Cheap Easy Axle Narrowing Mod

[90lx86svo]

I wanted new wheels for the SVO but did not want 17's. I have been running 245/45/16 tires on the stock wheels for a while. There are not many OE 16" wheels I like so I found a set of 4 16x8 Saleen ARE 223's. I mounted one tire on a wheel and test fitted it. The front, no problem. No rubbing. The back, ugly rubbage and my car has stock front springs and cut rear springs and unmolested rear fender lips. One way or another I was going to make this work.

I looked into the fox axle/rear caliper bracket flip and it was not for me. It moved the wheel in too much and the parking brake cable was wonky. I thought about 94-98 SN95 axles and brakes but then the front/rear caliper ratio would be messed up.

I then took a rear wheel off and started to measure things. SN95 axles were .50" shorter than SVO. I then measured the thickness of the axle flange, .302'. The caliper adapter bracket is .183" with a combined thickness of .485". I thought if I take the adapter bracket off, cut out a section so it can be bolted to the back side of the axle flange then the caliper will move inboard .485". Close enough because the caliper and bracket are free floating.

So I swapped the axles and moved the calipers in.

Here are a few pics. I welded the piece back into place on the adapter bracket but I forgot to take pics. It worked great. No tire rub with stock unmolested fenders.

This would be a great mod to your car if you want to run SN95 17x8 wheels, the extra .5" would help a lot.

Adapter bracket.

http://www.svoca.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29621&stc=1&d=1243393554

Off car

http://www.svoca.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29622&stc=1&d=1243393645

Cut bracket

http://www.svoca.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29623&stc=1&d=1243393746

Installed bracket behind flange

http://www.svoca.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29624&stc=1&d=1243393834

Installed bracket piece

http://www.svoca.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29620&stc=1&d=1243393488

Check in the wheel and tire section for info on the wheels.

[svono50]

That is a creative way to move things inboard for clearance.

Only thing I would question is how well will the adapter plate hold up under a panic braking event. The plate takes a large rotational load from the caliper bracket when you apply your brakes. Now that the plate has a large cutout in it, how will it react?

[1low86svo]

looks good i need to do the swap for my cobras.

[90lx86svo]

That is a creative way to move things inboard for clearance.

Only thing I would question is how well will the adapter plate hold up under a panic braking event. The plate takes a large rotational load from the caliper bracket when you apply your brakes. Now that the plate has a large cutout in it, how will it react?

I welded the peice I cut out back in. HELP used to make drum brake backing plate that were similar.

[pstocker]

00R0R_2V45pzc9t3r_600x450.jpgResurrecting an old thread here, I know... Sorry, but I had one simple question.

For this mod, 90lx86svo, you used an sn95 rear axle for this mod right? I am trying to fit on some 1998 Mustang GT 5-spoke 17" wheels and as is they will stick out too far in the wheel well. Will this mod let this fit properly in the rear wheel well?

[svono50]

That should help tuck them in better, just need to make sure how much clearance you will have to the quad shocks...if you still run them. I think you may be able to flip the quads and get more clearance in the tire/rim edge area as well, but can't say for certain as I haven't done it personally.

Those wheels should have a similar offset to the 96 Cobra's I used to run, which I had to roll my rear wheel well lips for and the tires would still rub with enough suspension movement. 1/2" inboard would have virtually eliminated that issue. I ran 245/45R17's on those rims for reference. A narrower tire (i.e.- 235) may have less interference.

One other thing to note, I used to rub the 245/50R16's on the stock tires without the lips rolled, so there wasn't a ton of clearance to begin with. So far the 245/45R17's on my TSW wheels haven't hit the lips even with some severe movement back there, but these wheels have a 35mm offset, which is just 5mm more than the Cobra's and probably your 98 wheels. Good luck and make sure you post some before and after pics, so we can see how much it helped.