Wideing stock wheels

kenewagner

kenewagner

Registered User
Its kind of slow on here so I will throw this out there. I know there are places that will widen a set of wheels. While working on fuel lines and what not. I was looking at all the room inside the wheel well. It seems that the stablizer bar if shortened would allow a much wider wheel and tire combination that would allow more rubber to the ground. I know Chris has done somethin like this any other imput?


Ken
 
It's all a matter of geometry.

Reworked/smaller/shorter bar might equal less control. Wider tire/wheel might require more control. Sounds like a net loss. More tire isn't helpful if you can't maintain contact.

What are you willing to give up in exchange for X gain...

Ken
 
KMT said:
It's all a matter of geometry.

Reworked/smaller/shorter bar might equal less control. Wider tire/wheel might require more control. Sounds like a net loss. More tire isn't helpful if you can't maintain contact.

What are you willing to give up in exchange for X gain...

Ken
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Was thinking if one shortened the stabilizer bar, you wouldnt be going smaller just shorter. I dont motorcross or really do any hard cornering since on the street I just like to cruse. On the track its straight line acceleration and wider wheels and wider tires would really benifit me to put power to the ground. It might also open up a better oppertunity to run a full slick than a ET Street tire. What would a shorter stabilizer do???

Ken
 
Don't worry about the roll bar. When you start hitting it you start hitting the inner wheel house up where the top of the shock mounts.

I have mustang 17x8's widened out to 10" and it just starts to touch those two areas. A .25" spacer works perfect.

I don't have e brake cables on my car because I have mustang calipers on there right now. And the ebrake lever is setup opposite of the bird. I cannot get the e brake to work with this tire combo. Although I beleive they will work fine if I had bird calipers there.
 
kenewagner said:
Was thinking if one shortened the stabilizer bar, you wouldnt be going smaller just shorter. I dont motorcross or really do any hard cornering since on the street I just like to cruse. On the track its straight line acceleration and wider wheels and wider tires would really benifit me to put power to the ground. It might also open up a better oppertunity to run a full slick than a ET Street tire. What would a shorter stabilizer do???

Ken
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The control arm is a lever. By shortening the sway bar, you'll change the point at which it acts on the control arm, moving that point closer to the center of the car and reducing the sway bar's effect on the control arms, and thus, body roll.
 
Mercutio said:
The control arm is a lever. By shortening the sway bar, you'll change the point at which it acts on the control arm, moving that point closer to the center of the car and reducing the sway bar's effect on the control arms, and thus, body roll.
Click to expand...

So in your opinion if the sway bar was shortened, say 2" it would greatly effect the sway bar or marginally effect it? Just curious as I am always looking for new projects on this car and sme really big meaty tires tucked in the wheel wells would not only look cool but give me a bigger foot print on the ground

Ken
 
BLOWN38 said:
Don't worry about the roll bar. When you start hitting it you start hitting the inner wheel house up where the top of the shock mounts.

I have mustang 17x8's widened out to 10" and it just starts to touch those two areas. A .25" spacer works perfect.
Click to expand...


So I could widen a stock set of thunderbird wheels to 10" and maybe run a full on slick? Right now I have ET Streets on a set of stock alum wheels

Ken
 
kenewagner said:
So in your opinion if the sway bar was shortened, say 2" it would greatly effect the sway bar or marginally effect it? Just curious as I am always looking for new projects on this car and sme really big meaty tires tucked in the wheel wells would not only look cool but give me a bigger foot print on the ground

Ken
Click to expand...

Use this link to help you determine the delta that comes from shortening your sway bar. Since all your other factors should be constants, this should let you calculate the percentage of change.

http://www.unofficialbmw.com/e28/suspension/e28_pete_read_on_sway_bars.html
 
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kenewagner said:
So I could widen a stock set of thunderbird wheels to 10" and maybe run a full on slick? Right now I have ET Streets on a set of stock alum wheels

Ken
Click to expand...

You will probably need a bigger spacer. Not sure what the offset difference is between the 16x7.5 and the 16x7. I'll check what the total BS is on the stang wheels, then you can see how much you can widen the SC wheel without rubbing. I don't think you need to go to 10" for the slick.

I had the MT 26x11.50x17 et street on a 10" wide wheel and the wheel was wider than the tire. The tread width spec on that tire is 9.5"

Now if you went with the hoosier 28x10x16 full slick with a 10" wheel the tire maybe wider. Its measure tread width is 10"
 
BLOWN38 said:
You will probably need a bigger spacer. Not sure what the offset difference is between the 16x7.5 and the 16x7. I'll check what the total BS is on the stang wheels, then you can see how much you can widen the SC wheel without rubbing. I don't think you need to go to 10" for the slick.

I had the MT 26x11.50x17 et street on a 10" wide wheel and the wheel was wider than the tire. The tread width spec on that tire is 9.5"

Now if you went with the hoosier 28x10x16 full slick with a 10" wheel the tire maybe wider. Its measure tread width is 10"
Click to expand...


I have two stock wheels with junk tires on them. I could dismount the tires and slap the wheels on to see how much I could add to the rear and still clear the sway bar. I am just looking for a bigger foot print to hopefully lower my 60' times. I have the equipment and material to do it and not spend a bunch of money. I could sell the other tires and wheels to offset the costs of slicks. Thanks for the suggestions

Ken.
 
CMac89 said:
How much would it cost to have this done? I don't think anyone does this around Indy.
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Weld craft wheels in MI does it. Its generally 50 bucks per 1/2", why I don't know, other than a few more bucks for a wider strip of aluminum. It was 200 per wheel to have 2" added to my 17's. Plus shipping back and forth.
weldcraft wheels
 
wheels

I have 20" x 10"s with 285s on the back of mine with plenty of clearance. ? was gonna try 305s when these tires go.
 
JeepsterSC said:
Try Mr Wheels of Indy. He's located in Forteville
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A year ago he wouldn't take walk ins. The only business he would take had to come from a dealership or business. That was for bent wheels. They were expensive but very good and honest.
 
notime said:
A year ago he wouldn't take walk ins. The only business he would take had to come from a dealership or business. That was for bent wheels. They were expensive but very good and honest.
Click to expand...

That makes since. I've dealt with him through the trucking company that I work for
 
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