67mustang302

The reason I ask is there are about 50 different variables that can affect the clearance you can get away with. My brake hub mounts the wheel +.075(approx) towards the fender for instance(many brake kits actually alter the hub mounting flange location)...different a-arms are different, shimming arms and setting camber can alter wheel placement in the well. Some people run 4.5 and barely clear the a-arm, some run 4.75 and seem to have no problem....some run 4.5 and rub the fender when they hit bumps etc etc etc.

People love posting all the charts...fine....what about the 4.75 backspace listed on a stock suspension....has anyone run that much backspace and been fine? People here have already complained about not enough clearance with less than that. Or what about the 4.95's and 5.25's I see listed but with aftermarket brakes? How much has the hub altered mounting location? That's not listed.

Getting wheels with the right backspace isn't a problem....getting wheels that aren't hideous and expensive with the right backspace is another issue entirely. What I'm looking at now is a 5.6bs but with my hub makes it an effective 4.85, so the real question is who has run around that as effective(relative to stock) back space and what did it take to fit(if anything other than bolt on and go).

There's too many variables to just look at a chart and go off that when things are right on top of the "max allowable" listed.

dodgestang

And here I thought I built a chart that took all the major issues like that into account and had people tell me everything they had done to their car (with the exception of asking people for the their alignment specs because I failed to truly understand its overall impact when I developed my questionnaire oooo soo many years ago now....

It's amazing the negative feedback I get.....one group of people send me email saying my chart is too complicated and they can't read/understand it will all the tire sizes, suspension used, etc....and another group complains it isn't detailed enough

You've got yourself a highly custom implementation, but you also seem to have some precise measurements from the manufacture. It is relatively easy to figure out your specific needs based on what is on both my chart and the one size fits all charts that are available. It is a straight up math problem for you at this point.

If you aren't comfortable with that, I fully understand, you'll only have 2 other options....use a tool to measure it (wheelrite tool) or test fit.

67mustang302

I've actually been using your chart, and the only thing I'd like to see that's not listed is the p/n for the brake kit(if not stock) or known hub offsets from stock. BUT, the fact that it even lists whether the brakes are stock or not is excellent, since it can have a huge impact on whether a given backspace will work or not.

The a-arm seems to be the biggest clearance problem for large backspacing with most people. I'm running the Laurel Mountain 3 bolt concourse a-arm, and it has quite a bit of setback in relation to the wheel lip. Based on rough measurements I've taken it seems like I could actually get away with over 5" of backspace(assuming there's no contact elsewhere when turning).

Aren't you running 4.75 on yours? Which a-arms and how's the turning clearance?

dodgestang

People run into problems with the 4.75 and cheaper quality a arms that have a lot of extra material in the front. I have not heard of clearance issues at 17x8 4.75 for anyone with a quality arm like you have. I personally would not plan on running more BS than that however. Some people have eeked by when ordering wheels but it sounds like you will need custom spacer/adaptors anyway to so I would just order what gets you to 4.75

I have 17x8 4.75 on 2 different mustangs in my garage and have not had a problem with either and have run 245 40 17 on both my 65 and by 68 without issues. I have however opted for slightly smaller for both long term because they are seeing far more street use than road course use and the 235 45 17 is actually noticeably easier to steer with the manual setups in both cars (the 68 has a 351w and the 65 a 410c).

The 65 uses opentracker source reinforced upper arms and SSBC kelsey hayes style disc brakes.
The 68 uses unknown manu stock style upper arms and SSBC kelsey hayes style disc brakes.

The 68 has also run TTII and more recently MB motoring (discount tire house brand) wheels.

How wide do you really want to run on the front?
I have no doubt that a 245 45 17 would fit just fine with about -1 to -1.5 in the alignment tip.

Also when compiled the only known kit out there available for the car that changed the track width was the wilwoods. There is stuff now from places like street or track that use late model setups and adjust the trackset to match more modern and allow for late model wheel use without adaptors in the front.

dodgestang

And one additional...I believe the wilwoods....will actually net you a little more than .75 backspacing requirement change. Most people I talked to report almost a full inch change. I would expect the late model rim to fit right on with the BS you report and in the worse case you would only need a tiny spacer and/or manual relieving the a arm of a little material. I am also willing to bet that that you could find late model take off that you could test fit easily enough to confirm.

chillininnh

Is that all? LOL. Look, everyone building one of these cars has had to step out on the ledge and roll the dice on occasion while shopping for parts. It doesn't always work out. It can be liberating to actually do your homework to the best of your ability using the information available and take the leap. This particular subject has been covered thoroughly, it's simple math, let your ***** drop and buy the damn wheels.

67mustang302

That's what I'm thinking. I'm actually looking at a set of the MB wheels that list the 17x8 as 5.6 backspace. They're actually really nice wheels, solid quality, and look decent, affordable etc. Made by A-Tech in Japan. I am simply NOT going to spend $350+ for each wheel, when they look like crap. If I'm going that far I'll just step up to some $850/wheel Volk Racing forged pieces(can we say overkill?)

The Wilwood kit I have is an older one, and the hub p/n is now listed as a Chevy hub(go figure). The current "0 offset" kits from Wilwood list the hub as +.09 on each side, so I did the math on the p/n's and it comes out to the hub I have as +.72 from stock drum, but I have read people seeing as much as almost an inch. My current wheels are 7" with a 3.5 backspace and I have about 2" clear from the lip of the rim to the edge of the a-arm. Meaning 5.25 is still very comfortable....so likely it's ~1" meaning a comfortable 4.75-5...with an a-arm that likes to clear.

I'll prolly pull the trigger on the wheels and if they need a spacer just yank the bolt-on disc off the hub and go to a hat mount rotor, since the hubs can accept hat or adapter mount. Or just run like an .050 or .100 spacer. But I'm willing to bet the 5.6 backspace will clear with room.

I don't plan on going bigger than the 245/45/17 either. As for steering effort, I need the workout. Besides, it's only got a 302 block, and the next block to go in will likely be aluminum. I may get a hair up at some point and put a power rack in it with a lower output pressure pump, but with the engine drop mounts I'm not sure which kits would fit, I had to modify the engine bay crossmember to accommodate the 1/2" drop right now.

67mustang302

Sure thing, just mail me $700 cash and I'll let you know how it works out. :P

The reality is if I had a normal brake setup I wouldn't even be asking this question. I'd get 4.5-4.75 and call it a day. Though in this case it may work out better, since the wheels I like are 5.6 and nothing smaller.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MBW-53626/?rtype=10

Almost a bit too modern for a Classic I suppose, but a simple, plain 7 spoke design. I don't like 99% of styled wheels, think they look like crap.

chillininnh

Touche' salesman... Not a bad lookin wheel although I myself prefer a bit more dish, especially in the rear. Sorry for the ball busting, although I don't completely retreat from my prior opinion. Good luck in your search for your wheels bro.