Widest tire on 240 wagon with narrowed Ford 8.8

[Grendel]

So, I am new here.

Not new to hot rodding, etc.

Working with Giffin's Performance to stick a 400hp GM L83 and 6 speed auto into a 1990 240 Wagon.

Cutting a Ford (rhymes with Turd) 8.8 for the rear to use both narrow shafts. All the interior is out, so I am not opposed to making mini tubs or going much narrower with the rear differential.

What tire can I fit before I start messing with the rear suspension, beyond coil overs?

[thatcher.hubbard]

I think the widest I've seen on a 240 here is this car:

http://forums.turbobricks.com/showpo...72&postcount=1

You've gotta scroll down a ways because he put the history of the car into one long post, but he did some body work, flared the fenders and fit 295/30R18 tires under it.

This car is one of the coolest LS swaps and nicest builds I've seen around here, and he actually goes into detail about the 8.8 swap he did earlier in the thread:

http://forums.turbobricks.com/showpo...&postcount=285

I believe both of those cars are running well over 400hp.

[towerymt]

Originally Posted by Grendel

Cutting a Ford (rhymes with Turd) 8.8 for the rear to use both narrow shafts. All the interior is out, so I am not opposed to making mini tubs or going much narrower with the rear differential.

What tire can I fit before I start messing with the rear suspension, beyond coil overs?

If you want to build inward, you can try something like this (not my car):
http://forums.turbobricks.com/showth...30#post1445330

This thread has one photo that someone else added a few supports to but looks like the original photos are gone:
http://forums.turbobricks.com/showth...86#post1223986

Here are some photos from my project thread.

If you want to carve up the body, you can fit whatever tire you want.

I split the fender lip, sliced along the bottom of the quarter panel, and bumped it out with a scissor jack to get 275s under there. This gives about 1.5" wider fender when measured at the top of the mudflap where the quarter panel tucks back in, and where the common tire rub occurs first on a 240 that's lowered.

http://forums.turbobricks.com/showth...65#post3261965

Rear shot, rear quarter pulled 1.5", 275/45/16 on 16x9.5 ET3

http://forums.turbobricks.com/showth...35#post3795535
(front fenders just had the entire lip rolled outward, ugly but effective)

Then I built 17x11 with 295/35/17 and started moving the fender arch out some more. With the rear on bump stops, it should clear.

http://forums.turbobricks.com/showth...29#post4642329
http://forums.turbobricks.com/showth...15#post4648515
http://forums.turbobricks.com/showth...89#post4687189

One more project thread...this car got an 8.8 and some 18x9.5" 285/30 rears, not a ton of photos though, mostly fender work to fit them on the rear.
http://forums.turbobricks.com/showth...117753&page=23

[Grendel]

Thanks... the funny thing is, a lot of these threads are by friends from Lat-G or Pirate... and now I find them here.

Picked up my engine and trans today... and the car is almost ready.

Should this be my build thread?

I am planning a 315/30ZR18 square chassis.

[J_Jones]

I have gotten a 275 under there with only rolling fenders but rubbed badly on articulation. 245/40/17 currently without issue.

[RvolvoR]

Originally Posted by Grendel

Thanks... the funny thing is, a lot of these threads are by friends from Lat-G or Pirate... and now I find them here.

Picked up my engine and trans today... and the car is almost ready.

Should this be my build thread?

I am planning a 315/30ZR18 square chassis.

You're probably going to have to work with the front suspension stuff a bit as the offsets you have to run for a 315 on stock design front suspension cause quite a bit of scrub radius and steering pull.

[pwschuh]

What do you intend to do with the car? The rear track is already more narrow than the front, so going inward is more useful for drag racing than handling.

[Grendel]

All around driver to use up a bunch of spare parts.

And yes, looking to rework and lower the front as well. Make it handle, go like stink and stop like a hellstallion.

[pwschuh]

If you want to make it handle, then narrowing the rear axle (and therefore further narrowing your rear trackwidth) is probably not your best option.

[Grendel]

Originally Posted by pwschuh

If you want to make it handle, then narrowing the rear axle (and therefore further narrowing your rear trackwidth) is probably not your best option.

Narrowing the 8.8 to get to a more reasonable width, closer to factory. In some instances, going in helps too.

I plan to fill in all space with a wider tire. Wider in both directions.

Front will also get wider with longer control arms and different rack ends. As someone mentioned already, scrub radius, thrust angle and Ackerman are important.

We fit a 345/30ZR20 in back of a 2nd Gen Camaro on custom 5 link IRS with flared quarters and mini tubs. Not our first rodeo, I just don't want to get into it on this wagon... at least not yet.

[DrZiplok]

Originally Posted by Grendel

Narrowing the 8.8 to get to a more reasonable width, closer to factory. In some instances, going in helps too.

The factory front / rear track width ratio is not optimal from a 'handling' perspective; it's not terrible, but going wider at the back is easier than narrower, and if you're planning on widening the front that's more reason to do the same at least at the back.

[opinion] If you want it to stop, check out my thread on the Mk60 ABS conversion. And see if you can hunt down someone making brackets for the Cadillac Brembos (or cut your own) - I think the OP has moved on, but they are The Business.

[Grendel]

Originally Posted by DrZiplok

The factory front / rear track width ratio is not optimal from a 'handling' perspective; it's not terrible, but going wider at the back is easier than narrower, and if you're planning on widening the front that's more reason to do the same at least at the back.

[opinion] If you want it to stop, check out my thread on the Mk60 ABS conversion. And see if you can hunt down someone making brackets for the Cadillac Brembos (or cut your own) - I think the OP has moved on, but they are The Business.

I decided to use 6 piston front and 4 piston rear Brembos. It will stop. I can make my own abutments.