Anyone else with aftermarket wheels?

[ADE 1000]

Has anyone else had wheel bearing problems because of this? I had to replace the front bearings on my '97 at 55K miles which I thought was premature. I am suspecting that my Epic wheels are the incorrect offset.

Regardless, I would like to dump these stupid Epic wheels anyway since the chrome is starting to flake off. I would return to the stock rims, but they were bent when I hit a large pipe on the road a few years ago.

Does anyone have any suggestions on where to get the '96-'98 factory wheels? Or is there an aftermarket wheel that anyone can suggest that fits properly?

Right now I am seriously considering the Borbet Type-R rims on BFG KDWS tires from the Tirerack.

Thanks

------------------
1997 Silver Frost Taurus SHO

- Borla Exhaust
- K&N Panel Filter
- Epic Sonoma II wheels

2001 Quicksilver Corvette Z06

- Pretty much stock

 

[CMurderSHO]

I have 18x7.5 ASA JS5's from the tire rack with 225/45/18 continental sports also the tire rack. I don't have any wheel bearing problems but i did have a stud on each side up front shear off. I don't know for sure why but it may have been the extra stress from the wider and stiffer wheels and tires.
by the way the tire rack is great. I have had nothing but good service from them. best prices and good service. my wheels fit perfect and the tires never rub.

------------------
96 silver frost
18" asa js5 wheels
225/45/18 continentals
bullet turbos 3 1/2" tips
open K&N filter
powerslot slotted rotors
superchips chip
asp underdrives

 

[stephen newberg]

The further your offset is from that of the factory oem wheels (42mm) the harder it will be on wheel bearings. What is your offset? I suspect you should not have problems at 40 mm or even 38 mm, but past 10% you are really loading the bearings and race.

The best bet to find factory rims is calling around to a connected junkyard in the hope that they can come up with a set. Very expensive to buy them from Ford (~$350 US per).

pax
smn

------------------
'98, Black
Mod.Porter intake, K&N panel, SARC cutout, instrumentation cluster, 23mm rear swaybar, 245x50x16 Bridgestone Potenzas

 

[SCOTTDW]

ADE 1000, there is a guy on the Email list of V8SHO.com running Borbet Type T. They look great and he has pics he would probably send you. Let me know if you would like his email. Not sure if he monitors this forum.
Scott
98Silver
K&N Panel
Magnaflows

 

[ADE 1000]

Originally posted by SCOTTDW:
ADE 1000, there is a guy on the Email list of V8SHO.com running Borbet Type T. They look great and he has pics he would probably send you. Let me know if you would like his email. Not sure if he monitors this forum.
Scott
98Silver
K&N Panel
Magnaflows

Scott,

Yes, I would appreciate his email. I would love to see how Borbets look on a SHO.

To everyone else,

Thanks for the responses.

Unfortunetly I have no idea what the offset of these Epic rims are. I had damaged all of my stock rims and needed new wheels fast. I got these rims really cheap and went for them without giving it much thought.

In any case, I think the Borbets from the the Tirerack are a 35mm offset, which is considerably less than the 42mm stock offset. But the Borbets are an inch wider than the stock rims which I believe makes a difference.



------------------
1997 Silver Frost Taurus SHO

- Borla Exhaust
- K&N Panel Filter
- Epic Sonoma II wheels

2001 Quicksilver Corvette Z06

- Pretty much stock

 

[stephen newberg]

Hi,

Offset is independent from wheel width, as a measurement, so the fact that the wheels are wider will not effect it. Offset comes as a movement of the mounting pad from the center of the rim, and hence is not width linked.

If you want to know the offset of the wheel, you can measure it yourself (though obviously you would have to take the wheel off the car, or squigle under by being -very- thin

) or you can contact the manufacturer. They should easily be able to tell you.

pax
smn

------------------
'98, Black
Mod.Porter intake, K&N panel, SARC cutout, instrumentation cluster, 23mm rear swaybar, 245x50x16 Bridgestone Potenzas

 

[SCOTTDW]

ADE 1000, If you did not get my Email on the Borbets last week let me know.
Scott 98 SHO Silver
K&N Panel
Magnaflows 3" tips
33k
Goodyear RSAs

 

[SHO FLY]

I'm getting ready to mount up my 18x7.5 Motosport wheels with goodyear F1's 245/40/18 after trying them up at the shop they fit nicely and don't see any potential problems unless you bottom out on a pothole or something like that.

Check out this link: http://www.v8sho.com/SHO/18x8RimsonaSHO.htm

Good luck in your search

------------------
Seth McCall
SHO_FLY
98 White
Poterized Intake
SHO Shop 3rd cat remove
Bullett Stainless Mufflers
3" Stainless Tips
80mm MAF

 

[ncmcn]

Is anyone running the SVT T-Bird 17s?

------------------
Neil
'99 Black - Last of the Breed
'65 FFR Shelby Cobra 427 S/C
http://neil.mcnulty.org/cobra.htm

 

[fredhurderjr]

Kirk Doucette runs them on his 97.

