Free US Mags...will they work for me?

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C

charm

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I just picked up a set of US Mags off of Craigslist, for free. The price was right regardless of whether or not I can make this set of wheels work on my 74 Dart Sport.

All four wheels have a 3.5" backspace and the 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern.

Fronts are 15x7.5
Rears are 15x9

They were on an early 70's Dodge van.

I do plan to do a disc brake conversion so the front wheel bolt pattern isn't an issue. It may be in the rear.

I've been reading that a 7.5" rim is great for these cars with a 4" to 4.5" backspace. I haven't read anything about about a 9" rim with a 3.5" backspace in the rear.

So, with the disc brake swap up front and an axle swap in the rear, will these wheels fit my car? If so, any advice on tire size?

Thanks!
 
I run 15x8 with 3 1/2 backspace on the rear of my duster, and had to trim the outer 1/4 panel lip. Your fronts would look a bit odd to me being that wide.
 
replicaracer43 said:
I run 15x8 with 3 1/2 backspace on the rear of my duster, and had to trim the outer 1/4 panel lip. Your fronts would look a bit odd to me being that wide.
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can you post a pic of the rear ones? think I could use them, if you can`t ! I`ve got a pair of dragstars w/ 3 1/2" rear spacing on my fish with 3/4" offset hangars, and all kinds of clearance. fender wells have been stretched for a 30" tall tire also. also have a pair of new draqstars that are 4" backspacing, both pair are 8" wide .
 
famous bob said:
can you post a pic of the rear ones? think I could use them, if you can`t ! I`ve got a pair of dragstars w/ 3 1/2" rear spacing on my fish with 3/4" offset hangars, and all kinds of clearance. fender wells have been stretched for a 30" tall tire also. also have a pair of new draqstars that are 4" backspacing, both pair are 8" wide .
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I may look into offsetting the springs in the rear if that'll get me there. First, however, I need to do the brakes and axles. I figure I have a year or two before these get on the car. In the meantime, I think slotted mags would look pretty awesome polished to a mirror like shine!
 
they will fit, but 4" backspace would be much better. offsetting the springs inward is totally not needed with only 3.5" backspace. throw them on without tires and see. U will need to go smallish on the tires so they do not rub the fenders
 
The springs aren't going to be the problem in the back, the quarters will be the problem with that little backspace unless you run a narrowed rear axle. With an A-body width 8 3/4 and 275/60/15's on those 15x9's the tires would be 1.3" further out than the 295's on my car, and mine barely clear the quarters after trimming the quarter lips back almost a 1/2". Maybe with the rear end of the car way up in the air and the tires sticking out past the quarters, but they won't fit in the wheel wells.

In the front you couldn't even run 205's on those rims with BBP disks, and anything narrower than that is too narrow for a 7.5" wide rim.
 
72bluNblu said:
The springs aren't going to be the problem in the back, the quarters will be the problem with that little backspace unless you run a narrowed rear axle. With an A-body width 8 3/4 and 275/60/15's on those 15x9's the tires would be 1.3" further out than the 295's on my car, and mine barely clear the quarters after trimming the quarter lips back almost a 1/2". Maybe with the rear end of the car way up in the air and the tires sticking out past the quarters, but they won't fit in the wheel wells.

In the front you couldn't even run 205's on those rims with BBP disks, and anything narrower than that is too narrow for a 7.5" wide rim.
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Sad. I guess they'll make a great platform to hone my wheel polishing skills on!
 
You could use the rears with a narrowed rear axle. Maybe you could find another set of fronts with better specs.
 
72bluNblu said:
You could use the rears with a narrowed rear axle. Maybe you could find another set of fronts with better specs.
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Or, I could use the fronts, with the 3.5" bs in the rear of the dart to shove the tire outboard and get the same size tire and wheel with a 4.5" bs for the front. This would give me, I think, a modern look and solve what I think was one of the biggest design flaws of cars of this era, the rear tire tucked too far under the car. Doing this gives me the look I'm after, while not spending the money on a narrowed rear end.

I 'may' end up turbo charging the 6, but not for many years to come. I don't ever see me truly needing the rubber that would fit on a 9" rim other than to meet some sort of aesthetic. So, a ser of 7" rims all around is more practical, but spending less money on this toy has its practical side as well.
 
So what is the ideal width and backspace for a 15" wheel on a car with the disc brake swap?
 
ssba said:
So what is the ideal width and backspace for a 15" wheel on a car with the disc brake swap?
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cant say, mine has a dana 60 w/ disc brakes. 3 1/2' offset on 8" wide wheels-dead center the 275 60 15 drag radials, w/ rolled inner lip. am goin to a 10.5' x 30" tall tire as soon as I get the car done. taller tire will help my cruising rpm w/ 3:73 gears. the 3/4" offset spring hangars put the springs right in line w/ the inner wheel house.
 
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