Widest wheels..."My plan for the sedan"

Keep the pictures coming, I'm subscribed to this thread.

With that, if you weren't to move the leaf springs and only cut the wheel well, how much of a tire would you be able to fit? Is that what you did in these photos? Doesn't look like the leaf spring is moved yet and only the wheel well has been cut.

I ask because I have the Heidts 4-link kit and want to know if cutting the wheel wells (mini tubbing) will allow enough room while still running this kit.

Thanks and good work!

Good observation on the leaf still being in place and the tire appearing to fit - the tire is actually touching the leaf. With a leaf in the stock location I don't think you could run a 275 wide tire - especially if the car is lower than stock as the inner wheelhouse slopes inward an inch or so on the quarter panel side. I think you could maybe fit that big of a tire, or close, if you did edit the following:

1. Use a 2" wide leaf instead of a 2.5" leaf and offset it toward the center of the car. Giving you a bit more inside clearance.

2. Roll or cut back almost all of the fender lip on the quater panel.

3. The rim backspacing offset will have to be exact.

4. Nothing in the 4 link set-up interferes with the tire or rim at that width.

5. You will still have to move the inner portion of the wheelhouse over for sure or make some mini tubs.

No guarantee that all that will work but maybe.....probably a lot more likely with a 255.

Thanks for the info. I'm pretty sure the 4-link would create maybe an inch of extra clearance on each side where the leaf spring would be removed. So, without any other movement or cutting beyond taking out the wheel well and mini tub, that tire would fit?
Of course, this is taking into consideration proper backspace, etc.

Sorry, I was a bit confused and just want to clear that up.

Anyhow, keep it up and can't wait to see more results!

Quick update: I cut out the frame sections as per the instructions. During this procedure I accidently touched the "spinning cut off wheel" on my grinder to my pointer fingure knuckle on my left hand....After the delay in getting that fixed up I was able to tack the replacement spring hangers in place and test fit the axle in there. Fits fine - I did position the front spring hangers about 1/2" rear of the stock location. Just to help with a little more clearance between the front of the rear tire and wheelhouse/fender area.

Looks like I will have to run a 1" wheel spacer though to get the tire centered where I want it. Once centred I will have about 2" of clearance between the spring and tire as in the pic - The tire to fender lip clearance will be about 1". The main constraint for bigger tires at this point will be the frame to inner fender space. The other pic is of the front Crites spring hanger tacked in place in the frame rail.

Once i get everything in there and fitting properly I will post all of the measurements to duplicate correctly the first time (with and without wheel spacers) if anyone is interested. Rim backspacing, Rim width, axle width (mounting surface to mounting surface on drums) and tire size with a completed pic from the rear.

Ohhhh...nice! Hope your finger is ok...

All those measurements would be great...please post as you progress. Look like nice welds, too. Where you located?



You should do a write up and make it a 'Sticky' Mods, what say you?

Originally Posted by 65falkone

Quick update: I cut out the frame sections as per the instructions. During this procedure I accidently touched the "spinning cut off wheel" on my grinder to my pointer fingure knuckle on my left hand....After the delay in getting that fixed up I was able to tack the replacement spring hangers in place and test fit the axle in there. Fits fine - I did position the front spring hangers about 1/2" rear of the stock location. Just to help with a little more clearance between the front of the rear tire and wheelhouse/fender area.

Looks like I will have to run a 1" wheel spacer though to get the tire centered where I want it. Once centred I will have about 2" of clearance between the spring and tire as in the pic - The tire to fender lip clearance will be about 1". The main constraint for bigger tires at this point will be the frame to inner fender space. The other pic is of the front Crites spring hanger tacked in place in the frame rail.

Once i get everything in there and fitting properly I will post all of the measurements to duplicate correctly the first time (with and without wheel spacers) if anyone is interested. Rim backspacing, Rim width, axle width (mounting surface to mounting surface on drums) and tire size with a completed pic from the rear.

Thanks for sharing your leaf spring relocation project. Looks great so far! I also ordered the crites kit with plans to do the same thing you are doing. My goal is to fit some 275 40 17 tires under my 65 Ranchero. Keep up the good work. I am looking forward to seeing more pics and details of your project. Sorry to hear about your episode with the cut off wheel incident, sounds painful.

Finger is healing well. Everything is all welded - not exactly show quality but definatley strong. It is a real bitch welding in the replacement front spring hangers on the inside of car sides. The space is very limited to get the mig torch in where it needs to be. I welded on the spring perches onto the rear end as well. I wanted to ensure I got the perches in the exact position as the stock ones - only inboard about 3". I did this by cutting off the inside 1/2 of the stock perches with my sawzall and then using a level on the "still 1/2 on perch" and then matched the new perches as exactly as I could. I am sure it is fully close enough. I will grind of the rest of the old perches before installing the axle.

Of course I was really keen on bolting it all back together right away....... but I need to get new bushings first for the leafs and paint everything with black semi gloss rust paint. I also will crawl back under there for the crappy task of wire wheeling of all the crusty surface rust so I can paint the underside too. So it looks like the wheels won't actually be back on and the car back on the floor till the weekend at the soonest.

On the weekend I bought a Mustang II stock NOS crossmember on ebay. In keeping with my "recession rod" build budget it was attractive at $150. I will be installing that and new front floors/subframe connectors next. I may post those projects as well in seperate threads. With the M2 front suspension I will definatley be going with the 390/c6 combo. I will buy the Crites C6 transmission crossmember to locate the engine and trans in the car and then fabricate my own motormounts as the crites ones won't work with the M2 crossmember.

I am in Abbotsford BC (Canada) - just east of Vancouver.

This definitely needs to be a sticky.

Painted all parts to go back on. Test fitted the rims and looks like the width from "outside lip" of rim to "outside lip" of rim is 63". I will get the tires mounted on the rims in the next couple of days and bolt it all back together. I know everything will basically fit as is but the tire clearance to frame may dictate the need for a spacer - hopefully not we'll see. Once everything is bolted back in I will start working on the wheel tubs.
pierre