Pinto Car Club of America

Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: Reed on September 14, 2008, 02:51:08 PM

Title: Wheel interchange
Post by: Reed on September 14, 2008, 02:51:08 PM
I have searched this site several times and still can't find an answer to my questions.

(1)  What is the bolt pattern for a stock 71 Pinto?
(2)  What other makes and models have a bolt pattern that will interchange?

Given the wide variety of four lug bolt patterns and given that you can't (or I can't anyway) tell them apart just by looking, I would like to know what exactly will fit on my Pinto.  I have a set of later Mustang 15 inch rims, ubt I am not crazy about the looks and want to find a set of ansen sprint style slotted mags in 15 inch diameter.

Thansk.
Title: Re: Wheel interchange
Post by: 75bobcatv6 on September 14, 2008, 07:08:22 PM
If its the 4 lug should be 4.25 and if so most ford 4 lugin that time was the same up to like i think 88 or so
Title: Re: Wheel interchange
Post by: Lost Coz on September 14, 2008, 07:13:09 PM
Stock Pinto bolt pattern is 4x4.25. There are several wheel manufacturers that make that bolt pattern in 13 and 14 inch wheels...don't really know about 15's. My 75 wagon has a set of 14x6x4.25 rally wheels and the 73 wagon has a set of 13x6x4.25 Custom wheels. Both have no clearance problems and the 73 is lowered about 2 1/2 inches in the front and nothing rubs.
Title: Re: Wheel interchange
Post by: Reed on September 14, 2008, 08:16:51 PM
Cool.  So any rim with a four on 4.25 bolt pattern.  So 4 x 107.95 millimeters is the metric equivalent.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Wheel interchange
Post by: Wittsend on September 14, 2008, 10:22:46 PM
"Cool.  So any rim with a four on 4.25 bolt pattern."

Not exactly.  There are offset issues, hub diameter issues and wheel opening rub issues:
1.   I temporarily put my '88 Turbo Coupe wheels (225-60-16) on my '73 Wagon. The tires rub on the passenger wheel opening and the inner wheel well.

2. These same wheel/tires rub on the rear leaf springs (washers, and moving the clamp helped). Not that I recommend washers.

3. I was going to try Escort wheels (same bolt pattern), but the center circle is too small for the front hub (maybe the rear too, I never checked).

So, you need to make sure the hub opening is large enough and the offset won't have the tires hitting the suspension or body. If you look at the picture in my post you will see the wheels I got from the wrecking yard for $30 each.  They even came with 225-60-15" tires.  Unfortunately they have flat spots. I'll probably go with 205-60-15" when I replace them.
tom
Title: Re: Wheel interchange
Post by: apintonut on September 15, 2008, 12:08:37 AM
les Schwab is going to be trying some focus wheel on my pinto wagon for me for free. they think they will fit. they are 100$ each which isn't to bad.
they are 17"  and im hoping for 205 50 or 60 r17 im anticipating having to lift it. but we will se ill let u know. though i would like it lifted and stiffer in the back any way.
 
Title: Re: Wheel interchange
Post by: Reed on September 15, 2008, 12:22:17 AM
Geez, this stuff is complicated.... ???  I just want a nice lightweight rims that looks good and will give me a slight mechanical advantage over the 13 inchers.  Life was easy when I was messing with Mopars....
Title: Re: Wheel interchange
Post by: apintonut on September 15, 2008, 12:30:16 AM
Quote from: Reed on September 15, 2008, 12:22:17 AM
Geez, this stuff is complicated.... ???  I just want a nice lightweight rims that looks good and will give me a slight mechanical advantage over the 13 inchers.  Life was easy when I was messing with Mopars....

just let me know when i can come pick up the 71 and get it out of your hair :) its would be  hard ship but ill manage. im just always willing to help were i can.  :) 
Title: Re: Wheel interchange
Post by: demoiowa89r on September 15, 2008, 03:54:35 AM
late 80's audi rims work, but for the front u would have to get 1/16 of an inch shaved off the hub hole. they have some really good looking 15 in. rims. they kinda look like the honeycomb firebird rims..
Title: Re: Wheel interchange
Post by: Reed on September 15, 2008, 09:47:50 AM
Quote from: apintonut on September 15, 2008, 12:30:16 AM
just let me know when i can come pick up the 71 and get it out of your hair :) its would be  hard ship but ill manage. im just always willing to help were i can.  :) 

Ha ha ha.  Not anytime soon. :showback:
Title: Re: Wheel interchange
Post by: licketysplit on September 23, 2008, 01:50:38 AM
Hi Reed. A 3 1/2" wheel back space is about all i can put on my 73 and thats only with the right tire! The problem is to much tire over hanging out passed the rim and making the tires hit the braces for the bump stops on the rear of the car! A 3" to 3 1/2" back space seems to work best. As for wheels from other cars? Little or none unless it's a Ford or after market! The Pintos are 4 on 4.25" wheel patteren, as are the T-birds and 4 lug Mustangs. I would stay away from front wheel drive wheels with deep back spacing even if they fit, they maybe alittle hard on front wheel bearings. Howard
Title: Re: Wheel interchange
Post by: Reed on September 23, 2008, 10:20:30 AM
Wow.  I had no idea it was so hard to find rims.  I guess I am lucky that my Pinto came with later model Mustang 15 aluminium "hurricane" or "vector" rims.  I think I will hang onto them for now and polish them up, maybe paint some black accents on them.  Thanks!
Title: Re: Wheel interchange
Post by: pintoman2.0 on September 27, 2008, 12:43:05 AM
Reed,

Escort wheels will not work. They are 4X4 through 87, in 88 they went to 4X100 metric, I tried those.

I had a friend that had a pair of 17 inch aftermarket spokes with 195-50s  that fit and only rubbed on a hard right turn. They were not mustang backspace though because as was said on Sunday, the fox Mustang has a more or less front wheel drive offset, I don't know the numbers.

Personally I think your wheels are perfect, the only thing better would be the Mustang ten hole LS wheels.

P
Title: Re: Wheel interchange
Post by: Reed on September 27, 2008, 01:01:07 AM
Thanks.  I have pretty much decided that I will keep the wheels I have unless I can find a set of slotted mags for cheap.   Really cheap.      Like, $5 or under....
Title: Re: Wheel interchange
Post by: discolives78 on September 30, 2008, 04:52:22 PM
I have 14x6 1/2 wheels on my car, front  tires are 185/60-14 and back tires are 205/70-14,  no clearance issues, I got them from a junkyard for $60, no center caps though. These are "sawblade" aluminum wheels from mid 80s. They were on an early 50s chevy pickup that had mustang II suspension. I kept the stock 13 inch wheels and dog dish covers and I have a set of full wheel covers left over from my 78 wagon. I like the factory rally wheels, but its kind of hard to find nice used ones
Title: Re: Wheel interchange
Post by: TIGGER on October 01, 2008, 02:54:36 AM
I was thinking of converting my 73 to 5 lug and installing some 2001-2004 Mustang Bullitt wheels.  There is a white 72 Pinto wagon currently on Ebay that has them installed.  It looks pretty good but I am not sure how well they fit ???