BADRASH351

I recently just got my '91 GT put together with my tubular front k-member off my '88 i had and i swapped the entire rearend too because of the aftermarket control arms, gears, and 5-lug axels i had in it. Also dropped my 351W in it.

2 questions:

1.) On my front end; I have weld racing rims with Friestone Firehawks P185/65 R15. The outside brake pad hooks that secure the pads to the caliper are rubbing on the inside of my rims, and have actually already broke one hook off. Should i get spacers for the rims to push them farther out? Or do i need to buy a slimmer caliper set?

2.) I also have weld racing rims in the rear with BFG P295/50 R15 Radial T/A. On my '88 they would rub when i had a passenger in the back and hit a bad bump. I noticed the previous owner had massaged the inside of the wheel wells with a hammer so i did the same on my '91. On the driver side the tire is about 1/2" away from the wheel well on the inside but on the passenger side it rubs just with the car sitting there. I can't get spacers for the rear because it would make the tires hit on the outside of the fender well. So I have concluded to get new rear tires that are a hair skinnier. But i was wondering if anyone knew why one tire would be away from the fender well and one would rub, like my rear end is off center, which i don't see how is possible since everything has to fit perfectly to line up to bolt together.

Any thoughts and input would be great! If you need pictures let me know. Thank you!

projectresto83

Screwed up torque boxes or bent control arms can cause an offset rear end. Can you get some pics of the front end?

Venomantidote95

Simple answer wheels have the wrong back spacing. It is normal for the rearend on fords to be offset some chevy vehicles are the same!
What did the wheels come off of? U dont have to use spaces for the weld wheels in the front til 94!

BADRASH351

Projectrest: I am currently working out of town until Friday or Saturday and I have no problem snapping some photos. I will get on it ASAP. Thank you.

Venom: The tires came off of the '88 I had that's why I figured when I swapped them I wouldn't have any problems beings I swapped the entire front end. The only thing I didn't swap was the break calipers. That's why I was wondering if there wasn't different calipers or something. ****ty thing is, is that I already have gotten rid of the old car so I can't swap the calipers. Thank you for your input.

uedlose

I ran into the same issue with one of our cars on both ends. The front was hitting on the rattle clip I took the pad and just flattened the ends out with a small hammer no more hitting but the rim also hit the caliper bolts so check that also. With the caliper bolts there are 2 different kinds one just has flats to put a socket or wrench on and the other has a female torx in the end with the flats also. I just ground the flats off the one set of bolts so have to use a torx with it the other set I put in my lathe and cut the bolt shorter/thinner on the flats and got enough clearance for that.
As far as the rear did you tighten the control arms up with the rear hanging? if you did try loosening the bolts with the rear loaded like it was sitting on the ground and see if that helps and or get a bigger hammer and start making room I had to beat ours pretty hard a few times to get it where I was happy? what size tire are you running? and what rim size and offset on the rear ours is 8in and has 5.5 on the off set we run 275/60/15 DR with not problems at all. Now when I run the 28/12.5/15 M/T ET streets they will rub on real hard bumps and if we put someone in the back. Also like said take a look at the torque boxes look at the bolt holes I have seen them stretched bad enough that we had to weld a plate to fix them before on cars that see lots of track use. also measure the rear to see if it is square in the car.

Venomantidote95

Has it been converted to 5 lug?

uedlose

Mine No, but my other car has been and I had no issues with the front but they are a different make wheel. I have run into it a few times with the welds on fox body on the front. He didn't say how he converted the front to 5 lug. Mine I just used the Lincoln rotors.

BADRASH351

Yes, i have the 5-lug conversion on my pony. Came with the '88 i had so i couldn't tell ya what it came off of. I have BFG 290/50 R15 Radial T/A on my rear. My dad has a set of 275 tires i'm going to take back with me, so i will let ya know if that solves the rear tire rubbing. As for the front I am prob going to by a 1/8" spacer or a 1/4" spacer to push it out past the retaining clips for the front brake pads, and then do a little grinding if i have to on the caliper itself.

Thank you for all your input guys, i will load up some pictures when i make it back to town.

uedlose

are the rotors floaters or do have the studs for the wheels in them?

whiteNblack95

sounds like it might be bent control arms, replace the 91's with your older stangs and see if that helps.