Semi-serious self inflicted wheel screwup

[oldguy668]

Back story: I bought a really nice set of 15", 30-spoke, old school wire wheels from a forum member. No problems with the wheels at all. They look great with the fat Mickey Thompsons I bought. The 10" rears were supposed to be 4" backspace, so I had the rear end narrowed 2.5" per side, and it looks like a 1" bolt-on spacer will make them perfect, so the real backspace is probably 4.5". No big deal. The fronts, however, are a different story. FFR wheels are 9" with a 6" backspace. My front wheels are 7" with a (allegedly) 4" backspace. So if the wheel is 2" narrower and and has 2" less backspace, the outside lip should be on the same plane for both wheels. Not quite. The fronts are sticking out about 1.5" too much, and I already have a slight negative camber. Will switching to pin-drive lower control arms and moving the upper control arm mounting to the horizontal holes give me the 1.5" I need?

Wheel fail.JPG

I have the newer style FFR 2-piece spindles which do not use adapters. Do I have to change both the spindles and lower control arms or can I change just the arms?

[Jeff Kleiner]

Pin drive width on the roadster requires the pin drive lowers, SN95 spindles and the unique PD spindle adapters. The UCA then gets mounted using the top (horizontal) holes. I think that due to the FIA's narrower track and wheels they use the PD lowers and FFR spindles mounted in the horizontal holes as you propose. Don't know if that would move you in enough or not. I'm sure a call to Jim S.would get you an answer.

Good luck,
Jeff

[oldguy668]

Now that you mention the FIA having a narrower body, I may not have taken that into account when i did the math. My car is a hybrid with MK4 chassis and suspension with an FIA body.

[michael everson]

Whats to stop you from mounting the lower control arms you have into the inboard hole? I did this on one car I built for the same reason.
Mike

[oldguy668]

Mike, I need about 1.5" Will I get that with the inboard holes? And then mount the uppers on the top holes?

[michael everson]

Not sure how much it will gain you. Measure it.

[Jeff Kleiner]

The second set of LCA mounting holes are ~ 3/4" farther inward.

Jeff

[Mark Dougherty]

Joe
upper control arm in the inboard or top holes.
Mk4 spindles
And lower arms in the inboard holes
Is a bad combo

[oldguy668]

3/4" ain't going to cut it anyway. The thing will look half as goofy. I need a full 1.5" or better.