Need some help with front hubs...

[TMF]

Need some help again.

This time my Marauder is kicking my ass with the front hubs being too far out. See, I'm blaming the Marauder because my fancy new rims stick out of the wheel wells and I have to put the blame somewhere.

I've read plenty of posts here on how some of you when with the bigger brakes on older panthers, well I want to go the other way to try to get these new rims to fit...

I have a new set of rims/tires with Billet Specialties Street Lites all the way around. Rears are 15x15's and the fronts are 15x3.5's. Backs are just fine, but the fronts, with the M/T skinnies and the spacers on the hub make them stick out about 1.5 inches. No way can I roll that way!

My problem was compounded by the fact that while the rims have the correct backspacing, I did not take into account that they do not have the space to clear the calipers, thus the hub spacer (about .5 inches) and that the tires are wider than the 3.5 inch rim by about 1 inch or so, which puts me about 1.5 inches farther out than I like or will consider acceptable.



So, I'm looking for a hardware solution before selling the fronts and finding something else. Doing a bit of searching I found a good document on the different rims and what fits what when dealing with panthers.

1) Will the front crossmember from a -97 panther bolt to an 03 Marauder frame giving me the needed space to make these tires fit? If not a 97, then an -02? I didn't find any specs to actual wheel spacing between hubs on the different years.

2) is there a different hub/rotor/caliper I could bolt to my front that would give me more room? Does anyone have pictures of the front hub/rotor/caliper setups from each different yeargroup for comparison?

3) Sell them and spend big $$ getting Billet Specialties to make a pair of custom rims.

Really, thanks in advance to everyone that can help!

John

[Grand Marquis GT]

Those'd look purty on my car

[Lincolnmania]

no
only way you could do it is to swap over to a 02 frame.......the crossmembers on the 02 and earlier cars are not bolt on

[Grand Marquis GT]

Probably several people here willing to trade frames, too...

[TMF]

no
only way you could do it is to swap over to a 02 frame.......the crossmembers on the 02 and earlier cars are not bolt on

I can see the frame swap as a big potential for cascading failure. First I have to back-half the 02 frame, then make sure the 32V fits, then hope the headers still fit and so on... I would need to find an 02 panther and test-fit the rim to see where that would put me first.

Ok, so the front crossmember is welded in, but how much of the rest of the front a-arm system bolts on? Can I just get all the 02 pieces and mount them to my 03 frame after removing the existing upper and lower A-Arms? Is the 03 frame just wider in front making the A-Arm swap pointless?

I'm now thinking custom upper and lower A-Arms would be cheaper. But would they be less than custom rims?

Regardless, thanks for the suggestions so far.


John

[DuceAnAHalf]

I can see the frame swap as a big potential for cascading failure. First I have to back-half the 02 frame, then make sure the 32V fits, then hope the headers still fit and so on... I would need to find an 02 panther and test-fit the rim to see where that would put me first.

Ok, so the front crossmember is welded in, but how much of the rest of the front a-arm system bolts on? Can I just get all the 02 pieces and mount them to my 03 frame after removing the existing upper and lower A-Arms? Is the 03 frame just wider in front making the A-Arm swap pointless?

I'm now thinking custom upper and lower A-Arms would be cheaper. But would they be less than custom rims?

Regardless, thanks for the suggestions so far.


John

seriously? you are talking about re building the entire front suspension, along with going back to brakes that are barely sufficient for a car that weighs a few hundred pounds less. just to run a set of wheels. you would have to cut some large sections out of your frame, since the spring mounts and control arm mounts are very different, and a donor frame. have them welded back in, you would have to build a crossmember.

just sell the wheels and get another set


*EDIT* what you could do, is contact Aerospace Components and have them make you a custom hub and brake set up that will bolt onto your spindle. http://www.aerospacecomponents.com/home.htm

[85crownHPP]

yeah... all that work to make a set of wheels fit? just get the right wheels.... :confused:

[mrltd]

I'll just trade you cars. It'll be easier.

[gadget73]

None of the 02- stuff bolts in. Control arm mounts are welded to the frame on the bottom, upper brackets are also welded to the frame. It also uses a steering box instead of your 03 rack and pinion, so the steering system is also totally different.

[TMF]

I've decided to bite the bullet and sell the skinnies. I'm working on a brake caliper/rotor solution where the capilers do not extend past the mating surface and will have Billet Specialties make me a pair of custom rims. I only need another .5 inches from them too and it will all fit.

Thanks for listening everyone.

John

[Grand Marquis GT]

The rears look fine, though...