Mustang wheels on a Ranger

[ebgbz]

...these Mustang wheels have a 30mm offset and the stock offset for a 1999 Ranger is 55mm.
55mm = 2.165" 30mm=1.18"
...that would indicate to me that I need a 1" spacer.
Is that correct?
The wheels are available for $30. for the 4

 

[Uncle Gump]

Your math is correct...

I know mustang wheels have been discussed many times before... do a search and you should find a few threads that discuss what others have done.

 

[pjtoledo]

stock offset on '99 Ranger alloy wheels is 12mm.

the 1" spacer is correct.

 

[cbxer55]

I'm considering putting the wheels that are on my 07 Mustang on my Ranger once I get some new staggered rims for the Stang. I would not use spacers, but adapters. They bolt to the existing studs, then the rim bolt to the adapters. The ones this company makes are billet, not cast. No way I'd use cast adapters. I have a set of 1.5 adapters from this company on my Lightning due to running 12.5 inch widened rear rims. Have to use them to keep the widened rims from hitting the springs and such. Been on there for years. Install the adapters to the truck using blue LokTite. Always.

The link below says F-150 five lug. But I have checked with them, they can make adapters for the Ranger. They're pricey, but the El Cheapo cast adapters can self destruct, or the studs can start spinning in the adpater, leaving you unable to get the lug nuts off. No thanks, I'll pass on that B.S.

Ford F-150 5 Lug Spacers

This wheel spacer is a hub-centric and wheel-centric spacer for Ford 5 lug vehicles Manufactured in the United State using T6061-T6 Aluminum The set includes 4 wheel spacers and hardware for mounting The studs pressed in are Grade 10 two grades above the requirement set by the Department...

www.wheeladapter.com

 

[don4331]

I'm considering putting the wheels that are on my 07 Mustang on my Ranger once I get some new staggered rims for the Stang. I would not use spacers, but adapters. They bolt to the existing studs, then the rim bolt to the adapters. The ones this company makes are billet, not cast. No way I'd use cast adapters. I have a set of 1.5 adapters from this company on my Lightning due to running 12.5 inch widened rear rims. Have to use them to keep the widened rims from hitting the springs and such. Been on there for years. Install the adapters to the truck using blue LokTite. Always.

The link below says F-150 five lug. But I have checked with them, they can make adapters for the Ranger. They're pricey, but the El Cheapo cast adapters can self destruct, or the studs can start spinning in the adpater, leaving you unable to get the lug nuts off. No thanks, I'll pass on that B.S.

Ford F-150 5 Lug Spacers

This wheel spacer is a hub-centric and wheel-centric spacer for Ford 5 lug vehicles Manufactured in the United State using T6061-T6 Aluminum The set includes 4 wheel spacers and hardware for mounting The studs pressed in are Grade 10 two grades above the requirement set by the Department...

www.wheeladapter.com

You don't have to use adapters on your Lightning; you could do it properly and widen the rear axle 1.5" per side.

The minimum thread engagement for lug nuts is stud diameter = 1/2" for Rangers. So, if you're wanting to run thin spacers, you may need longer studs; however most spacers/adapters of >25mm would bolt to the axle, and have a 2nd set of studs to bolt the rim to. Good adapters are both hub and wheel centeric (diameters of hubs and rim might be different, although they should be between the '99 Ranger and Mustang rim shown).

 

[sgtsandman]

If I remember correctly, 1.5” is the minimum to properly cover the studs on the axle. If you are going to insist on spacers, go with ones that cover the stock lugs instead of using the the stock lugs with spacers to make the wheels fit. I’ve seen too many people deal with broken lugs because of spacers.

This is totally ignoring the debate about over stressing your bearings because of the load shift.

Make sure the spacers use separate lugs to bear the stress load and clear the stock lugs. And use blue thread locker to make sure the buried lug nuts don’t work loose behind the wheel.

 

[Robert Mangrum]

I had the bullet wheels on my Sport Trac with 1.5 spacers and AT tires. Lived the look and got lots of compliments. Side note I got them off Craigslist for 250 and they had like brand new low profile tires on them and I rode it like that till time for new tires haha looked quite funny haha

 

[Robert Mangrum]

I do think I remember the lug hole on the Mustang wheels were smaller that sport trac so had to track down some mustang lug nuts.

 

[Zmans]

And this is what I used from the tire shop, custom made to adapt 5x108-5x4.75 51mm thick and 65.5 hubcentric. Use quality adapters. I know it’s not a ranger but something to refer to.
Z

 

[cbxer55]

If I remember correctly, 1.5” is the minimum to properly cover the studs on the axle. If you are going to insist on spacers, go with ones that cover the stock lugs instead of using the the stock lugs with spacers to make the wheels fit. I’ve seen too many people deal with broken lugs because of spacers.

This is totally ignoring the debate about over stressing your bearings because of the load shift.

Make sure the spacers use separate lugs to bear the stress load and clear the stock lugs. And use blue thread locker to make sure the buried lug nuts don’t work loose behind the wheel.

On my Lightning, I'm running three inch wider rims, and splitting the difference with 1.5 adapters. So it should be all balanced out evenly. 1.5 inside, 1.5 outside. That's the way I look at it in any event.

