Serious 68 Fb Wheel And Tire Issues!

68 X-Code

New Member
Mar 29, 2014
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Hi guys,
I'm new to this forum and I'm here because I really need some help. I have been trying to get some new wheels and tires on my 68 Fastback and just can't get anything to work on the front. It has rolled fenders and factory disc brakes.

The car had 14x6 orginal GT wheels with 235/60R14s on the front and it had no issues. The wheels had 4" bs.
After scouring the internet for weeks, reading forums, looking at the Dodgestang chart, etc. I settled on 16x8's Torq Thrust 2's with 225/50R16s to be 'safe'. Everything sounded like these wouldn't be in issue. I installed them a couple weeks ago with the 16x8 with 4" bs and on the way home hit a few dips and one of the tires got shredded and messed up my front fender pretty bad.

I immediately took those off and got the same wheel with the 4.89" bs and a couple of different size spacers to insure clearance with the upper contol arm. The stock wheel touched the control arm (which has already been ground down) so I put 1/4" spacer which was very close to the arm when the wheels were straight but touched slightly on a full turn. The 1/2" spacer made it so the lugs were too short to screw on the nuts.
I decided to give up on the 8" and went ahead and got 16x7 TT2's with 4" bs. I put those on today and there is plenty of clearance on the back and seemed to be better on the front. I just took it out and hit a few dips and there was still some fender rubbing. When I got home one of the front tires had a rub spot around it and left rubber on the fender lip, the other one had shaved a big ring off the front of the tire like some part of the fender sliced it.

I CANNOT figure out what to do?? These are the only 16" options in this wheel and I find it hard to believe that I can't get it to work on this car when it sounds like many others have. I don't know if I need stiffer springs or if there is some kind of bump stop that I need or can adjust? I don't know if the disc brakes are the difference between me and everyoneelse. I just don't know what to do? I can return or sell the wheels if I have to but I own these 16" tires and I would really like to make the TT2's work.
Also the 235/60R14s that were on it were wider and larger diameter than the 225/50R16s that I have now.

Is there anyone that has any ideas?
 
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Begin w/ your suspension; possible serious issues there re: 45+ yrs wear & tear. Second; there's a good reason the original wheel was a 14x6, IT FITS. FYI, a 235/60/14 is too big for a 6in wheel; the original tire would've been around 6.95-14 if not smaller; the optional "WideOval" used a 14x7 wheel. The Shelby Mustangs had 15in wheels specially built for the application. These weren't big cars; why anyone wants a 16-17 in wheel on them is beyond me. Do more research to prevent shredded tires/fenders.
 
I actually found that the springs were shot and the shocks were empty so once I changed those I had no issues at all. It was just dipping too low on bumps. Thanks guys. All the wheel mentioned fit fine with the new suspension.