Is it getting old yet?? (Will it fit…again)
What’s up guys and gals in the process of getting parts together for the swinger. I know the best way to determine is to measure and see but the car is in pieces and i can kind of set up things to make things fit if necessary. To start the car is a 1973 dart swinger. I am going to run a ford 8.8 with the one side cut down so the axles will be the same side. From my understanding this brings the axle to within an inch of a stock a body rear. I’m going to have leaf spring rear and I can move them in a 1/2 inch if necessary while building it with out an issue. The front suspension I’m going to be getting upgraded parts from Bergman auto sports
The wheels I am looking to get are
are 17x8. The rears are 0 offset/4.5” backspace. The fronts are +38mm offset/6” backspace and a 1/2” spacer in the front
The tires are Falken Azenis RT660 rear 245/45/17s. Fronts are 245/40/17
I don’t mind needing spacers if necessary either. The main thing is I just wanted to get some input some from knowledgeable people. I am 98% sure they will fit from my reading and searching threads but I know the dart sport had a little more room in the rear so just trying to confirm
appreciate the help
Thank you
In the front with 73+ disk brakes and a 17x8 the backspace you're going to need is about 5.6". With most 17" rims the outer tie rod end interferes with the wheel at around 5.7", give or take depending on the specific rim construction and design.
A 17x8 +38mm offset has a 6" backspace, so, you will probably need an 8-10mm wide spacer to get the outer tie rod end to clear the rim. That's the biggest issue, a 245/45/17 will clear fine once the tie rod end has clearance on the rim. Also, I would run a 245/45/17 in the front, it's only about 25.6" tall which is fine for the front. A 245/40/17 is less than 25" tall, which is just silly short.
In the back, an 8.8 out of a ford explorer (disk brakes) with two short side axles is 56-5/8" from wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting surface. That's 1-3/16" shorter than an A-body 8 3/4 with BBP axles. WMS to spring with BBP axles in an A-body 8 3/4 is ~6", so, your measurement if you don't move the springs in will be ~5.4". That should mean that the 17x8 with a 4.5" backspace will fit with a 245/45/17, it will give you .9" from the outside of the rim to the spring. Rough rule of thumb will mean about a 1/2" of rubber hanging over the rim, which will leave about .4" from tire to spring. That's about as tight as you want to go, so, it will depend on the tolerances on your car specifically. A small spacer may be needed if you keep the springs in the stock location. But maybe not, and if you're going to be off by a little it's better to be closer to the springs because you can adjust that with a spacer.
I'm no expert but your 4.5" backspace is the magic number for a stock rear and front. A 6" backspace with +38mm (1.5") offset should equal a 4.5" backspace if my memory serves me correctly. You may not even need the 1/2" spacer.
Again, no expert but you're in the right ballpark with that I believe.
No sir. A 8" rim with a +38 offset has a 6" backspace, that's all the calculation. It's not equal to a 4.5" backspace, it's a 6" backspace. And he will almost definitely need a spacer in the 1/3" to 1/2" range to clear the outer tie rod end with a 17" rim. With an 18" rim no problem, tie rod fits inside the lip of the rim. With a 17", there's only one or two rim designs that actually clear the outer tie rod past 5.7" of backspace.