Front wider than rear..

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tjb1984

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'71 dart, Disc brakes in the front. Last owner said it was converted using parts from a later model dart or some A Body. Now the tires in the front sit out about 1.5-2" more than the rear tires per side.. I wouldnt care but it looks horrid with the cragers that are on it 14x7 3.5-4" BS and i cant move the rears out because there 245's and theres only an inch away from the fender. Can this be converted better? something to make it more narrow in the front and retain the disc?

Im assuming this would be perfect for late model mustang wheels due to the positive offset, then im stuck with a spacer in the rear and theres limited room to work with back there.

Any ideas? Maybe help me ID whats on the front of this thing lol
 
Thats normal. You can try less backspacing in the back and more in the front.
 
Im trying to find a good looking factory style 14" wheel that has 2 different BS. Like the type that would be color matched to the car with a large dish center cap.. Where could i find that? I tried summit and although they have the wheels i want, they dont have them with a 1.5" difference in BS.
 
you would have to get them custom made. I dont know of anyone doing 14" steel wheels in different back spacings. Maybe swapping in a B body rear to widen the track will work.
 
tjb1984 said:
'71 dart, Disc brakes in the front. Last owner said it was converted using parts from a later model dart or some A Body. Now the tires in the front sit out about 1.5-2" more than the rear tires per side.. I wouldnt care but it looks horrid with the cragers that are on it 14x7 3.5-4" BS and i cant move the rears out because there 245's and theres only an inch away from the fender. Can this be converted better? something to make it more narrow in the front and retain the disc?

Im assuming this would be perfect for late model mustang wheels due to the positive offset, then im stuck with a spacer in the rear and theres limited room to work with back there.

Any ideas? Maybe help me ID whats on the front of this thing lol
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Assuming you have the big bolt pattern wheels now you have a 73-76 Disk brake set up, there may be slight differences in that year spread but nothing that will change your front track width. The cars all came from the factory with the narrower rear width. My Duster looked great with wheel adapters on it's small pattern 7-1/4 rear until I swapped to the bigger rear end with 4.5" pattern rims. Always thought the car looked better with wheels pushed out an extra inch on each side in the rear. These cars look best with stockish wheel and tire sizing in my opinion.

Other than using spacers in the rear, you are going to have to remove the wheels and measure for the perfect wheel offset to get there. Good luck.
 
You might be surprised to find how many cars AND trucks!! didn't have the same track front/ rear
 
The disc brake cars are wider in the front, mine was too. I put an early B body 8 3/4 rear in mine and now it's the same front and back..
 
This car has a 8 3/4" rear, just no room to make it wider to match due to the fenders. Ill have to go with a mustang type offset in the front and the same in the rear with a 1.5" spacers. I just think it looks horrid with the tires sticking out so much, Not the fact that its different in the rear, Just the looks of the front make me sick currently until i get the right wheels.
 
My 73 Dart has the Big Bolt Pattern with Disc up front. The rear wheels are about 1/2" wider and the Offset is about 1/2" less on the rear wheels. They look pretty even front and back but if the wheels were Identical, tracking would be wider up front. I would agree that this is normal especially on Dart Swingers since the Tires ride "Inside" the rear wheel wells. Narrower front wheels or More offset on the front would even things up for you. but you have to watch your clearance with your front end components.
 
tjb1984 said:
This car has a 8 3/4" rear, just no room to make it wider to match due to the fenders. Ill have to go with a mustang type offset in the front and the same in the rear with a 1.5" spacers. I just think it looks horrid with the tires sticking out so much, Not the fact that its different in the rear, Just the looks of the front make me sick currently until i get the right wheels.
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You probably have the A body rear. I would just look for a wheel for the back with less backspace as opposed to spacers. But if you do move the rear tires out, isn't that going to be the same as having a wider rear, just food for thought.
 
Well if i got something with a 5.5" BS for the front and rear i could run em on the front just fine, Then to make the rear even id have to run a spacer.
 
tjb1984 said:
Well if i got something with a 5.5" BS for the front and rear i could run em on the front just fine, Then to make the rear even id have to run a spacer.
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It seems to me that more often than not people run different width/offset front Vs. Rear. So maybe you just need to find 2 wheels that will even things up.
 
I'm not sure you could get away with 5.5 on the front without some rubbing on the inside. If you can, then 5.5 on the front and 4 on the back, then you wouldn't need spacers.

Most stock wheels are around 4" BS, at least mine are anyway.

The rear I put in my car is about 1.5" wider on each end . With stock wheels all the way around the track width front to rear is the same now.
 
Badsport said:
I'm not sure you could get away with 5.5 on the front without some rubbing on the inside. If you can, then 5.5 on the front and 4 on the back, then you wouldn't need spacers.

Most stock wheels are around 4" BS, at least mine are anyway.

The rear I put in my car is about 1.5" wider on each end . With stock wheels all the way around the track width front to rear is the same now.
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that B Body rear is the way to go.....

i use a 14 x 5.5" steel in front with a 3 1/2 backspace and a 15 x 7 steel in back with a 4" backspace and that evened them out...
 
I run 15xx5.5 on the front and 15x6 on the rear and mine looks pretty balanced. That will probably change when I go to a set of all 4 15x6.7 Rallies.
 
How about posting a couple pics?
C
 
Ok, here's a comparison. The GTS has factory 14x5.5 wheels with 215-70-14s on them. Small bolt all the way around. The 67 has factory 15x6.5 rallyes (obviously not original to the car) with 215-60-15s up front and large bolt discs and large bolt rear with B-body offset axles. I don't think either car looks bad.
 

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73AbodEE said:
probably a 14 x 5 on yours with a 3 1/2 or so backspace.
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Did they make that size with the 4.5" pattern? that size wheel would take care of some of the problem if mounted on the front only. Found some on summit's site that are 5.5" with a 4.6" BS. That would narrow the front 4" overall from where its at now.
 
tjb1984 said:
Did they make that size with the 4.5" pattern? that size wheel would take care of some of the problem if mounted on the front only. Found some on summit's site that are 5.5" with a 4.6" BS. That would narrow the front 4" overall from where its at now.
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i have 14 x 5.5 big bolt steels on the front of my duster. those will work fine on yours. are you sure of your bolt circle size? the reason i ask is all pre 73 A bodies are a 4" pattern unless its been converted to the larger circle
 
Yea its been converted, I wasnt sure but i measured it and it checks out. This car needs so much, Im trying to stay in the 14" wheel range because my tires are just fine. Would be perfect to buy 2 wheels and be done with it.
 
My 73 Duster had factory disk, and the associated wider track in front.

I used a 67 Coronet 8 3/4, which dropped right in.

I ran 14x5.5 rallyes in front and 15x6.5 in the rear.
 

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73AbodEE hit the nail on the head. When converting my Valiant to Discs and Big Bolt Pattern (the BBP rear is from a 74 Dart) I had mags on it(15'') and it looked crappy.Other than jacking the front way up the front tires rubbed the fenders in turns.Pulled the mags and went with stock 14''5.5 wide steeles on the front and 15x7(4 1/4 back space) steeles from a 85 rear wheel drive Chrysler NewYorker. Now you can't tell or see the wider track front, everything evened out.
One word of caution wheels(mags)14''or 15'' that have a back space of more than 4 1/4'' on the ''front'' will hit the upper control arm/ball joint and will knock off any clip on wheel weights:-(
 

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