Fox Mustang stocker wheel questions

[glen myers]

Helping my son on a starter car. Are you guys fitting a 9x30 tire on these cars (88 LX) or a 9x28? Also what backspacing on rear wheels, 15x8" wheel or 10"?
Suspension tips appreciated
Thanks

[Doug Hoven]

There are foxbody stockers out there with 30x9 tires on them, but if you want to retain the factory width of an 8.8, I would go with a 28x9. Not sure on the backspacing. As far as rear suspension, I believe a set of aftermarket lower arms (I have BBKs on my street car), and a set of adjustable upper arms would be a good start. I don't believe you are allowed adjustable lower arms in stock. Some have used an air bag in the right rear, but a good antiroll bar set up works very well too.

[glen myers]

Thanks for the info yes retaining factory width just trying to get correct backspacing to get it to fit

[Rory McNeil]

Pretty sure that the wheelwells on my 85 LX Hatchback were the same as a 87 thru 93 Mustang, I ran 9x28MTs, , 9x29 Hoosiers, and 9x29 1/2" MT slicks om my 85, using both 15x8" and 15x9" Weld Draglites, with 5 1/2" backspace. The 28" fit with no wheel opening modifications, the larger tires required re working of the lower front area. All combinations required some hammering of the inner wells for clearance. For rear suspension, I used Maximum Motorsport non adjustable lower arms, "Auto Weld" adjustable uppers, which also raised the rearends upper mount position, (similar to GM "No Hop" bars), and Strange adjustable rear shocks. I tried 4 cylinder, Moroso, and 5.0 GT rear coil springs, on my car, which was a stick, the heavier GT springs worked the best. I also used a rear sway bar from a later FOX GT Mustang, as well as a pair of Air Lift air bags, with seperate lines for left and right. Some guys just used 1 in the RR, but since I had 2 I used both, although with only 5 psi in the left bag, right varied from 20 to 35 psi. Not sure if it is absolutely necessary if you are using an automatic, but reinforcing the mounting points of the body is a good idea, they have been known to crack and rip out. Much better (and easier) to reinforce them before they get damaged, than afterwards. Again, not sure if it is needed with an automatic, but on my stick cars 8.8 rear end, I had the axle tubes welded to the cast center, and after bending the tubes, braced the axle tubes to the center, and used a load bolt aluminum rear cover.

[SBillinson]

Originally Posted by glen myers

Helping my son on a starter car. Are you guys fitting a 9x30 tire on these cars (88 LX) or a 9x28? Also what backspacing on rear wheels, 15x8" wheel or 10"?
Suspension tips appreciated
Thanks

I building one too with my son.

I have a set of 10" rims with a 5" back spacing, but they are past the wheel well lip by at least an inch. I'm going to buy some 9" rims with a 5" back spacing. We're probably going to run a 28" tire since there's no point in having any more rotating mass than necessary with that combo.

You probably already know this, but the front rims should have 2.5" backspacing to look right. I have 1.75s on there and they look okay, but the deeper backspacing has a better appearance.

[glen myers]

Thanks everyone all good info
Appreciate the help

[BRETV]

We ran 30X9 on all our Foxbody cars with the stock width 8.8. The backspacing just has to be right. Can't remember if it was 4.5 or 5.5 that worked best. These are low HP cars, no need for a 10 inch rim, 7 or 8 will work just fine. As far as wheel well openings 87-90 cars are bit smaller than the 91-93 because the standard wheel was 15 inch and in 91 they went to 16 inch. You will have to open the front side of the wheel well some and hammer the inside next to shock some but they will fit. NO adjustable lowers are allowed in stock. There are many different manufacturers for lowers that will work. Run the double adjustable uppers and make sure all the bushings in the rear are solid. We ran an air bag for years that worked but the anti roll bar worked better. Fun combination and very reliable. Good luck!



Bret Velde
2003 ??/SA

[427FE]

While your in there, get the battle boxes for the lower torque boxes, and completely weld the upper boxes to the floor.

[Chris1529]

My 84 has 8" rims and 28x9 tire. Not sure on back spacing. Did hammer the shock area some.

Battle boxes, eibsch drag springs, upr solid upper and lower control arms, air bag in rr.
Lakewood 90/10 struts, but I feel the car worked better with their 70/30.

I ran 26 x 8.5 MTs or years on a 7" rim. Ran the oem throttle body FI 84 engine for a few years too before running in ihra crate motor stock with a GT40 head engine.
Stock width 8.8 with moser stuff.

[Sean Marconette]

My 84 Mustang GT, I have 15x10 with 6.5" back spacing and started off with 28x9 slicks with a stock width 8.8. Definitely a balancing act and a big hammer. Unless you are building a stick car, I would not put 10" wheels on your build. The largest tires I have ever had on the car are 29.5x15. The wheels have been on the car since 1992. I moved some stuff around when I switched to SS in 2015 and it is not as tight. Slicks have never stuck out of the fenderwells. Front wheels are 15X4 with 2.25" back spacing.

As others have suggested, weld all rear suspension brackets or you will ruin the car. The best thing I ever did was to install through the floor subframe connectors. These cars twist and crack sheetmetal if you do not address these items. Weld the tubes to the center section as Rory pointed out.