Suspension Coil over clearance

mcowing · Jun 6, 2024

Looking to get maximum motorsports front coil over kit and wondering about clearance issues with a 17x9 03 cobra 4-bolt wheel +18 offset. MM offers hypercoil springs at different lengths too, wondering if going shorter might reduce possibility of rubbing.
1988gt stock k member, stock control arms, stock 4 bolt spindles. Koni yellow struts
Anyone have a similar setup?

Mustang5L5 · Jun 6, 2024

I have 18x9 with +35 offset and clear my MM coil-over setup. These are 12"/250# springs and I have the top of my tire even with fender lip

AeroCoupe · Jun 6, 2024

What size and brand of tire is on your rims Mike?

mcowing · Jun 6, 2024

Mustang5L5 said:
I have 18x9 with +35 offset and clear my MM coil-over setup. These are 12"/250# springs and I have the top of my tire even with fender lip

Nice and tight. Do your control arms change the distance from stock? What spindles are you running? If they’re 94+ I think they move the wheel away from the strut another +/-5mm

Mustang5L5 · Jun 6, 2024

AeroCoupe said:
What size and brand of tire is on your rims Mike?

I believe those are Bridgestone Potenza Sports. 245/40/18. They are a little stretched, which drives me nuts but I'm already at the limit of what I can fit up front.

mcowing said:
Nice and tight. Do your control arms change the distance from stock? What spindles are you running? If they’re 94+ I think they move the wheel away from the strut another +/-5mm

It's a Max Motorsports K-member and control arm, with 96+ spindles. The MM arms do move location, although i forget what Jack Hidley told me. I think they go out a little firther, combined with the 8mm or so that the 96+ spindles push it out.

Now that I think about this, there might have too many variables in my suspension setup to gain any useful info for you to tell if your setup will clear or now.

AeroCoupe · Jun 6, 2024

I also have the MM k-member but with the zero offset LCA's and 96+ spindles. Shock is a Koni DA with Griggs coil overs and MM Caster Camber plates. I am running 17x8 with a 35mm offset and 245/40R17 Dunlop Direzza ZIII's and have a fat 1/2" between the spring and the tire and right where it needs to be on the fender for suspension compression. I could run a 8.5" wide wheel with a 255 wide tire (maybe a 265) but not many wheel manufacturers make them for off the shelf and what there is do not have the right offset to push the wheel inboard 1/2" so then you are looking at a custom build wheel and I just don't want to put that kind of money in a wheel.

The 94/95 spindles will move the wheels outboard 3mm. More than you want to know on this here:

1979-93 Mustang: Swapping to the 1994-04 Spindles

mcowing · Jun 7, 2024

Mustang5L5 said:
I have 18x9 with +35 offset and clear my MM coil-over setup. These are 12"/250# spring

Mustang5L5 said:
Now that I think about this, there might have too many variables in my suspension setup to gain any useful info for you to tell if your setup will clear or now.

It’s all good info. Thanks.

AeroCoupe said:
I also have the MM k-member but with the zero offset LCA's and 96+ spindles. Shock is a Koni DA with Griggs coil overs and MM Caster Camber plates. I am running 17x8 with a 35mm offset and 245/40R17 Dunlop Direzza ZIII's

The wheels I have are actually farther away from the suspension because of the 17mm difference in offset from both your wheels. I wonder if a shorter spring (8” or 10”) would allow additional clearance. At worst, maybe add a 1/4” wheel spacer.

Mustang5L5 · Jun 7, 2024

mcowing said:
The wheels I have are actually farther away from the suspension because of the 17mm difference in offset from both your wheels. I wonder if a shorter spring (8” or 10”) would allow additional clearance. At worst, maybe add a 1/4” wheel spacer.

You'll have to go to a stiffer spring though.

Looking at MM's website. The first 10" spring they offer is at 275 lb/in, and the first 8" spring they offer is at 325 lb/in. If those spring rates are ok with you, might be worth a shot but you'd really have to test it to see.

Mine are 12" 250# springs If i ever went to a 275/10" i'm not sure the collar would raise up high enough for it to make a significant difference based on poking my head under the car last night to look

mcowing · Jun 7, 2024

Mustang5L5 said:
You'll have to go to a stiffer spring though.

Looking at MM's website. The first 10" spring they offer is at 275 lb/in, and the first 8" spring they offer is at 325 lb/in. If those spring rates are ok with you, might be worth a shot but you'd really have to test it to see.

Mine are 12" 250# springs If i ever went to a 275/10" i'm not sure the collar would raise up high enough for it to make a significant difference based on poking my head under the car last night to look

I’m ok with those rates. Aggressive but not a race car.

KRUISR · Jun 7, 2024

Though not MM coil-overs (an old Granatelli kit from the early 2000s). I have 96+ spindles, 18x9 rims with +24 offset, 255/35/18 tires and I needed an 8mm wheel spacer or the coil would rub on inner lip of the rim. Spring rate is 299#, not sure on length.

Methodical · Jun 8, 2024

I know these are different cars but this may provide some insight. I suggest you call MM. They probably have some insight on fitment.

I have a 95 Cobra with MM Coilovers (Front = 400lb/in, 10", 2-1/2 diameter springs for Bilstein struts) and (rear = 250 lb/in 9", 2-1/4 diameter spring for Bilsten shocks). I have ARE Torque Thrust IIs, 17x11s (315/35) rear and 17x9.5(275/40)-Nitto 555s in the front. The rear tires are 12" wide and the front tire is 10.5" wide. These are deep dish wheels that you can put your head in them. The coilovers barely touched the front tires (don't think it touched the rims though from what I recall...been years). I used a 1/4" spacer to clear tire in the front. An 1/8" spacer would've work but I could not find an 1/8 spacer at that time (do they sell them now...uhmmmm). As you can see in the photos the 1/4" spacer was more than what was needed for clearance. No clearance issues at all with the rear tire.

Note: I'd highly suggest you really consider getting the rear coilovers also that way you can adjust the height the car sits at both ends.

Also, I don't know if needed for your year car but consider getting the caster/camber plates.

AeroCoupe · Jun 8, 2024

Foxes and SN95 are completely different in how tires fit under them so its not an apples to apples comparison.

Methodical · Jun 8, 2024

Yeah, I know that's why I said it may provide some insight.

AeroCoupe · Jun 8, 2024

I read that but wanted to point it out in case the OP did not know being their post count isn’t that high.

Methodical · Jun 8, 2024

I figured so. No issues here. I edited my post and placed that at the top so the OP would see it before reading my post.

mcowing · Jul 6, 2025

Thread Resurrected!
I went with the Maximum motorsport coil over kit and control arms like I mentioned initially. For everyone who helped in 2024 and anyone in the futures information I'll post my current setup and a pic of the clearance
-88Gt mustang
-Stock K member
-Maximum motorsports standard offset from control arms
-stock 88 spindles
-Koni DA sport struts
-MM coilover kit with 10" 325lb spring
-MM CC plates
-LMR 4-bolt 03 cobra wheels 17x9 +18mm offset with 235 tire. pic with no spacers
I have the height set around what an eibach pro kit looks like I think
I also haven't gotten an alignment yet, so not sure how much that could change the clearance.

thanks again for all your help!

Suspension Coil over clearance

mcowing

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Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

mcowing

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Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

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That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

mcowing

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KRUISR

Methodical

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lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

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lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

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Suspension Coil over clearance

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That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

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That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

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That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

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