Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

Technical => Body/Appearance/Interior => Topic started by: project87thunderbird on December 05, 2004, 11:02:37 PM

Title: bird help
Post by: project87thunderbird on December 05, 2004, 11:02:37 PM
lol aight im prob anoying the hell out of ppl but i dont know anything about changeing rotors in a car i found 18 inch cobra rims that are a 5 lug pattern that i want to put on my car (i might take the cobra symbol out n see if i can find a tbird one to fit), but how can i change my 4x4.25 to a 5x4.5 is that possible without doing alot of work, apparently if i can find that bolt pattern on 10" rotors it will work or i can get a custom made adapter for 130 any one know how to do this or have any idea im lost. i dont have alot of $$ to do htis since im only 17 but if its gonna be around 130 n work better sounds good to me
Title: Re: bird help
Post by: Tbird232ci on December 06, 2004, 07:03:06 AM
regardless, its still a good bit of work, a company makes conversion rotors for the front, but in the rear, youd have to change the axles and drums, thats the cheap easy way, the more proper way is even more work
Title: Re: bird help
Post by: lowcat on December 06, 2004, 10:34:08 AM
It depends what size rotors you want in the front 12 or 13. Either way for a kit that comes with everything you need can run about $400-500. Then you have to get new rear axles and all the brakes for the rear axle. For someone to pull off a 5 lug converstion they are going to have to have a very good understanding of the front suspension and the rear axle and brakes. I would be cheaper to do the adapters but every car I have ever seen with adapters the wheels have stuck out past the wheelwell.
Title: Re: bird help
Post by: crystal on December 06, 2004, 10:51:25 AM
There's no cheap easy way about it, I'm currently collecting parts to do the swap. Brakes are one thing you definately don't want to half @ss.

Which rims are they exactly? They make just about every Cobra R rim in a 4 lug pattern. Someone may be able to point you in the right direction if you can give us a link to a pic of the rims you want.
Title: Re: bird help
Post by: cougarman on December 06, 2004, 11:04:41 AM
I just used brakes from an 84 Continental, they are the same that comes on a Mark VII. I put the axle shafts in my TC housing, and swapped the Lincoln brakets and brakes over. On the front the Lincoln rortos fit on the TC spindles, with a little grinding on the hub of the rotor my Mach1 wheels fit fine.  The rear track is within a half in. of stock. Here's a pic with the Mark wheels on (sorry don't have tires on my good wheels).......... :ies:
Title: Re: bird help
Post by: crystal on December 06, 2004, 11:23:40 AM
It's not always that easy...

Will (weasle) tried using Mark VII parts with his bullit rims and they didn't fit right on the front (couldn't get the center caps on the wheels). He ended up re-doing them with the stang parts. http://www.cougarnuts.com/board/showthread.php?t=1199 (yeah, that took like 10 years to find!)

I've decided to play it safe and use the stang parts just in case since I'm using the Mach 1 wheels which are similar enough to the bullits to worry me.
Title: Re: bird help
Post by: cougarman on December 06, 2004, 11:36:30 AM
Yea, I always wondered about that, because my Mach1 wheels fit great with the center caps. My son has some 18x9 FR500 wheels and they fit too. I guess I'm just lucky :ies: . But that's ok, the whole setup only costing $100, really helped my budget!!!LOL :grinno:
Title: Re: bird help
Post by: crystal on December 06, 2004, 11:43:26 AM
Good to know!

I'm still going stang part though. I have half and I'm not going through this "Well I have stang rears and Mark VII fronts "  :wtf:

Then again, with my connections, it's probably just as cheap  :dunno:
Title: Re: bird help
Post by: cougarman on December 06, 2004, 11:49:46 AM
Oh I'd love to use the Mustang stuff, but around here they are "mega" bucks..lol when you can find them. My son has all the 5 lug Mustang stuff for his 'Bird, nice 13" rotors :ies:  But I'll just stick with these. :grinno:  Your 'Bird will look sweet with the Mach1's on it!!!! :grinno:
Title: Re: bird help
Post by: project87thunderbird on December 06, 2004, 03:33:28 PM
yea i wanted to put the same wheels weasle had on his car on my tbird, but if they arent goin to be easy 1, or will stick out past the wheel wells i dont think im going ot do it. cause im not to good with the whole brakes n stuff, but in a nutshell these are the wheels http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&tc=photo&item=7939183813&category=66484
Title: Re: bird help
Post by: crystal on December 06, 2004, 03:46:09 PM
Yep, no way you're gettin those in a 4 lug pattern. They were my second choice wheels
Title: Re: bird help
Post by: project87thunderbird on December 06, 2004, 04:01:51 PM
ohh i know im not getting them in a 4 lug pattern, but how much money does it cost to make them fit n how much work is it, also does n e one know the biggest possible width of a wheel i can fit on my car no ifs ands or buts without it sticking out of the wheel well
Title: Re: bird help
Post by: project87thunderbird on December 06, 2004, 05:17:13 PM
http://www.coolcats.net/stockmod/modified/wheels_am/index.html it says that it will rub against, unless spacers are provided, if i get the adapter that will move them out like a spacer kinda but is that unpracticle to fit the stang bullit rims
Title: Re: bird help
Post by: project87thunderbird on December 06, 2004, 06:05:41 PM
ahh one last thing can i put 8" tires on the front n 9" on the back since the rear tires dont move?