Stay 4 lug??

ras50gt · Aug 1, 2008

I know 5 lug conversions have been greatly covered many times but I was just wondering how many people have stayed 4 lug? And is it really that bad? It seemes like one of the main reason to go 5 lug was because of the better wheel choices, but now there are so many new wheel styles in 4 lug. One reason I considered going 5 lug was because I really wanted either 03 cobra wheels, saleen replicas, or gt500 wheels. All of these are now offered in 4 lug.

So I guess it goes to the issue of stopping power. There are also many choices out there to change to better front disk brakes- slotted rotors, etc. And theres kits to change your drums to disks also. Now on a stock fox I could for sure not see a reason to change to 5 lug, but as you add more mods and increase power I can understand.

My question is- if I'm looking to do a 331 stroker with maybe the trick flow top end kit, bolt ons and maybe a s/c in the future- do I for sure need to go 5 lug? Im thinking n/a I should be over 340 hp, and then supercharged over 400. If I did bigger 4 lug disks in the front and then disks in the back, would that be good enough? Is upgrading 4 lug stuff worth the money? Is just doing the 5 lug conversion cheaper? My main reason I ask is I'm going to order some new wheels for my 93gt, I would like to do everything right now and not put money into pointless parts.

Flavadave4 · Aug 1, 2008

Even upgrading the 4 lug stuff will leave you with sub-par braking for a car thats driven aggressivly. If you have ever been in a newer Mustang and had to jam the brakes you know what I mean. You can go with the turbo coupe rear end disk set up and the other swaps out there, but the improvement will be very small.

Rdrcr · Aug 1, 2008

ras50gt said:
I know 5 lug conversions have been greatly covered many times but I was just wondering how many people have stayed 4 lug? And is it really that bad? It seemes like one of the main reason to go 5 lug was because of the better wheel choices, but now there are so many new wheel styles in 4 lug. One reason I considered going 5 lug was because I really wanted either 03 cobra wheels, saleen replicas, or gt500 wheels. All of these are now offered in 4 lug.

So I guess it goes to the issue of stopping power. There are also many choices out there to change to better front disk brakes- slotted rotors, etc. And theres kits to change your drums to disks also. Now on a stock fox I could for sure not see a reason to change to 5 lug, but as you add more mods and increase power I can understand.

My question is- if I'm looking to do a 331 stroker with maybe the trick flow top end kit, bolt ons and maybe a s/c in the future- do I for sure need to go 5 lug? Im thinking n/a I should be over 340 hp, and then supercharged over 400. If I did bigger 4 lug disks in the front and then disks in the back, would that be good enough? Is upgrading 4 lug stuff worth the money? Is just doing the 5 lug conversion cheaper? My main reason I ask is I'm going to order some new wheels for my 93gt, I would like to do everything right now and not put money into pointless parts.

I'm staying 4-lug. I don't see the need for the 5-lug swap with the aftermarket options available for both wheel and brake upgrades. In addition, you have to be producing some serious horsepower/torque numbers before there will be problems with a 4-lug setup.

Which wheels are you planning on using for your Mustang?

Mike

Mr. Rustypwnz · Aug 1, 2008

you have to be producing some serious horsepower/torque numbers before there will be problems with a 4-lug setup.

uh yeah right the stock 225hp? with a h/c/i and stock brakes, the braking is very unstable, the only mustang of mine my dad would drive was my 95gt because it was the only good braking car. my other car had been swapped to 5 lug with the lincoln crap and had a 306 with some compression, and a h/c/i and it was like a deathtrap trying to slow it down from 120+

Beasty306GT · Aug 1, 2008

im staying 4 lug but prob gonna upgrade to cross drilled slotted front rotors...and maybe a set of 4 lug axles made for the power....

bentley429 · Aug 1, 2008

I am going 5 lug with lincoln front rotors and reusing my 93 cobra rear brake setup with different rotors. Dont really plan on having any wheels besides a drag style so I wasent really worried about the center cap problem for the fronts. There are ways around that anyways. Would have even stayed 4 lug but I got a good deal on some D-10's and need stronger axles anyways.

magnj · Aug 1, 2008

In the process of 5 lug, I decided the wheel choices are much greater as are the brake choices...and when you see a fox with a 5 lug swap you already know they put some time into their car without seeing anything else.

