactly the offset needed to fit and clear the calipers. Also, given the use of the car and the suspension changes (coil overs/panhard rod/solid or poly bushings) he can run very tight clearances because the body isn't going to move around as much relative to the axles. He's also not worried about clearance in front on the inside of the wheelwell at full lock --- if it rubs a bit navigating tight turns in the pits/on-off trailer, etc. - not a problem on a racer.

 

[SmockDoiley]

I guess I just need to find someone who has used 9 inch rims in the front on a pre 94 vehicle. The setup would be 9 inch rims with 245s that are moved out 7/8ths due to the spacers to clear the center hub on the Lincoln rotors. Almost everything on my car is oddball because I like to experiment or make things work that people say cant be done. I know its going to be tight and probably wont work, but its fine because I'll just use the stuff on my 95. I also have to consider that the 460 makes the car even lower in the front. If it rubs a little on the innerfenderwells in tight corners, I'm not concerned, but if it rubs on bumps or on the outside fender then I cant do it.

 

[vristang]

I am running 275s in the back on the wider 95 stang rear, in my 90 GT. I do have rubbing issues on the outer fender lips, but with some hammering on the fender lip things work ok. I am using a panhard rod, which makes a huge difference. I broke a bracket on the rod for a while and had to run without the rod for a couple of weeks. I trashed the tires in that time. Every little bump seemed to rub.
After seeing how 275s fit on my 17x9 wheels, I would not put 275s on a 17x8 wheel.
I have no doubt that with proper adjustment, 315s could fit in the back. I still have my quads, and have about .25" clearance between the quad and the tire.

Up front I have 255s. it took several tries to get the fenders properly adjusted with the big hammer, but they hardly ever hit now, and when they do it is very light.
My car is lowered with BBK springs. The rear end dropped another 1/4 to 1/2 inch when the sound system went in too.
Well, that is my application, maybe it will help you.

I am not sure how it would be done, but maybe some mock up could help you decide what specs to look for in the front wheels?

:Word:

 

[Michael Yount]

"If it rubs a little on the innerfenderwells in tight corners, I'm not concerned, but if it rubs on bumps or on the outside fender then I cant do it." That makes sense to me Smock...

 

[BERT306]

I have nitto 315/35 drag radials on the rear of my 90 lx. stock length ranger axles, no quads or spacers, no fenderlip mods OH and i just put tailpipes back on the other day:

 

[Michael Yount]

bert - what's on the front? How do you use the car -- throw it around hard in the turns/under braking?

 

[BERT306]

The tires don't rub.... at all.:Zip2:
oh and i have 17x9's on the front w/245/45's

 

[86bluecobra]

wow i havent seen 315's on a fox before. i have seen 295's done with ease.

 

[SmockDoiley]

What size are the back rims?? You really make those 315s not look big at all. Another concern with me is the appearance of the tire in relation to the rim. Im very picky and anal about it. In fact, when looking at the stance and stuff of a car its the first thing I look at. You know when you see a narrow tire on a wide rim and the tire gets oval shaped and it doesnt look broad or squared off on the corners, that looks stupid. Or when you see a super wide tire on a narrow rim and its buldging out on each side, that looks goofy too and unsafe because the tire wall will wobble. You want the rim to help make the tire appear like its wide, so you want the tire to be slightly wider or larger than the rim. Like when a skinny bikini string makes a girl look like she has that cute little baby fat and not the skinny crackwhore she really is, lol. Like that.

 

[Michael Yount]

Thanks Bert - but you didn't answer the question. How do you use the car? Do you have it on the road course or autocross it?

 

[vristang]

Great addition to the thread Bert306.
Good pics.

Have you lowered the car?

My rear tires fit inside the rear fenders the way your front tires fit.

 

[Michael Yount]

vristang - all you have to do is look at the side view of the car, and you'll know it's been lowered -- I'm guessing.....

 

[vristang]

Well, no doubt the front has been lowered.

I am curious how far the back has been lowered though, assuming it has been.

I'm not doubting that 315s fit, just curious what it took to make it work.
I have been considering an attempt at 315s myself but I have never been a fan of the raised rear end look. I guess I am more of a road course guy.

Regardless, that is a pretty blue.