 

[SHOTYM2]

Something everybody should think about. Aftermarket wheels DO NOT have to pass any kind of specifications for Quality. They look good and then later they look like shit. Why?? The Quality standards of the OEM's are very high. They are the best quality wheels you are going to get. They will last through the winter if need be and will not break or bend easeally, unless you live in Potholeville, MI.

Something else to not forget is are the aftermarket wheels hubcentric. This means do they have a percise fit to the hub or is there a bunch of space and the wheels are centered by the lug nuts. This also is very important.

If you are interested in purchasing Genuine Ford wheels please call Diversified Products at (734) 459-0130. They only sell Ford parts. No Junk!!!!

 

[stephen newberg]

I think the above on aftermarket wheels might be going a bit far. Many aftermarket wheel makers are very competant and serious about producing a quality product. But some, as the poster notes, do not come up to the quality standards that Ford would use.

For what it is worth, I do think that the OEM wheels are extremely well made and am planning to keep using them as the wheels for my winter (only) tires this coming snow season. I will get the most recent Blizzaks for them. The Millas I recently purchased are 17x8 with the 40mm offset and will become the full time good weather wheels. I do think that the finish on them will last a lot better if not subjected to our salt winter roads, where the OEM wheels seem pretty impervious to whatever is tossed at them.

pax
smn

------------------
'98, Black
Mod.Porter intake, K&N panel, SARC cutout, instrumentation cluster, 23mm rear swaybar, 245x50x16 Bridgestone Potenzas

 

[ADE 1000]

Well, I guess it does not matter to me after today. I found some '98 Chrome SHO wheels with tires for $400. No more worries.

Now I have to figure out how to get rid off the Epics.

------------------
1997 Silver Frost Taurus SHO

- Borla Exhaust
- K&N Panel Filter
- Epic Sonoma II wheels

2001 Quicksilver Corvette Z06

- Pretty much stock

 

[stephen newberg]

Great price. Even without tires. If you have any trouble finding a buyer for your wheels, you should mention them at the V8SHO.com list. I suspect someone will take them off your hands promptly.

pax
smn

------------------
'98, Black
Mod.Porter intake, K&N panel, SARC cutout, instrumentation cluster, 23mm rear swaybar, 245x50x16 Bridgestone Potenzas

 

[macoombi]

Speaking of aftermarket wheels, does anybody know of any truly light weight rims. I'm talking super light weight. I might even consider going to a 15" rim (is it possible with these huge rotors? the calipers are awfully close now). I believe that there may be a tenth or two to be gained from a smaller lighter wheel.

 

[stephen newberg]

Team Dynamic wheels are reportedly very light for their strength and size. In most designs there will be a tradeoff between weight and strength. I think the OEM set are about 46lb for the tire and wheel. I would think if you stay within 5-7% of that, you would not get into any trouble.

pax
smn

------------------
'98, Black
Mod.Porter intake, K&N panel, SARC cutout, instrumentation cluster, 23mm rear swaybar, 245x50x16 Bridgestone Potenzas

 

[RI-SHO]

Originally posted by macoombi:
Speaking of aftermarket wheels, does anybody know of any truly light weight rims. I'm talking super light weight. I might even consider going to a 15" rim (is it possible with these huge rotors? the calipers are awfully close now). I believe that there may be a tenth or two to be gained from a smaller lighter wheel.

If you want to go with large brakes(i.e.13" rotors) you need at least 17" rims. And about the weight of Team Dynamics my 18X8 TD Motorsport's weigh 24lbs(each) but i am currently selling them for $1300 if your interested? All the info/pics are here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=593518889

------------------
Click & See My Modified 1993 MTX SHO

 

[SHOZ123]

I had both front bearings go out on my '97 with factory wheels at about 65k.

------------------

 

[stephen newberg]

I was trying to remember about the average I have gotten on wheel bearings on different cars over the years. It varies a lot. I got over 125K miles out of a set on an Explorer. But the Scirocco tended to go through a set in about 2/3s of that distance. The Talon AWD went for about 80K before I got rid of it and never had them replaced. Same for the Mustang Turbo. My wife's Tercel 4wd wagon needed a new set every 70k or so.

I am sure that you can cut the life of any set of wheel bearings with the wrong offset on your wheels, but it is also very possible that Gen III SHOs only get 65K out of a set. Could other people please comment on how long theirs have gone, so we can build up some data here?

pax
smn

------------------
'98, Black
Mod.Porter intake, K&N panel, SARC cutout, instrumentation cluster, 23mm rear swaybar, 245x50x16 Bridgestone Potenzas

 

[ADE 1000]

Well, I am glad to see that I am not alone here. Although I have not heard anyone claim wheel bearing failure prior to my 55K miles.

I any case, I think this is rather sad as it was not a cheap repair. Ford charged me $660 to replace both front bearings.

------------------
1997 Silver Frost Taurus SHO

- Borla Exhaust
- K&N Panel Filter
- Epic Sonoma II wheels

2001 Quicksilver Corvette Z06

- Pretty much stock