may be a stupid question

[96Stang]

but what exactly do wheel spacers do??
is it just for the look...or does it add anything else to the car...i like the idea of the look with my wheels lining up right with my fenders but didnt know if it added anythign else?
eric

[wgknestrick]

Wheel spacers are generally a comprimise to get wheels with improper offsets to fit on cars.

[96Stang]

ok..so i was wrong all together then??
i always thought the idea was to make them stick out a little bit...you know to line up better with fenders or somethign...guess not..thanks man

[Honest_Bob]

I think of them as something else to go wrong. If you go with some I would suggest getting some good quality ones not ebay specials.

[05GT]

Originally Posted by 96Stang

ok..so i was wrong all together then??
i always thought the idea was to make them stick out a little bit...you know to line up better with fenders or somethign...guess not..thanks man

You are not totally wrong. They can/are some times used to extend the wheels out to or past the fender.

[96Stang]

cause i really wanna eliminate this look...like the back wheel mainly...i hate how it looks like its pushed back

[wgknestrick]

To eliminate that gap:

Get wider wheels with less offset.

Wheel spacers aren't really a good thing, think band aid.

[96Stang]

Originally Posted by wgknestrick

To eliminate that gap:

Get wider wheels with less offset.

Wheel spacers aren't really a good thing, think band aid.

thanks man...as much as i dont like that space...id rather do my exhaust first...i was gonna do the spacers if they were a good idea and good way to do that but i will take your advice..thanks alot
eric

[NJGOAT]

As has been said above, spacers have their uses, but they really aren't intended for what you were thinking about. You usually see guys using them when they want a certain wheel style but can't get it in the proper offset.

As for your styling issue that you want to eliminate, I would recommend some slightly fatter rims and tires. You have a zillion options with Mustang rims and they will help fill out the rear a lot. Also, the biggest bang for the buck improvement on a Stangs styling, IMO, is lowering the car. Eliminating the 4x4 look helps a lot. I ran a Saleen Racecraft 3 suspension on mine and couldn't have been happier.

Couple of questions though...

What is your goal for the car, what I mean is what do you want it to do? Drag race, road race, cruiser?

Also, what exhaust were you thinking of getting?

[96Stang]

Originally Posted by NJGOAT

As has been said above, spacers have their uses, but they really aren't intended for what you were thinking about. You usually see guys using them when they want a certain wheel style but can't get it in the proper offset.

As for your styling issue that you want to eliminate, I would recommend some slightly fatter rims and tires. You have a zillion options with Mustang rims and they will help fill out the rear a lot. Also, the biggest bang for the buck improvement on a Stangs styling, IMO, is lowering the car. Eliminating the 4x4 look helps a lot. I ran a Saleen Racecraft 3 suspension on mine and couldn't have been happier.

Couple of questions though...

What is your goal for the car, what I mean is what do you want it to do? Drag race, road race, cruiser?

Also, what exhaust were you thinking of getting?

goal for the car is just to get it where i want it looks/performance but i would consider it a cruiser i guess...not tryin to autox or really race..might take it to the track a few times and might run some people on the road but nothign too much
exhaust-i didnt have anythign in particular in mind..i dont want anything tooo out of control loud, but i want a nice deep tone with a good idle sound...gotta get rid of those cats first man...too many of em haha...looking to buy a bbk o/r h pipe this weekend if i can get up to quakertown..any suggestions?? on cat-back or anything...and btw-where did you get your suspension and how much did that run you??
eric

[NJGOAT]

For a cat back, I have always been a fan of Borla and Bassani on Mustangs. Head out to Corral or Stang.net and listen to some sound clips. Only you know what you want your car to sound like. As for the mid pipe, the car is going to get loud when you remove all those cats. Also, you will throw check engine lights unless you buy O2 sims or have the car tuned. The CEL won't hurt anything but can get annoying. Generally the Mustang rule is X-pipe for power, h-pipe for sound. You'll get gains with both, but the X design makes more power while making the exhaust raspier.

My full suspension setup was 3k in just parts and another 1500 for installation and alignment. It essentially replaced the entire suspension. That was the only thing I had done to the car. I road raced it, so that was all I really needed. If you were thinking of suspension things a nice matched set of shocks, struts, lowering springs and sway bars would make a great combo and could be bought over time. Get the sways first, then the lowering springs and then shocks and struts. Also, don't forget the quad shocks. Your car has a 4-link rear that uses a set of shocks in place of a panhard rod. Many of the more aggressive suspension setups replace the 4-link with a panhard rod, but for the street that may be a little much. I would suggest either Steeda, Saleen, Roush or Eibach for the suspension parts.

[driftingeric2k4]

^^ Good info.

[driftingeric2k4]

Originally Posted by 96Stang

cause i really wanna eliminate this look...like the back wheel mainly...i hate how it looks like its pushed back

I have the same wheels on my 2000 gt. The wheels that they usually come with suck. So I traded them at the dealership when I got my car All mustangs suffer from nasty fender gap though unfortunately. I plan to lower mine in the future to eliminate that. Not too concerned with the wheels lining up to the fenders though. I think my car has bigger gap than yours!

[96Stang]

true true...like the wheels on yours better though...
an njgoat...good info on the suspension and all...as for the mid-pipe...i think im going to buy the bbk o/r h-pipe this week coming up...i think im gettin a decent deal and im gettin the mil eliminators with it...all for 80 or so...so i think im gettin an alright deal...suspension will take some time to do...not tryin to go nuts but need the car lower and some better handling in general

[BMS]

i don't think wheel spacers would do much b/c it would be hard to find like a 2inch wheel spacer for that gap. plus alos would need a longer studs