18x9.5 wheels don't fit, what did I do wrong? Please help (Page 2/3)
Steven Snyder MAR 12, 08:03 PM
Oh, you don't have an '88. The '84-'87 cars don't have as much room in the rear because of the position of the strut.

Make sure you install extended wheel studs if you end up using a spacer. Actually, even if without a spacer I find that the rear doesn't really have much thread engagement.. 6 turns at best with my Motegi wheels.

[This message has been edited by Steven Snyder (edited 03-12-2015).]

fieroguru MAR 12, 08:41 PM
You don't have to run the sleeve all the way down to the bolt flange. Cut the spring perch above the weld bead and mount the sleeve on top of it.

Patrick MAR 13, 06:19 PM
Not wanting to side-track this discussion... but Fieroguru, is that gizmo some kind of magnetic bubble-level for setting camber?

EDIT: Must be one of These. Cool.


quote
Originally posted by fieroguru:




[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 03-13-2015).]

fieroguru MAR 13, 07:24 PM

quote
Originally posted by Patrick:

Not wanting to side-track this discussion... but Fieroguru, is that gizmo some kind of magnetic bubble-level for setting camber?

EDIT: Must be one of These. Cool.



Correct.

But now I use these:
http://www.harborfreight.co...gle-gauge-95998.html

[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 03-13-2015).]

DisplacementIsKing MAR 13, 07:47 PM
9.5" is a lot of rim, looks good!
IXSLR8 MAR 14, 01:51 PM
What Fieroguru said.

You can also get different length sleeves and springs so you can adjust where your springs rest down near that weld on the strut. So, your 18x9.5's should work just fine.

We are running 18x8's on the front and 19x8.5 on the rear of my sons 85GT and my 88GT with coil overs using 350 lb rated QA1's.
Will MAR 15, 08:29 AM

quote
Originally posted by fieroguru:

You don't have to run the sleeve all the way down to the bolt flange. Cut the spring perch above the weld bead and mount the sleeve on top of it.




What springs do you use and how does the travel of the spring match up to the travel of the strut?

I have 12" HAL QA1 springs. They were cheap, but have a fairly high coil density, so they don't have much travel. I wouldn't be comfortable with 10" springs and 8" springs would be coil binding over every speed bump. A 10" spring is as long as can be used with the "high perch" method you outlined, if wheel and tire clearance is the reason to do it that way.
Csjag MAR 15, 09:02 AM

quote
Originally posted by fieroguru:


Correct.

But now I use these:
http://www.harborfreight.co...gle-gauge-95998.html




So with that gizmo I could do an alignment at home?
Will MAR 15, 02:02 PM
You can set CAMBER yourself that way, but that device won't let you set caster or toe. There are lots of methods for DIY alignment around, but they are based on setting up strings for measurements and require reset after every adjustment.
fieroguru MAR 15, 02:45 PM

quote
Originally posted by Will:

You can set CAMBER yourself that way, but that device won't let you set caster or toe. There are lots of methods for DIY alignment around, but they are based on setting up strings for measurements and require reset after every adjustment.



I use them for caster as well using the machined flat from the tie rod as a perpendicular reference to caster.

I also have clamp on toe bars for setting toe.