I posted this back in March in the regular 96-98 Threads, but I see people ask all the time and occasionally get a PM on what is required for the swap, so maybe this will help a few people. So to follow is just a copy and paste of that thread for the 15 x 3" and 15 x 8" (5.5" BS)...
Yea, I know this has been done, but I never saw anyone say exactly where to grind and an idea of how much on the rear brakes. As you can see there is very little needed to be ground off. See in 1st pic where the shiny part is, that's where we are going to grind. Die grinder with a 80 grit sanding wheel and about 2-3 minutes max per side. What I did was gently put wheel on with 2 lugs and just barely snug them up. Turn the wheel by hand with car in neutral and e-brake released. I just jacked the car up by the rearend pumpkin center. After making a couple of complete revolutions you could hear it scraping. Pulled the wheel off and ground where the wheel had left a mark on the caliper. After grinding, I put a lite coat of black spray paint and tried again. After a couple of times of doing this I finally was left with no rubbing. I also like this idea, because if it doesn't scrape, the caliper is painted to protect against even more corrosion then they already have!!!
I hadn't really heard anyone whine about the fronts and for some reason thought they would be entirely bolt-on with my Eibach 1" spacers. WRONG, I spent way more time on the fronts than I did the back!! You have to cut off about 1/2" on each of the lugs to clear the spacer. In this case I have no pics as it's really self explanatory. Get a die-grinder and a cut-off wheel and go crazy!! I tried to cut off as little as really needed. Just remember that the lugs can't be as long as the spacer is thick, in my case about .980 of an inch. After cutting and installing the spacer take a straight edge and make damn sure the lugs don't come out past the spacer!!! To guys that only have access to a Dremel...be ready to be there awhile!!! As I said before a die grinder, abrasive cut-off wheel and an air compressor (as I did it) is the way to go.
Overall not a horrible job, but if I were buying new I would go for 16", at least in the front. To save the work, probably safer than running with a 1" spacer and I am not that thrilled with the spacer, it puts the wheels a little further out in the front fender than I really like.
I took the car out just for a quick spin to make sure I heard no scrapping and that the car would drive ok. Didn't really want to get to the drag strip and go full bore there and find out at 120mph or so that I had a wobble or the car felt too unstable. Seemed fine up to about 80mph. I did notice the ABS sounding funny at 1st, my guess is since the backs are 28" and the fronts are I suppose a stock-like 25.5 or 26" tall that it's not gonna act right. The ABS light came on and it's not making the noise anymore, and seemed to stop ok, although I never really hammered the brakes much?!?!
The drive was interesting, as I had a bunch of people really eyeballing it. I do think it looks mean, and I don't think you see many convertibles with big and littles real often!!!!
Yea, I know this has been done, but I never saw anyone say exactly where to grind and an idea of how much on the rear brakes. As you can see there is very little needed to be ground off. See in 1st pic where the shiny part is, that's where we are going to grind. Die grinder with a 80 grit sanding wheel and about 2-3 minutes max per side. What I did was gently put wheel on with 2 lugs and just barely snug them up. Turn the wheel by hand with car in neutral and e-brake released. I just jacked the car up by the rearend pumpkin center. After making a couple of complete revolutions you could hear it scraping. Pulled the wheel off and ground where the wheel had left a mark on the caliper. After grinding, I put a lite coat of black spray paint and tried again. After a couple of times of doing this I finally was left with no rubbing. I also like this idea, because if it doesn't scrape, the caliper is painted to protect against even more corrosion then they already have!!!
I hadn't really heard anyone whine about the fronts and for some reason thought they would be entirely bolt-on with my Eibach 1" spacers. WRONG, I spent way more time on the fronts than I did the back!! You have to cut off about 1/2" on each of the lugs to clear the spacer. In this case I have no pics as it's really self explanatory. Get a die-grinder and a cut-off wheel and go crazy!! I tried to cut off as little as really needed. Just remember that the lugs can't be as long as the spacer is thick, in my case about .980 of an inch. After cutting and installing the spacer take a straight edge and make damn sure the lugs don't come out past the spacer!!! To guys that only have access to a Dremel...be ready to be there awhile!!! As I said before a die grinder, abrasive cut-off wheel and an air compressor (as I did it) is the way to go.
Overall not a horrible job, but if I were buying new I would go for 16", at least in the front. To save the work, probably safer than running with a 1" spacer and I am not that thrilled with the spacer, it puts the wheels a little further out in the front fender than I really like.
I took the car out just for a quick spin to make sure I heard no scrapping and that the car would drive ok. Didn't really want to get to the drag strip and go full bore there and find out at 120mph or so that I had a wobble or the car felt too unstable. Seemed fine up to about 80mph. I did notice the ABS sounding funny at 1st, my guess is since the backs are 28" and the fronts are I suppose a stock-like 25.5 or 26" tall that it's not gonna act right. The ABS light came on and it's not making the noise anymore, and seemed to stop ok, although I never really hammered the brakes much?!?!
The drive was interesting, as I had a bunch of people really eyeballing it. I do think it looks mean, and I don't think you see many convertibles with big and littles real often!!!!
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