If I put my current Mustang rims on my Ranger, they are wider than the rims on the Ranger now. So if I need to run one inch adapters to get the proper offset, but the rims are wider to the inside, it should all balance out.

 

[racsan]

A 1-1/2” spacer will fully cover the factory ranger lug studs, at least on a ‘94 2wd. I bought 2 spacers to use john deere 212 wheels on my wheel horse, tried them on my ranger just to see if escape wheels could work- they will but I dont care for that look. If I were to run them I would blue loctite the lug nuts holding the spacer to the truck hub, with a positive offset wheel like the factory escape wheel is, im unsure if there would be issues with more loading & stress to the wheel bearings.

 

[don4331]

The extreme version of an adapter is DRW trucks which run 4" adapters on fronts - which when using a dually rim puts the tire centerline back in exactly the same location as the SRW. So, if OEM engineers do it, it can't be all bad, but note they use cast iron for the adapter. They also moved to "wide axles" which gained them bonus of being able to turn the wheels sharper which buys back some turning radius (not that an F-450 SCrew long box is ever going to have great turning radius.)

@cbxer55's adapters are in theory better than @Zmans as they are machined with lip to ensure the rim is mounted concentric to the spacer.

The theoretical minimum thickness for an adapter is 1" assuming 1/2" studs - that allows for 1 stud diameter of material inside the lug nut + 1 stud diameter of thread engagement. In practice 30mm is minimum to ensure for manufacturing tolerances and the hub studs will be below the surface of the adapter.

Ranger rims vary between 6 and 12mm offset depending on wheel width and year. The OPs Mustang rims have a 30mm offset. 30-6=24mm, so if using 1" adapters, the tire center would be within 1.4mm of where the Ford engineer designed for....close enough for practical purposes. 30-12=18, if using 30mm adapters, the tire center will be 1/2" wider than ideal, but only 1/4" outside of outer OEM limits. The axle limit would be reduced a little, so you would need to compare the reduction as a result of spacer versus the ultimate limit.

For rear wheels, I know the flange to axle bearing for stock was 2-3/8" (this is very standard distance for Fords). And I know the 28 spline axle limit is 2,700lbs. Quick back of napkin calculation (2.375+0.25)/2.375*2700 = 2,440lbs. But as my Ranger is a Splash the rear GAWR is only 2,400lb (springs are limiting factor), so I should be safe unless I overload the truck which I would never do. ​

For the @cbxer55's Lightning, he doesn't get the benefit of increased offset because he has made his wheels wider the exact same amount. So, with his 1.5" adapters, he had increased the bearing edge to wheel centerline from 2-3/8" to 3-7/8", which increased load on axle bearing. But then he probably doesn't load his Lightning up with camper or tow a 5th wheel, so he just needs to be aware of limit he has created on his truck.

Actual worst case for cbxer55 is when he is carving down the back road on way home and comes around corner, only to find a 4x4 lying on road. And he almost misses it, but just catches it on the outside edge of his wider than stock tires. Then the poor axle is fighting both the spacer and wider/heavier wheel. And people blame the spacer for the failure.​

​

An adapter moving the load on bearing outboard has kept me from building dually Ranger - the thought of hitting something on road with the outboard tire wouldn't be good for the poor 28 spline axle.

 

[cbxer55]

That's very interesting reading. I'm just wondering if I have overloaded the bearings. The rims are widened three inches on the inside. With 1.5 spacers, I have split the difference. 1.5 of the widened rim on the inside, the spacers placing 1.5 to the outside. Seems to me the load is right back where it started from to begin with. And you're correct, I don't haul anything in the L. It has a hard bed cover and I use it like a big trunk. I don't have a need to haul or tow anything heavy, I don't own a B.O.A.T (Bust Out Another Thousand).

Oh, my spacers are also machined in the back to fit over the thing on the axles that centers the rim. So there is no possibility there is any wiggle from them. But also, the lug nuts that hold the spacer on are conical, and fit in slightly countersunk holes.

 

[don4331]

Apologies @cbxer55, I thought (assumed) you had added 1.5" to both inside and outside of the rims when you added the 3". If all 3" is on inside, yes, it is more/less back where you started on the axle (sort of like dually rim on front of F-350).

 

[sgtsandman]

On my Lightning, I'm running three inch wider rims, and splitting the difference with 1.5 adapters. So it should be all balanced out evenly. 1.5 inside, 1.5 outside. That's the way I look at it in any event.

If I put my current Mustang rims on my Ranger, they are wider than the rims on the Ranger now. So if I need to run one inch adapters to get the proper offset, but the rims are wider to the inside, it should all balance out.

I’m running 2” spacers on my trailer so that the 10” tires I upgraded to from the 12” tires would clear the frame. The tires are still the same diameter but 4” +/- wider. So far they have been fine and I haven’t burned any bearings but the trailer doesn’t get the mileage my vehicles do either. And I have bearing buddies to make sure the grease is good.

I did exactly what I recommended. Cleaned the lugs and nut threads real well and thread locked them. Never had a problem. Also not the best solution but it works for now. When I upgrade the axle, I’m getting the proper width so I can ditch the spacers.