1993SSP · Aug 1, 2008

My view on it, 4 lug SUX! Plain and simple, I can see no reason to stay 4 lug with the availability of used parts and huge wheel selection.

ras50gt · Aug 1, 2008

Rdrcr said:
I'm staying 4-lug. I don't see the need for the 5-lug swap with the aftermarket options available for both wheel and brake upgrades. In addition, you have to be producing some serious horsepower/torque numbers before there will be problems with a 4-lug setup.

Which wheels are you planning on using for your Mustang?

Mike

I wanted 03 cobras or saleen replicas. I have silver cobra r replicas now that I bought years ago cause I got a good deal on them and thats all I could afford, but so many people have them. I also really like the sc saleen replicas. I have a 93 gt reef blue/titanium bottom. I have always wanted chrome wheels but I dont think they would look good with the reef blue/titanium bottom. I plan on keeping that car the stock color, maybe change the titanium bottom to a silver that matches the wheels better, idk?? I have a 88 gt project car, thats dark grey metallic with Titanium lower, I plan on repainting it that color (not sure about keeping it two tone or not) and then going chrome with those. Too many things to figure out. What would you say about the reef blue/titanium bottom- go with chrome or silver wheels??

Rdrcr · Aug 1, 2008

slow95gt said:
uh yeah right the stock 225hp? with a h/c/i and stock brakes, the braking is very unstable, the only mustang of mine my dad would drive was my 95gt because it was the only good braking car. my other car had been swapped to 5 lug with the lincoln crap and had a 306 with some compression, and a h/c/i and it was like a deathtrap trying to slow it down from 120+

LOL! There are brake upgrades available that can improve the braking on 4-lug Mustangs, Baer's 4-lug kits would be one example. I would agree that the braking of any 4-lug Mustang is terrible from the factory. My '86 Mustang is one of the worst braking cars I have driven or owned and the first car I would not take to the track (road course) completely stock.

Perhaps you're right, with only upgraded pads, rotors, and shoes my Mustang brakes "okay" from over 120 (if in fact I am travelling over 120mph.....my speedo only reaches 85mph), but I'm only producing around 215hp.

There are several local 4-lug Mustangs producing more than 500hp and run 10 second quarter mile times and don't seem to need 5-lugs to harness the power or abuse.

Mike

Rdrcr · Aug 1, 2008

ras50gt said:
What would you say about the reef blue/titanium bottom- go with chrome or silver wheels??

In my opinion, silver, but I have never been a very big fan of chrome.

Mike

Mr. Rustypwnz · Aug 1, 2008

LOL! There are brake upgrades available that can improve the braking on 4-lug Mustangs, Baer's 4-lug kits would be one example. I would agree that the braking of any 4-lug Mustang is terrible from the factory. My '86 Mustang is one of the worst braking cars I have driven or owned and the first car I would not take to the track (road course) completely stock

yeah but thats like 1500 bux, you can get all 94+ crap for really cheap, and it will do even better if you want to go to cobra spec..

Rdrcr · Aug 1, 2008

^^^^^
True, the aftermarket solutions are expensive for the 4-lug. But hell, I'm used to spending $4-5K to upgrade brakes on my cars and I plan on doing the same for the Mustang.

Mike

QUICK91LX · Aug 1, 2008

just do a 5 lug swap...there are a million affordable ways to go about it and you wont regret it. all mustangs should have been 5 lug from the factory but it wasnt planned that way. they got the right idea with the SVO but for some reason never carried it on

Mustang5L5 · Aug 1, 2008

ras50gt said:
So I guess it goes to the issue of stopping power. There are also many choices out there to change to better front disk brakes- slotted rotors, etc. And theres kits to change your drums to disks also. Now on a stock fox I could for sure not see a reason to change to 5 lug, but as you add more mods and increase power I can understand.

4-lug braking mods based on the stock brake setup blow ass. I don't care what you put on the car. It's an antique design from the 70's incorporating a 1-peice rotor/hub which hurts cooling performance. They suck. This isn't opinion...it's truth.

