A question for the guys who have already installed the RE-SPEED TII big brake kit (5-lug) on a 12A (non-GSLSE) FB.

What effective offsets have you found will or have worked after the big brake install under the stock fenders? My FB has a Ground Control coil-over set-up up front and the fenders are rolled front and rear.


I'm looking at wheels:

either 16" or 17"
FRONT - 7" / 7.5" wheels
REAR - 8" / 9" wheels


Any info anyone has is much appreciated.


Thanks guys!

-Bern

PS: I did a few searches and have not got a definitive answer.

 

If I remember correctly, on my 82 that I installed the RE-Speed race coil over set on the front and big brakes onto, I was able to fit a 16x7 with +42mm offset and 1" spacer without a problem. This equates to an offset of about a +17mm. I still had space on the inside too, can't recall how much exactly though. Rear had plenty of space with the 16x7's at the same offset with a half inch spacer.

You may just have to dig deeper into your searches. I know the information is out there on what fits and what doesn't. I believe on both front and rear the offsets will stay the same with the big brake kits. I don't know anything about the ground control coil overs though so I don't know if the lower perch on the front struts will affect anything for you.

 

I have had this kit on my SA for a while. I am running 16x7 and 16x8 +25(I'm 99% sure). The fronts ave 215/40/16 and a 5mm spacer , respeed coilovers, and rolled fenders. The rears I have ran everything from 225/50 (looked great but rubbed on bumps) to the current 215/45(slightly stretched, but fit great). The rear is on respeed adjustable spring perches, has rolled fenders, and has SE spec Moser axles(slighlty longer than nonSE spec). For my set up the rears would fit better with the nonSE spec axles, but it works fine now and I intend to flare it at some point anyways.

A great set up, and something I want to run for daily use is FC vert wheels. They are 15" though. Everything I have seen says the fronts will need a 1" spacer to clear the shock/spring, and the rears with need a 20/25mm spacer to match the front. The rears will bolt on without a spacer, but won't have the same tracking width as the fronts. I am not sure what offset this would equate to, but you could do some research and figure it out.

I hope this helps.

 

Thanks guys... I'm getting that +20 or lower works with the BBK. If anyone else has any real world experience or anecdotal information, I'd love to hear it! Awesome to get feedback from the community!

aws140 any pics of your SA with the 16s?

-Bern

 

i have an SE. i did the BBK and converted to the 5 lug. i am running 17x8 +50 offset wheels all around. i also have ground control coilovers in the front and RE speed perches for the rear. in front i have a 38mm spacer (1.5 inch) and 205 tire (stretched). on the rear, no spacer and running 245's. i have tire rub on big bumps but it works pretty well. i hope this helps.

 

Thanks hoang5659 it does help... you're at about +12mm in front, the standard GSL rear is a bit different from SE, but the info helps.

I did find more folks (information) with SEs with the BBK, but not so much 12A rides, why I asked a separate question.

THANKS to all who have replied hopefully we can get a few more good detailed responses and archive this string for others. When I do the swap, I will document and share.

I'd love to see a few pics of everyones RXs with the wheels!


-Bern

 

See attached. That is a 15x7 4.5BS (12.7 mm OS)

 

that looks good! Do have a RE-SPEED 5-lug BBK installed? Don't want to assume... thanks mattp!

-Bern

 

Yeah that was with the FC hubs and a 205/50 tire.

Actually I was looking at other pictures from that day (in 2006) and there's no rotor shown. It looks like I took them without a rotor installed so consider the hub thickness of the rotor. That would put you in the +17 to +20 or so OS range with a 7" wheel. Sorry about that.

 

I created an album and loaded pics into it in my profile. These are older pics, before I installed the rear spring perches. I can try to take more pics later on.

 

Looks good... thanks for posting the pics, the 7 and wheels look good.

-Bern

 

this is what my setup looks like... yes those are mustang wheels. lol those were the cheapest wheels i could find for my 5 lug conversion. i kind of like it. i call it the "maztang" lol i hope this helps.

 

Those Mustang wheels don't look too bad on your ride! Thanks for sharing!!

-Bern

 

Bern,
you stop before I report you to the city for having a collection of junk RX in your backyard lol

 

I went with Enkei RPF1s: 16x7 +30 in the front and 16x8 +32 in the back.

 

Too late Wacko, Building & Safety already came by and told me to throw my junk out!

-Bern

 

Very nice.. do you have any pics? Also with those offsets front and rear, and no mention of spacers, I assume you have upgraded your GS to GSL-SE front suspension and rear-end?

-Bern

 

I have the RE big brake kit front and rear and I have the RE coilover kit up front (just running Tokico blues and Eibach springs in the back right now).

I don't have any shots of the back -- I'll get one tonight -- but here's the front. There's no engine in at the moment, so I'm sorry it's not an accurate shot of how low the car will be.



EDIT: here's a better shot:

 

Thanks for the pics... Dysfnctnl85.

I am curious to know if with that offset wheels (+30) on a 12A front-end if things don't rub a bit. From others post here, it would seem at least a 8mm-10mm spacer would be needed.

Also a question, did you upgrade the rear-end to a limited-slip (GSL, GSL-SE) unit? If so did you swap/upgrade the whole axle assembly or just the pumpkin unit. I don't think your ride was rolling around with a Cosmo swap with stock GS rear drum-brakes and an open dif, right?

Thanks again!

-Bern

 

Billy actually prototyped everything on my car. It's probably the saddest example though since my car hasn't been on the road. Life catches up fast!

I swapped out the entire rear end for a GSL disk brake unit with an LSD. I upgraded to the Moser axles (through Billy) as well.

Unfortunately I did not have the luxury to test out wheel fitments much. I do know that FD wheels will not fit up front without a spacer...hence the FS thread...heh.

 

Thanks for all the info. I can't wait to see the car all put together. Your set-up has now thrown a few more questions into my offset search.

It seems anything from 15mm to 30mm work without spacers on a 12A car suspension, per the post here.

-Bern

 

16x8 +20 on my fronts stick out about 2" (1979). I had my 8.8 sized to be in same location as the GSL-Se and it only sticks out 1" with the same wheels. You have to use a minimum of 5mm spacers with the fronts with this kit. Once my WB parts are on I will use 25mm spacers back there to make it even.

 

I forgot to ask. All the FC guys say the bearings need to be pressed in but when I took apart my hubs hey simply fell out. Do I need to press the new ones?

 

No, the races that come with the replacement bearings need to be pressed in, but the bearings themselves do not. They are installed the same way as the stock first gen bearing.

 

Thanks dream36realms! So will you be adding flares to your SA, as spacers will only make the wheels stick out even further?

-Bern