17x9 Cobra R Help

[LiKuiD]

As some of you might of seen, I just got some Cobra R's on my 98. After driving around for a bit today I noticed two things...

1. It rides like crap.

2. It handles like crap.

I was expecting it to drive differently but this is a bit much. It jerks to the left and to the right and pulls to the left/right and so on. Nothing is consistent. There is also heavy vibrating. I'm not sure if this is a result of the spacers or or something else. Even with the spacers on, it rubs at full lock (which isnt that big of a problem). I'm wondering if I even need them? My tire size is 275/50/17. Maybe I just need an alignment?

Help! Nice wheels are only fun if the truck is still driveable! Any suggestions?

 

[X~FACTOR]

Did you try driving it without the spacers? Did you try to contact the previous owner if he experienced the same thing?

Oh, are you sure you don't have 275/55-17?

 

[Dre]

It rubs because of the spacers... take them off... 17X9 should be plenty wide...


balance wheels and do alignment before complaining more... if the rims are straight and tires OK you should not have problems at all.

Jerking? that could be because of uneven pavement... your tires are pretty wide - you might get that feeling a lot on an uneven pavement. Make sure these babies are aired-up as suppose to...

good luck,

 

[LiKuiD]

I didnt try without the spacers yet. I'll give that a shot this weekend.

As for balancing them, I figured it wasnt necessary if the guy just took them off his truck and they were fine, but shows how much I know about tires.

I'll check the tire size tomorrow...I thought thats what it was...but what do I know!

I'll get an alignment job too and then I should be good I imagine.

Just curious...why would the spacers be causing the rubbing? I thought it was the other way around?

At any rate, thanks!

 

[Dre]

with spacers your wheels stick out more... that's why... usually when stock wheels are turned full lock wheels go inside the wheel wells... with spacers they stick-out and rub on the back lower corner of the front fender.

 

[LiKuiD]

Well I checked some things out today. First, I do have 275/55/17's like you said Ray. I goofed. Second, without the spacers, the sidewall will definetely get torn apart by the upper arm thing (like my terminology?). So i'm not even gonna try mounting them without the spacer. It's literally like a fingers width between the sidewall and the arm now.

So on that note, Im gonna get the tires balanced and get an alignment and hope for the best. Guess thats all I can do for now.

Here's hoping!

 

[SiLenZe]

with performance tires the ride will be worse, but should handle better. there is a big difference between my 17" bfgoodrich and my 18" toyos.
what kind of spacers do you have? i have to run 1.5inch spacers on my cobra r's and have no problems with vibration or handling.

 

[spindlecone]

Try checking the obvious first, would almost bet those rims are bent

 

[LiKuiD]

My guess is theyre 3/8 spacers. They look pretty shoddy..and they way they sit on the lugs, I wouldnt call it a great fit. It kinda hangs down a millimeter or two, causing I bit of a elipse to be seen between the top of the spacer and the back of the hub (aka theyre not perfectly centered). Do you have a picture of your spacers? Or where did you get yours? I think I would like to get a new pair just b/c these look a bit shady...

Actually, they look exactly like this...

 

[Dre]

spacers might be your problem. Why did you get rims without checking if they will fit? Personally, I would never install spacers on any of my cars or trucks. Just get different offset rim...

 

[LiKuiD]

Well, they came off a 2nd gen explorer so I figured there wouldnt be any problem if he ran them on his truck for however long....

So they fit...its just a matter of getting it all right. We'll see how it all is after the front end alignment...

 

[IN2FORD]

I am currently running the 95-96 Cobra 17x8 wheels with spacers. I have the billet 1.5" spacers that bolt on and provide you a second set of studs to mount the wheels to. You can go on Ebay and do a search for mustang spacers and you will see what I am talking about. You may not want that wide of a spacer, but for my application it was perfect. Mine is lifted and I am running a 365/70/17(equal to a 32"). Picture


Rides nice and smooth. Maybe the previous owner did not have a good alignment and cupped the tires. Check to see how even the tire wear is.

 

[IN2FORD]

My bad...typo....not 365 but 265/70/17....

 

[CDW6212R]

IN2Ford, I also have the Cobra 17x8's, but with no spacers. The Mustang 17x8's evidently have the same 30-32mm offset, and should fit. The Cobra R's are 17x9", and will have a different offset, thus the spacers.
I have just received four 1/4" spacers, planning to change tires from 255/60/17's to 265 or 275/60/17's.

LiKuiD, I would highly recommend that you throw those spacers in the scrap pile. The only acceptable spacer is one which only has six round holes in it, perfectly sized. Good spacers are made of 6061 aluminum, and they are not cheap.
I am going to have to send two of mine back. The front studs on my 98 AWD have shanks at the base which are larger than the threads.
Good luck,
DW

 

[LiKuiD]

Alright well for now i'm gonna hafta use those in the front untill I can cough up enough cash for 4 "real" spacers. Know any places that have them for decent prices?

 

[CDW6212R]

Ask around, and check Ebay. I didn't see anything quickly, so I checked around for quality new parts.
I paid $180 COD by money order for four 1/4" spacers. I called Fred Goeske at www.wheeladapter.com and he sent them the same day. He sounded like he knew what he was doing, and they are very nice. Good quality machine work, the rear were tight on the studs. I worked them off and on one at a time until they snugly went on all the way. I hadn't yet discovered that the front needed larger stud holes. I am measuring them to have the holes made to fit. Good luck,
CDW

 

[LiKuiD]

Could I get away with 2 pairs of these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7910952886&category=33749

Or even these look better because its less spacing and they are cheaper (price not quality).

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7910028143&category=42614

Edit: That wheelspacers.com place looks pretty good and I like that price. I'd rather get it from a place like that then ebay anyway. About the front stud holes...is that something I should mention?

 

[CDW6212R]

Hello, I wasn't after a thick adapter, so my choices on Ebay were slim, but the thicker adapters are readily available.
I would suggest that you research your exact need before picking one. Look thoroughly around these forums to learn what other people are using with wheels like yours.
Once you know what you have to have for suspension clearance, then you should select something. I understand that some Explorer owners have chosen wheels to purposefully extend out beyond the fenders. That is there choice, but I am personally trying to keep mine inside the width of the fenders.
Ask others here for guidance with your 9" wide wheels, hopefully you can find one with similar tastes as yours.

I will pull one of my front wheels off tomorrow and measure the shanks with a dial caliper. If you need spacers like mine I will post the dimension here then.
Best of luck,
DW

 

[CDW6212R]

LiKuiD, no worries about the stud shanks.

You asked..."About the front stud holes...is that something I should mention?"

I saw the shanks on an extra hub that I used to test the spacers on. The shanks that I mentioned are the same depth as the thickness of the rotors. They don't protrude through the rotors, so the four spacers need to be the same.

I just finished installing all four of them. I spent about five minutes each to get the spacers loosened up enough that they don't need to be beaten on the studs.
I worked each hole individually onto a separate stud. I had the luxury of a spare hub to partially tap the spacers onto, and gently remove with the wooden handle of a wire brush. I gradually tapped them on more and more, wire brushing the studs in between test fits. After a few times the spacers take just light tapping to install, and the fit is just snug. Without this time spent to fit them, they would have had to be beaten onto the hubs, and they would be very hard to remove.

These 1/4" spacers have left me with about seven threads to engage the lug nuts. Recommended is the thickness of the studs(1/2"), so I wouldn't go any thicker with a simple spacer. Good luck,
Don W

 

[xrdr27]

Make sure you spacers are hubcentric spacers. I was told b4 that explorers are real sensitive to crappy spacers. They HAVE to be hubcentric spacers.