Rubbing Tires (Standard size)

[Mustang5L5]

And control arm.

My '88 s original wheels never came close to the control arm when it was bone stock. Only time I saw this was an issue was when there was a balljoints or bushing issue. I'd definitely want to explore mechanical failure before writing it off as normal.

 

[91TwighlightGT]

Yeah, rubbing the plastic liner is one thing, the control arm is the concerning part.

If the suspension is okay, then he will need rack limiters. Would like to see pics. Watching the rack, tie rods, and suspension while someone turns the wheels lock to lock may show something as well.

 

[gstsaver]

The tires rub against the inner fender, the plastic holding and the control arm. Here are some pics, it is basically the same on both sides of the car. Not sure if the control arm put comes across ok but it is 'shiny' where it rubs. Also, the inner fender plastic is just beside the plastic holding where it is rubbing. Looking at it now I see an alignment isn't going to fix it.

 

[gstsaver]

Never been lowered. Tie rods and ball joints all good.
Here are some pics. It is on the plastic m olding as well...but you can perhaps see in the pic the shiny part of the control arm where they rub as well. Also the plastic inner fender near where the body moulding is rubbing as well.

 

[Mustang5L5]

How's the balljoints?

Pending confirming it's ok, I'd prob install one of these each side and call it a day.

https://lmr.com/item/LRS-3504HDW/79...MIw4fJucSy3AIVRbnACh0JDgHQEAAYASAAEgJdL_D_BwE

Only the control arm rub raises my eyebrow. The other rub I would agree is typical

 

[91TwighlightGT]

Here is a question - is the rack original? Sometimes when you buy reman racks they don’t have the limiters. I was always under the impression that the early cars (79-90) didn’t have limiters. 91-93 definitely did because of the change to 16 inch wheels.

 

[Blown88GT]

...Only the control arm rub raises my eyebrow. The other rub I would agree is typical

I agree, mine never rubbed the control arm. The other rub looks exactly like mine.
Back then, they were producing these so fast, all kinds of mistakes were made & QC was ignored or nonexistant. Not as many robots then (if any). A friend of mine had an early 80's Dodge Charger, took the rear wheel off to change it & noticed a large yellow circle drawn in crayon or paint. Compared it to the opposite side & it was clear that QC had caught a missing weld. They completed, shipped & sold the vehicle without ever repairing the unwelded section. Ford was no different.

In the case of the early GT's, the rubbing issue finally got back to engineering for a fix but it wasn't implemented until later years when existing parts supplies were used up. It was done when the wheels went to 5-lug, 16 inch. If you put an early & later GT side by side, you can see a very subtle difference in the skirts. Just in time manufacturing was introduced by the Japanese & later adopted by US companies in the early '90's which eliminated inventories of "bad" parts.

 

[91TwighlightGT]

Couple of things... the skirts changed, but so did the fenders. The 16 inch wheels did cause the change, but unless you had a 93 Cobra R you got 4 lugs on an Aero nose Fox.

 

[Boostedpimp]

 

[Blown88GT]

Thanks for that pic.
https://lmr.com/products/Fox-Body-Mustang-Wheel-Tire-Guide
Must be a difference at the back side of the front wheel, too?

 

[91TwighlightGT]

Thanks for that pic.
https://lmr.com/products/Fox-Body-Mustang-Wheel-Tire-Guide
Must be a difference at the back side of the front wheel, too?

No because then the side skirts going back would not be interchangeable .