15's to 17's - Hmm...

[Da5id]

Hey guys,

I looked around the forums a bit and found some good info on the subject but would love to get some opinions on my situation.

I am currently running a MKII with a standard solid axle setup and the wheels are just wrong... I'm dying to change them.

I bought a set of 17" bullets from another cobra owner but they have thrashed track tires so I need to replace them if I want to use these wheels.

They are 17x7 fronts with 17x10 rears running 255's and 315's respectively.

The problem is, they don't fit properly on my current configuration - I think he was using pin drive and I am getting the rear rims rubbing on the shocks and the front ones are rubbing on the control arms and the brake lines. (not good)

So here's my question... Given that I never intend to use this car on the track, what's it going to take to get these 17's running on my car and if so... which street tires should I put on them? I was thinking it might be as simple as a set of spacers from pep-boys but I am not sure.

I'm willing to bet you guys have run into this one before eh?

As far as tires I'm lookin' at a matching set of pilots that are 245/45 in the front and 285/40 rears... but I want to hear what you guys think of them before I crack myself for that much money?

Have you guys had better experiences with different tires?

Does anyone know a reason NOT to use these sizes?

I am also toying with the idea of throwing in an IRS - in which case I would probably get a pin-drive IRS and just convert the whole sha-bang... but that has ramifications as well and I am having a hard time tracking all the necessary info.

Any help and even just experienced opinions would be muchly appreciated... as I am not opposed to just scrapping the whole project and throwing in the properly offset halibrands purchased from FFR.

Thanks in advance fellas.

-Da5id

[kelownacobra]

When you say they're rubbing the shocks, do you mean the quad shocks? If so, I wasn't able to run quad shocks on my mk3.1 with 315s on the back.

Jim.

[Da5id]

Yes... the rear quad-shocks are rubbing... but just barely.

Seems like 1/8 inch spacers would do the trick.

-D

[simpsoncobra25]

you can use spacers but don't use the pepboy ones get the poper spacer with studs. The pepboy ones can be more touble than they are worth. Better safe than sorrry.

[mijeertbarc]

If you switch the quad shock orientation [ top and bottom] you wil have a slight bit extra room. The spacer that I have had trouble with have been the uni-lug design . You cn not keep them centered because they move to fit other bolt patterns. If you can get 1/8' to 1/4 spacers with the bolt pattern you need, I say go for it.

[Larry N. Johnson]

Originally Posted by Da5id

Hey guys,

...
I am also toying with the idea of throwing in an IRS - in which case I would probably get a pin-drive IRS and just convert the whole sha-bang... but that has ramifications as well and I am having a hard time tracking all the necessary info.

Any help and even just experienced opinions would be muchly appreciated... as I am not opposed to just scrapping the whole project and throwing in the properly offset halibrands purchased from FFR.

Thanks in advance fellas.

-Da5id

Go for the IRS conversion...you'll never look back. Fantastic ride, great handling. Get either the FFR wheels, or the real Vintage Wheels. As long as you have a "replica" make it a pin drive setup.

Example:

[Da5id]

Question about that...

If I decide to get the pin-drive IRS in the rear what else is needed for the front?

Is it just the upper control arms? I'm sure there are 9834432 posts about it on here somewhere but while we're on the subject I figured I would ask.

-D

[Don DePontee]

All you will need up front is the tubular pin-drive length a-arm from FFR along with the pin-drive upper ball joint bracket.
Don

[Larry N. Johnson]

Yeah, what Don says.

The lower front contro, arm is narrowed by 1.5" or so.
The upper front control arm stays the same. (It's adjustable.)

[saki302]

Are you running a 3 link or 4 link rear? On my 3 link, I have no quad shocks and it runs great as it is..

-Dave

[Da5id]

Originally Posted by saki302

Are you running a 3 link or 4 link rear? On my 3 link, I have no quad shocks and it runs great as it is..

-Dave

Hey man,

I am currently running a 3link rear with quad shocks and it even still has limiter straps on it.

Thinking of removing all of them. You say you're doin okay without?

-Da5id

[Da5id]

Originally Posted by Larry N. Johnson

Go for the IRS conversion...you'll never look back. Fantastic ride, great handling. Get either the FFR wheels, or the real Vintage Wheels. As long as you have a "replica" make it a pin drive setup.

Example:

Ya know...

It's really odd - I talked to FFR about this and the guy really tried to talk me out of IRS retrofit. He said it took a ton of fabrication and really was a lot more trouble than it was worth.

It's hard not to listen to the guy when I was about ready to shell out 2500 for the kit.

Hm.... Strange no?

-Da5id

[Don DePontee]

I don't know who you talked to at FFR buy I have done the retro fit and it was no problem at all.
Don

[saki302]

I have no limiter straps on my 3 link, and no quads. I'm running Bilsteins right now though, with Konis you may well need the limiter straps..

-Dave