Help; 1998 Cobra with stock rims needs bolt on wheel spacers

[richstang]

Does anyone have a 1998 Cobra (Convertible) with the stock wheels and wheel spacers?

I want to eliminate the tucked in rear on my ’98 Cobra to sit near flush or slightly inside the fender (definitely not outside) without any mods to the stock rims or studs (no fender rolling). Is there a bolt on hub-centric spacer made (quality part such as H&R or Eibach / part #?) that will work?

Everything I’ve read points to either 1” or 1.25”, but I only see 25mm or 35mm. (35mm is 1.378”). I’m running stock OEM tires that are 245/45ZR 17. Pictures would be fantastic if anyone has this set up.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[cobra_neill]

I ran this setup for years and never had an issue. I believe its a 1.25" spacer I have, I also run this on my new 03 cobra wheels that are 1" wider and they sit just shy of the fender. Sometimes it catches on the new wheels but never did on my stockers.

 

[busta]

I'm running a 1" hubcentric spacer that I purchased from AM on my '94 Cobra with no issues. I have the 2000 Cobra R reps and the rear's were tucked in quite a bit prior to installing the spacers.

 

[richstang]

Thanks for the replies so far guys.

I was hoping someone might have pictures for a exact comparison and a part brand name that was a direct bolt on / no modification needed.

That rear quarter panel wheel arch has such a strange contour. It seems to stick out farther at the front and taper back towards the rear.
The tuck from the top of the wheel arch can easily fit a 1.5" / 35mm spacer and not extend past the top point, but gets weird at the back.
That's why I'd like to see pics of a '98 Cobra with stock wheels (spacer size noted).

Also are these rear axles perfectly centered?

I really want to get these ordered and mounted ASAP, but won't do that until I'm certain I'll get the right look I want.

 

[richstang]

Thanks for the replies so far guys.

I was hoping someone might have pictures for a exact comparison and a part brand name that was a direct bolt on / no modification needed.

That rear quarter panel wheel arch has such a strange contour. It seems to stick out farther at the front and taper back towards the rear.
The tuck from the top of the wheel arch can easily fit a 1.5" / 35mm spacer and not extend past the top point, but gets weird at the back.
That's why I'd like to see pics of a '98 Cobra with stock wheels (spacer size noted).

Also are these rear axles perfectly centered?

I really want to get these ordered and mounted ASAP, but won't do that until I'm certain I'll get the right look I want.

Ok...the rear on my low miles BAB definitely sits slight over to the left.
Is this a common problem with the stock suspension / control arms?

 

[cobra_neill]

Mine moves around depending on how its been driven. Sometimes its slightly left, others its right.

I think I may have pictures of my stock wheels with the spacers somewhere.

 

[98cobra#1222]

Here is before I went IRS and put on my widened LeMans.

Not the best picture but the car is a 98 just running 1" H&R spacers. Put the wheels just inside the rear fenders. Also almost no cars have a perfectly centered rear axle. Mine sits just to the driver's side, maybe an 1/8" or less. My IRS also sits slightly to the left.

 

[richstang]

Mine moves around depending on how its been driven. Sometimes its slightly left, others its right.

I think I may have pictures of my stock wheels with the spacers somewhere.

WOW, I didn't expect that kind of reply. I'll have to check that out to see if my car does the same. (thanks)
Maybe the control arm bushings are too soft?

Here is before I went IRS and put on my widened LeMans.

Not the best picture but the car is a 98 just running 1" H&R spacers. Put the wheels just inside the rear fenders. Also almost no cars have a perfectly centered rear axle. Mine sits just to the driver's side, maybe an 1/8" or less. My IRS also sits slightly to the left.

Thanks for posting your pic and reply.
That picture is way better than no pictures. It looks really good from this slight distance, a definite improvement.
Did you happen to take any picture from the rear.


I'm going to try to jack up the rear, unbolt the tires and gap the rotors with both the 25mm and the 30mm spacing to see what might look better.
I've been told 35mm will stick out too far from the rear view.
Your 1" H&R's (25.4mm) look like the right choice.

