Looks good! I have those wheels, and I'd wondered if 2" spacers would fit well. I'm using 1.5" and I have 1/4" between the leaf springs and the tire. I'd like a little more gap than that, so I'll probably switch to 2" like you're running.
Good point. Mine's lowered and it doesn't rub (unless maybe I do something stupid like load the car down with passengers and do a full-lock turn over a speed bump at a ridiculous speed.) but it's close. I will probably go to 2" in the back and keep the 1.5" in the front.
I guess I shouldn't read when I'm half asleep :16suspect I thought you said had the 2" spacers on there already. I have the 1.5"s on mine and I'd like to drop the car down 1.5 to 2 inches. I keep looking and thinking I need to get a 1.25" spacer for the front. I got to wait anyhow, I want discs on the front and the new springs in the back then see where the wheels sit before I lower it. I like the way yours sits in the front
Thanks guys. My car hasn't been lowered and there is no rubbing. I would love to lower the front and probably will have to put 1.75" adapters but my A-arm is really close as it is, about 3/4". There is plenty of space between the wheel and the leafspring, I wouldn't change the back. When these tires wear I think I am going with a lower profile tire. These wheels are Metallic silver with polished aluminum rims. I still haven't driven aggressive with them yet, I need to get comfortable with adapters since I have always heard that they put to much pressure on the bearings. I removed them today and put back the stock bicycle steel wheels until i get some loctite. I have also heard that bullitt wheels and bullitt adapters have a tendency to loose their nuts. Any recommendations?
Locktight? I would not be using that on my wheels. Better to get a torque wrench if your that worried.
thanks Maviboy. The loctite was for the acorns on the adapters gene, I would hate to remove the wheels after torqueing to re-tighten the adapters if they got loose. i was thinking of a mild thread locking compound not something too strong.
I have disks on the front and the 1.25" did not originally work, the A-Arm was about 5/64" (a little over a 1/16") away from the wheel lip. That was way to close. BTW if anyone is interested on a set of four 1.25" hubcentrics I will be selling them, make me an offer--
That's why I lowered mine. Those tires were initially a little tall for my taste, but once I got them tucked I like how they fill the wheel well. I heard that too, but I've put 12,000 miles on mine with no trouble. I drive it every day, and I don't drive like grandma. Actually, to be completely honest I drive like a maniac and it's a testament to the strength of the Ford 8" rearend. (I've broken many a GM 10 bolt in the two f-bodies I've had. With 305's.) I've torn up a transmission in my Maverick already, got it sideways a number of times, and I probably break the tires loose 8 out of 10 times I sit in it. No trouble from the adapters yet. Just keep 'em tight...
Hi Faceless, our wheels look identical. Your car looks really nice. Are you using 1.5" adapters? When I installed the 1.25" adapters it seemed that 1.5" was not going to work. I thought I would need 1.75" minimum for the wheels to turn properly. So I went with 2" to be safe. There is no rubbing when I turn my steering wheel to its maximum either side. The more I look at the wheels on my car the more i like the "big rubber" look.
I agree. You have the Pirelli PZero 235/55s right? The width of these tires on such a small car really make it look mean from behind. I don't notice it as much on the Mustang GT but they're pretty meaty for a Maverick. And I've been really impressed with the quality of them too. Very good traction, and by all rights I should have burned the tread off the back by now but they still have plenty of it. And they help tremendously with cornering, where a Maverick needs all the help it can get. Plus having wide tires in the front makes the power steering seem less squirrely. Good for braking too. I could go on... I do have the 1.5" adapters and they clear just fine in the front. As much tuck as I have in the front, I'm afraid if I go any wider I might start having fender problems. In the rear, they JUST clear the leaf springs by maybe 1/4" One problem I do have is if I make the car lean really hard, (which I'm doing less since the spring swap) I can occasionally make the inside top of a rear tire tire rub. I think switching to 2" in the back will cure that. And now that I know you've done it, I'm not hesitant to risk the purchase and find out they don't fit right.
Just bolted the 2" spacers on the rear, keeping the 1.5's in the front. I haven't driven it yet, but it looks like that little problem will be cured! Also, I've confirmed that 2" is too much in the front for my particular setup. A 2" spacer on the front with as much drop as I have, and these tires will slightly contact the fender at full turn. So RatRodRivett, if you decide to lower your car, you might keep that in mind. I think we've found the perfect recipe for putting this wheel and tire combo on a lowered Maverick! I can't wait 'til the roads dry up and I can really drive this thing. I will be throwing this car into hard corners and romping on the gas with impunity! That bit of rubbing during hard body roll was really starting to bug me.
