Wheel Combo questions/suspension

rabidscoobie

10 Year Member
Jun 21, 2007
616
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48
College Station,TX
This summer I maybe changing out my wheels( when I need to get tires) and thinking I want to ditch the black bullitts.

Wanting to go with the FR500's Black with polished lip. Also want to go staggered.
I dont want to go 315's in rear and I dont want overly wide in the front and staying with 17's. I didnt like how the 275's made the front feel sloppy, Im guessing it was the wheel size.

I was thinking maybe 255 front and maybe 285 rear??? And staying with Nitto's since I have had very good luck with them.
With that being said 2 things I dont want to see happen.

1. I want the tire to sit on the rim as it does stock, I dont want the tire bulging out past the rim.
2. As in 1. I dont the tire to look like it is too small for the rim and the rim look as if it is past the sidewall of the tire.

So what would be the best width on the rims front/back?
Also would I need to add wheel spacers the get the tires inline with the fenders,not past the fenders but flush?
And if I need spacers, what size front/back?

Sorry for all the questions, Ive never really messed with wheels/staggered before.

Also I will be replacing the struts/tie rods and bushings this summer and I may want to lower just a bit to close some of the wheel gap.
I know Machs sit a lil lower than GT's so to get a nice stance what size drop would anyone recommend and brand?
I hear H&R's are good on the new edge....?
I dont want it so low I need to worry with tires rubbing the fender wells or needing to roll the fenders.

Only reason waiting till this summer is its soon to be stripped down to bare metal for repaint.
 
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Nitto under their sizes and specs section has recommended wheel widths for each tire size. It gives you the tire heights and tire widths when the tire is inflated: https://m.nittotire.com/passenger-t...MIubLejPzC4QIV_B-tBh2LEQZ4EAAYASAAEgJ1A_D_BwE - Super helpful for selecting the right tire!

255 front would best fit on an 8 inch rim, 285 rear would best fit on a 10 inch rim. I would go no more than a 40 for sidewall height. You get a couple more options if you move up to an 18” rim (i’m Currently shopping for new rims as well - leaning towards 18’s).
 
Nitto under their sizes and specs section has recommended wheel widths for each tire size. It gives you the tire heights and tire widths when the tire is inflated: https://m.nittotire.com/passenger-t...MIubLejPzC4QIV_B-tBh2LEQZ4EAAYASAAEgJ1A_D_BwE - Super helpful for selecting the right tire!

255 front would best fit on an 8 inch rim, 285 rear would best fit on a 10 inch rim. I would go no more than a 40 for sidewall height. You get a couple more options if you move up to an 18” rim (i’m Currently shopping for new rims as well - leaning towards 18’s).

Thanks for the info.
Im leaning to the 255/285 combo. Im not sure about the 18's though. Im just not a fan of oversized wheels.Maybe after the wife finishes phd in a couple years then I might think about 18's, but thats after much better things are done to it..:rolleyes::D
With that combo will I need to add spacers to bring out the wheels more in line with the fenders?

I think I want to go with the H&R SS springs, if I do go with them will I need CC plates?
At that time I will also be replacing the struts/tie rods.

Shooting for a similar stance here (random googled pic):
 

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Those springs should give you a good stance. It is worth it to pick high quality shocks / struts like bilsteins or MM’s in house brand. I would install a bumpsteer kit and CC plates - helps make alignment easy with a lowered car. Set camber to neg 0.5 deg, caster to positive 4.5 deg, and toe to 0.5 deg toe-in.

With the NT555G2’s you should have a well handling car. Having a well handling mustang is addicting - I’ve been slowly picking up the entire MM catalog over the years.
 
Thanks for all the info and help.
I really appreciate all the info. When it comes to lowering and wheels on the mustangs its all new to me. This is only my 2nd mustang since 2003. In 03 I had an 01 GT until 2008 then swapped it for the Mach in my sig. Before that dare I say I only owned TA's,Z28's,Police Package RS and an IROC.
GT I didnt do anything to and really nothing on the Mach,lots of health issues the last 10ish years.

I'll look into the bilsteins. I had to replace the rear shocks couple years with KYB G2( I think). Had to be a quick somewhat cheaper fix since I was in the middle of a move.

Another quick question on the front suspension, mainly springs and struts.
In a couple years when the wife is though with the phd I plan to make some big changes to the motor. Leaning towards yanking the motor, replacing the block with the Termi iron block and forged internals plus a SC and lt's.
WIll I need a different front spring and shock at that time from added weight, or will that above setup be good. I didnt think about.
If so I may not go as low as the H&R's I mentioned. It also will no longer be a daily driver, not that it is all that much now. But ya know keeping bills down until the wife finishes school so I put MAYBE 4k miles yearly on it. And I have no plans of ever selling so.

NVM that part I was thinking of the wrong H&R springs that had the 2" drop, the ones Im looking into at around the 1.5" range
 
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Supercharger adds weight but not much. My car with full interior weighs 3,300 lbs - with just boltons it weighed 3,240lbs (most of that was supercharger plus intercooler - probably not all). If you were to have a similar weight difference with normal aftermarket springs you are talking about maybe a tenth an inch difference in ride height because of those stiffer spring rates). Nothing to worry about. I’d go with the 1.5” drop or less to minimize scraping. 2” looks good but that subtle difference makes for lots of undercarriage scrapes.

If I were you I’d keep the aluminum Mach 1 block. No sense in adding 60+ lbs to the front end with an iron block when the Mach 1 aluminum blocks are proven to 800hp+ with upgraded forged rods / pistons. Find a good engine / machine shop and have them help you with the install of those upgraded internals. I’m jealous! I would love to drop 60lbs off the front end with an aluminum block. :nice:
 
For some reason I was thinking the mach block was good for less HP.
Maybe I was thinking stock motor and internals...?

Honestly the only reason I really thought about using the cobra block was that I have a cousin that owns his own custom shop. Its something I can get from him basically free. Thats for a stripped down block. But I prefer the original block.

Yeah years back a friend had a 98 gt with a Vortec,lt's and it sat really low. I was always afraid to drive it for fear of scraping.

After talking with a guy from LMR I found what you mean by 17" wheels being somewhat limited. The only way to get deep dish Fr500's in the rear is with a 17x10.5. LMR says they will only sell the tire/wheel combo that size with 315's. I know I could go 17x9.5 and get the 255/285 combo but I do so like that rear deep dish look. I figured 315's were gonna be a lot more expensive but honestly after pricing the nitto's 315's they werent that bad.
A complete set of 255/315 is about $800 drive out vs the stock 245'sx4 I have now at $650.

Just didnt see a need for 315's other than just looks.

Do 275 fronts on 9.5 wheels handle better than 275 on stock? I hated the 275's on stock. Sloppy turning and hated the conning effect the most but I figured it was the stock sized wheels. Dealer put 275's all around right before I got it so it wasnt my choice.
 
Ok I just realized something,
LMR said that a 285 is too small for a 17x10.5, but Nitto's tire/wheel chart says 17x10.
Does nitto mean 10.5 or 10. Remember Ive never messed with different wheel sizes like this. LMR says the only thing that fits 10.5 is 315's or they trying to upsale?
 
Nitto gives a range of wheel widths. Half way down this page is a good explanation of the ranges that will fit and how the tire width will change: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=194

I’d trust the manufacturer’s range of 9.5-11”. The 285 will fit on a 10.5” rim. If you have a trusted tire shop you can always stop by and ask before you have them buy / mount it.


Thanks,
Just confused me why LMR said that.
Maybe the tire looks stretched, I dunno