How to Get Weld Wheels to fit without spacer

[MustangMatt96GT]

Many people know that Weld racing Prostars or Draglites have a problem clearing the front brakes. Infact many drag wheels do that are skinny. Anyway i ran a spacer for about 6 months. I got sick and tired of it. Not to mention with the long shank lug nuts that the wheels require, the spacer then eats up about 3/8s of the threads. The more threads the better, and its a NHRA rule for the lug stud to come through at least half the nut part of the shank Lugs. Thus the reason I have 3 inch studs in the rears and i am in the process of putting the 3 inchers in the front too.

1. Jack up car and secure the car on jack stands. Take front wheels off.
2. Once wheels are off, you are all set to go at it. Go grab you hack saw. Start cutting off the bar that goes in front of the rotor.
3. Once the bar has been cut off, you now have to get an angle grinder and start grinding at the ends of the caliper bracket. You have to take quite a bit off.
4. Keep grinding off metal until you can get your wheel on there with out any rubbing. I took mine down quite a ways.
5. Once you have it so it can clear. Take some Hitemp paint and paint them the color you want. This makes it so they wont rust.
6. Put the wheels back on and lower the car. Now take it for a drive to make sure with the extra weight of the car, there isnt any rubbing.


Here is a picture of mine off of the car, because of the stud change.

Here it is on the other side on the car.

and here is the length difference between the stock lug studs and the ARP 3 inchers.

 

[scarface]

I did the same. Ran it like that for a year with no issues. Truuble did the same, if he was still with us he would tell you of his 9 second passes like that. The spacer makes it look terrible.

 

[MustangMatt96GT]

I also had to grind off part on the caliper. Ill take a picture later...

 

[MustangMatt96GT]

Stock Caliper on drivers

Ground Caliper on the passenger side

With it all finished up and painted...

and how far the lugs go on to the 3 inch ARP studs with out the spacer

 

[scarface]

I didnt have to go that deap in cutting with my Draglites

 

[MustangMatt96GT]

Yea, i didnt want to grind so much, but what we do to go fast... haha

 

[1FastGT]

stupid question but what did u grind the caliper with? :crazy2:

 

[scarface]

stupid question but what did u grind the caliper with? :crazy2:

a hand held grinder...lol

 

[1FastGT]

and isnt that slightly dangerous? i mean they designed that bracket for a reason.

 

[scarface]

and isnt that slightly dangerous? i mean they designed that bracket for a reason.

cars were designed to run a front swaybar, but people still take them off. Maybe it isnt the thing to do, but it worked fine for me and I never had an issue... Cant say someone else will do it and there car will fall apart, its a chance they take.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

and isnt that slightly dangerous? i mean they designed that bracket for a reason.

Do it at your own risk. No offense, but it would seem that at this stage in your modding career, you should run the spacer until you are more comfortable.

 

[Mach1Fran]

Hey guys, new to this forum. Trying to get 15x4 prostar skinnies on my 03 mach 1. I realized I have cobra brakes and you guys are running a lower pro GT caliper. Will this mod still work for me? Or should I get a spacer and ARP 3" studs? Thanks in advance.

 

[Mach1Fran]

Also, what size spacer did you guys have to use? Hubcentric or not?

 

[RAU03MACH]

Hey guys, new to this forum. Trying to get 15x4 prostar skinnies on my 03 mach 1. I realized I have cobra brakes and you guys are running a lower pro GT caliper. Will this mod still work for me? Or should I get a spacer and ARP 3" studs? Thanks in advance.

17x4.5

 

[RAU03MACH]

did not use a spacer
the cobra brakes are not going to let the wheel sit flush on the hub

 

[RAU03MACH]

these are 15x4.5 and barely clear the brake calipers
these are the stock gt brake calipers and these will fit any year gt model 80s 09

 

[ttocs]

if you get a spacer you want it to be hubcentric. I had to use a 1/4" and longers studs for my baer 6p up front.

 

[RAU03MACH]

You really don't want the spacer
Then your moving the wheel tire out from the fender
I would want it tucked in as much as possible

 

[Mach1Fran]

Im going to sell these 15x4.5s and get some 17x4s. Everything Im reading says its a direct fit for these fat cobra brakes.

Thanks for the quick responses brothers!!

 

[Mach1Fran]

Also Im going to shave down the rear calipers a bit, the 15x10s with 6.5" bs are rubbing the calipers.