 

[98cobra#1222]

Thanks for posting your pic and reply.
That picture is way better than no pictures. It looks really good from this slight distance, a definite improvement.
Did you happen to take any picture from the rear.


I'm going to try to jack up the rear, unbolt the tires and gap the rotors with both the 25mm and the 30mm spacing to see what might look better.
I've been told 35mm will stick out too far from the rear view.
Your 1" H&R's (25.4mm) look like the right choice.

Here are some pictures with a little better angle and closer. The wheels are 30mm offset like the factory 98 cobra's so it's as close as I can get, I don't have many pictures with the stock wheels.

Car is up on jacks here so imagine the wheel just lifting straight up to whatever ride height you want. It puts the face almost flush.

 

[richstang]

Here are some pictures with a little better angle and closer. The wheels are 30mm offset like the factory 98 cobra's so it's as close as I can get, I don't have many pictures with the stock wheels.

Car is up on jacks here so imagine the wheel just lifting straight up to whatever ride height you want. It puts the face almost flush.

Nice!!
You have all the mods I'd consider: export t-lights, Cobra grille emblem, lowering springs...
Are those Saleen polished rims?

From the front the wheels looks fantastic to the quarter fender arch, from the back that is a lot of tire showing out from the rear bumper.
That's going to be my deciding factor. Thanks for posting these photos as well as the other one with the stockers

I set up both wheels with 35mm spacing from the rotors tonight. (PIA getting them to sit square / level with nothing to bolt to)
Yep, those are too far out there. I'll try 30mm tomorrow night.

 

[98cobra#1222]

They are chrome Saleen lemans, tough wheels to fine but I love the look of them. I think the 1" is about the perfect spacer for these cars although a lot of guys run 1.25". Keep us updated with what you pick.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[98cobra#1222]

From the front the wheels looks fantastic to the quarter fender arch, from the back that is a lot of tire showing out from the rear bumper.
That's going to be my deciding factor.

Spacing them out definitely shows the tire a good amount. The pictures above are with a 245 rear tire which didn't look all that great from the back. Now the car has 315s which fill out everything and even though you see a lot of tire I like the way it turned out.

 

[richstang]

They are chrome Saleen lemans, tough wheels to fine but I love the look of them. I think the 1" is about the perfect spacer for these cars although a lot of guys run 1.25". Keep us updated with what you pick.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well I finally set up the wheel spacing them out at 30mm. From the front looking back they look great, and are just in from the top of the quarter. But, I'm not sure if they still stick out to far looking at it from the rear straight down the side. The sidewall seems to stick out past to the end of bumper on the driver's side. On the passenger side it seems to site just right. (I still want to take the car for a ride to see if the rear shifts slightly back to the other side or not as mentioned by "cobra_neil".) I guess I'll try the spacing at 25mm and see what that looks like.

I've been taking photos all along so I'll probably end up comparing all of them to come up with a conclusion. I never thought it would be this much work. I figured I'd see a bunch of other 98 Cobras with the spacers and know what I wanted to do from there.

 

[richstang]

Spacing them out definitely shows the tire a good amount. The pictures above are with a 245 rear tire which didn't look all that great from the back. Now the car has 315s which fill out everything and even though you see a lot of tire I like the way it turned out.

Your car looks great with either size tire. They look huge, in width!
These last two pics show off the chrome Saleen Le Mans rims better than the earlier photos.
Thanks again for your replies.

 

[richstang]

Well I set up the 25mm spacing tonight..they look great from the rear but a bit too tucked in looking at it from the front to the back.
I suspect this was probably how the Ford designers wanted the car set up.

I did some side by side photo comparisons...and its a 50/50 tossup
From the front looking back the 30mm look right
From the rear looking forward the 25mm look right....

Now I just need to make a decision and buy the damn things. Anyone else out there that can add something to help?

 

[Cobraonr]

With the 18x10s on a 98 Cobra is there an issue with space btwn the lower control arms and tire? I'm sitting on stock springs and control arms-about to buy new uppers (and LT BBKs, o/r H, cold air intake, & X4 tuner)