How To: Grind IRS to fit 15x10 wheels with pics!

99SVTMonster

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So we all want to run a 15" drag setup on our IRS equipped terminators, either for the badass look or to run the best times at the track with an IRS friendly tire. Unfortunately, with the comfortable suspension comes a few cons. One of them happens to be the inability to fit a 15" wheel without grinding on the irs knuckle, tie rod, and the cobra brakes. I'm going to make a descriptive write-up on how to do this correctly.

Keep a note: ALL WHEELS MAY BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. My two rear Weld Racing RTS rubbed more in different places. So do not attempt to grind both sides the same WITHOUT test fitting the wheels!

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Tools needed:

1.) Work gloves
2.) Safety glasses
3.) Grinder (thick metal grinding wheel)
4.) Jack
5.) (2) Jack stands
6.) Wheels/tires
7.) Lug nuts
8.) Impact wrench/ cross lug bar
9.) OPTIONAL: MM stainless steel brake line kit (MMBK9R)

Directions:

1. Begin by placing the car in a safe, well lit ground leveled area. You're going to need space on both sides of the car.

2015-01-31 18.10.49.jpg

2. Raise the rear of the car and set the jack stands in place. I placed mine on the rear Full length subframe connectors. Make sure wheels are at least 6 in. off the ground.

3. Remove wheels and tires.

4 . Test fit your 15" wheels.
*Remember: You must mount the lugs in order to get the wheel correctly centered.

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5. Check from behind the behind the wheel, in the barrel to see what places are rubbing. Take a picture or mark the area with a piece of chalk.

*This is the stock clearance of a 15x10 weld rts Wheel.

6. Put on your gloves, eye safety wear, and some long sleeves & pants.

7. Begin grinding little at a time. Keep test fitting wheels after every 5 minutes of grinding.
*Note: You DO NOT want to take too much material off of the tie rod or knuckle. It could be extremely dangerous if it were to break at high speeds. Never heard of this happening, but just a fair warning.

8. Check the clearance between the wheel lip and the brake banjo bolt. If it grinds, you could add a wheel spacer to clear, or install MM brake lines with the low profile banjo bolt.
*My wheel still grinded against the mm bolt a little, so I grinded it down a tiny bit.

9. Repeat the grinding process until wheel clears the tie rod/ irs knuckle and the banjo bolt and brake bleeder.
*Note: clearance changes when car is on load! It may clear when on stands, but that could change once car is lowered to the ground!



10. If you installed the Maximum Motorsports Stainless steel brake line kit (MMBK9R), don't forget to bleed your brake system.

11. Once clear, mount wheels and tires and lower the car. Now DOUBLE CHECK the clearance from the back of the wheels (wheel barrel). I find the best way to do this is flash a light through the front of the wheel and see if it beams through past the tie rod and knuckle.

12. If the tie rod is touching once on load, take note where, and raise again and grind a bit more.

13. Mount those babies once done and enjoy the mean setup. With a bias ply, be ready to cut some nice 60' safely.

Thanks and hope this helped.
*More pics uploaded in comments.
 

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99SVTMonster

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Progress. 10 minutes into grinding and checking the clearance. IRS knuckle still touches a bit.

2015-01-31 18.14.22.jpg

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Banjo bolt from rear view. Clears before wheel is bolted down.
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Tie rod after grinding for 15 minutes. Take your time! The white is where I had spent some time on.

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This is the final clearance once on the ground! Still some light passing through so it's just enough.

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99SVTMonster

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You're final outcome should look similar to this.

20150321_024234.jpg

I painted the IRS knuckle and tie rod with black paint. Looks much better.

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MM brake line kit. This is the banjo bolt. I had to grind down one side of it just a tad. It was rubbing on the inside lip of the wheel.

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And the fitment when all said and done. My car is lowered on eibach pro lowering springs.

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Riddick

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Looks great and nice write up OP. If you purchase the 15x9 with 5.5bs you will only have to grind the knuckle. It will clear stock brake lines just fine. Symach1 on here figured that out.
 

Riddick

MERICA
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I only have first hand experience with the RTS. Worse case scenario you will just have to grind on banjo bolt or purchase the mm brake lines like the op did. You will also have to barely touch the tie rod with a grinder as well. I chose to upgrade my tie rods to the ftbr ones, mm also makes a nice set. Both of those will clear with no modification's.
 

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