Rear disks are nice, but the key to stopping is the front brake. You could throw the book at a Fox front brake setup...but the sad truth is go drive a car with Cobra 13" brakes or even 99=04 GT front brakes on the front of it and you will see the difference

cross drilled and slotted rotors are not good for braking either. In fact, where i autocross actually forbids the use of them due to having some crack and brake while driving. On a stock fox 4-lug rotor, you definitely want the extra mass for cooling. So thinking cross-drilled or slotted will help performance is a myth

I'm used to driving my heavier '03 GT around with cobra front brakes, but when i get in my friend's fox with stock brakes...it's downright scary. Something about laying into the brake pedal at 100MPH with cobra 13" brakes and feeling the car respond all the way to a dead stop is just very confidence inspiring.

I went 5-lug for the badass brakes. If you want good 4-lug brakes, Baer does make kits...but be prepared to pay $$$$. A lot of guys have put cobra disk kits together for under a grand...and for most people it's all you need on a 3000 pound car. You'll be happy

magnj · Aug 2, 2008

ras50gt said:
I wanted 03 cobras or saleen replicas. I have silver cobra r replicas now that I bought years ago cause I got a good deal on them and thats all I could afford, but so many people have them. I also really like the sc saleen replicas. I have a 93 gt reef blue/titanium bottom. I have always wanted chrome wheels but I dont think they would look good with the reef blue/titanium bottom. I plan on keeping that car the stock color, maybe change the titanium bottom to a silver that matches the wheels better, idk?? I have a 88 gt project car, thats dark grey metallic with Titanium lower, I plan on repainting it that color (not sure about keeping it two tone or not) and then going chrome with those. Too many things to figure out. What would you say about the reef blue/titanium bottom- go with chrome or silver wheels??

I got the machined 03 cobras and they look amazing imho. Go 5 lug and don't look back...If your throwing down several thousand anyway spend a few hundred more and do it the right way.

25thmustang · Aug 2, 2008

If you plan to spend a good amount of money, why not get Cobra brakes all the way around. 13" rotors out front 11.65s out back, and it will yank a 3200 lb car down without worry. Stock 4lugs are not the issue, the crappy fox brakes are the issue and if your shelling out a lot of money for an aftermarket brake set up to make the 4 lug brakes good, I see no reason not to switch to 5 lug.

MAC'n89Blckstng · Aug 3, 2008

I'm staying four lug simply becausemy budget doesn't allow for a five lug swap and I just bought a set of four lug stern replicas. I will be getting Powerslot rotors and EBC green stuff pads tho. Were building an 82 GT at the shop I work at and just got the go ahead to install the 2300K brake kit on it. Its gonna be sick. The owner asked me, "If this was your car and you had the money, what would you do?" lol.

5.0Torx · Aug 3, 2008

i just switched from 4 lug and love it. the 99 PBR dual piston aluminum calipers are very grabby. Lock the front tires with just half of the brake pedal travel - with the stock crap you were standing on the pedal and they'd lock near the floor. Theyre lighter too.

I waited until my pads were shot and my 4 lug rotors were warped to do my swap. That way i extracted as much usefulness out of the stock crap as i could, and it made the cost of upgrading to 5 lug not as expensive since i'd have to spend money machining the rotors, new pads, etc., anyway. I got a good deal on 95 GT rims too. all four with tires for $160. That was a big help.

And now, most importantly, when i have money for 17 or 18 inch wheels, i can slap the 13" front brake rotors on my 95 spindles and be done with it. The hard work is over, for me.

I recommend 5 lug to every fox owner. dont waste your money on 4 lug. Its not worth it.

foxmustangman · Aug 3, 2008

I don't think its that bad. Theres a lot of selection for 4 lug wheels now, ands its a lot bigger than it was just a few years ago.

But the most pointless thing i've seen is people switching to 5 lug only to buy wheels that cover the lug nut holes. Like the 5 lug '93 cobra wheels. You could've saved all that money for the swap and just bought 4 lug wheels, but whatever.

Thats just my opinion.

Stay 4 lug??

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