Help With Fitting 17x9 On 87 Fox

[Southport2014]

I have a 1987 mustang gt fox with the 5 lug swap.
I have oem 2003 cobra wheels that are +26 offset
Rears fit great but fronts stick out way to far.
I know i need to get 245-45-17 tires for front but what can i do to make them not stick out as much

 

[madspeed]

need higher offset wheels

 

[Southport2014]

My old wheels were 17x8 30 offset so about a inch smaller. I know poeple can run these wheels jist need to know what to get.

 

[Southport2014]

Someonehelp me fogure thisbout

 

[liljoe07]

What parts did you use for the 5 lug swap? My 03 cobras look nothing like that on the front of my coupe.

 

[Southport2014]

Idk previous owner fid it. What parts do u have ? I want to keep these

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Until you know what you have, there is little anyone can do to help you. Is there a SN spindle behind that wheel? Is there a dog leg drop at the tie rod attachment point, or does it stick straight out?
Slow down, and check you're spelling, it's hard to understand somebody when there are so many misspelled words in one post.

 

[Southport2014]

Sorry my mobile phone auto correct is horrible. I will go take my tire off what do i need to take pics of and post because i do not know what im looking for.?

 

[elarm1]

When I had them my stock 03-04 Cobra wheels fit just fine..... Have you tried to switch the rears to the front? are the offsets on the rear the same as the ones on front? Either that is an aftermarket set or you have a different 5 lug setup

 

[Southport2014]

There oem cobra wheels. Ill pull them off and make sure there same sizes. Im pretty sure they are.. i dont mind getting a mew front suspension setup to make them work. I just need to know what to get. I have a 87 gt i know the fenders are smaller then 90 and up.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Sorry my mobile phone auto correct is horrible. I will go take my tire off what do i need to take pics of and post because i do not know what im looking for.?

The 5 lug conversion could have been done one of three ways:
1. Using a Ranger rotor. This will be immediately noticeable as the rotor will be one piece, held on by a nut, washer, and bearing under the dust cap.
2. A " SN" spindle will be distinguishable because the rotor is seperately remove able from it. When you remove the wheel, the rotor is held on by little lock washers, ( probably missing) and the caliper. If the rotor moves when the wheel is removed, you have that.
3 the differences between where the tie rod attaches on a SN conversion dictates whether you have a 94/95 version, or something later than that. If you do have a remove able rotor, you are looking for a dropped dogleg where the tie rod attaches, if it sticks straight out, you'll have to change that spindle to get those wheels under the fender,...but that may open a bigger can of worms.

We'll open that can, after you take off the wheel.

 

[Southport2014]

This good ?

 

[89oem]

I think this is what they are getting at - note the arms, thats the key to IDing them

 

[Southport2014]

Ill will look at this on mine tmrw. If this is the case i will still be about a inch far out.

 

[Southport2014]

Here.

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

It's unclear what you have in your pictures you posted. You should be able to see for yourself when you look where the tie rod joins the spindle if the arm is straight or if it's curved like the illustration posted about in post #13. This is the best way to identify which spindles you have on your car. If the arm is straight then it's a 96+ spindle and that spindle will push your front wheels out which is why very few people will use those for a 5 lug swap. If you have 96+ spindles you'll either have to get a new set of wheels with a higher offset (for the front wheels) or you could purchase 94/95 spindles which will retain the stock fox track width and wheel offset.

 

[Southport2014]

I believe there 96-98. So all i have to do is get 94-95 spindles ? I measured and my wheels stick out about 1.125 inches-1.25 inches.

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

I believe there 96-98. So all i have to do is get 94-95 spindles ? I measured and my wheels stick out about 1.125 inches-1.25 inches.

It will help but I don't think it'll solve up to a 1.25" protrusion. I think 96+ spindles only are responsible for about a 1/2" of that. Maybe somebody else can chime in on that. I believe @elarm1 has 94/95 spindles and Cobra 17x9 wheels. Maybe he can post a pic of his setup for us.

 

[elarm1]

94-95 spindle with 17x9 front wheels

sent from my butt pocket

 

[Southport2014]

What year is ur car? And so all you had done was spindles.