Cragar Soft 8s test fitment on a Challenger... Pics Inside NOW WITH TIRES MOUNTED

**Mike V.** · 07-06-2009, 11:26 PM

Thank you everyone here for your help! They are relatively inexpensive at around $75.00 a piece and weigh in right at 20.5# (shipping weight) a piece.

These really are perfect for drag racing... and they are a very tight fit as many people noted. These are 17" x 9" with a 5" backspacing. They are 5 x 4.5" bolt circle... so there is a 0.7mm issue, but being they are track only and the success Charger/300/Magnum guys had I figured it was worth it. These cars have pretty large diameter wheel stud, bigger than a stock Mustang IMHO. Sure enough, as everyone said, thick paint and a little massaging fixed the fitment issue and they slid right on. They are a very very TIGHT fit, but they do fit very well.

See pictures below, I will mount the tires this week and take a closer look at the fitment. Overall, I don't think clearance will be an issue. I am mounting 275/40 MT ET Street Radials on them. I took pictures of the clearances for everyone to see.

Pictures of tires mounted coming soon.

Mike

**pmpn8ez** · 07-07-2009, 10:43 AM

an R/T right?

**Hemi31** · 07-07-2009, 10:50 AM

They fit SRT's too.We've been running those on the LX's for 5 years.We stopped because they are twice the weight of the aluminum wheels out there.

**Mike V.** · 07-07-2009, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by pmpn8ez

an R/T right?

Yep, R/T 6-speed.

Mike

**Hemi31** · 07-07-2009, 11:32 AM

BTW.....you will gain clearance when the suspension is loaded.When it's hanging like you have it the rim moves closer to the suspension bits.

**Mike V.** · 07-07-2009, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by Hemi31

They fit SRT's too.We've been running those on the LX's for 5 years.We stopped because they are twice the weight of the aluminum wheels out there.

It seems there are quite a few guys still running them. I got all the info for them from searching this forum.

Yeah, they are heavy, but I have seen cast aluminum wheels that weigh more and I can't afford expensive light weight wheels right now. I am sure these will get the job done and do what I want them to do. For the money, I'm happy.

20.5#s each isn't to terrible. I know guys that run heavier rims than that in general.

Thanks,

Mike

**lafrad** · 07-07-2009, 11:39 AM

Thats what I've had since early 2006. I've had a few good 60 foot times, even with the heavy wheel.

The rim itself has a different "pitch" to the bolt holes, so be prepared to buy lots and lots of lug nuts for the first season, it tears them up. After enough installs it actually forms the proper angle in the steel... Do NOT use the same ones as your aluminum wheels... it WILL destroy the aluminum when you re-install.

My only concern with these wheels, is that they don't center themselves on the hub. for a daily driver wheel, i would not be as concerned with that (and I am not, I run 5mm spacers on my MSRT wheels), but its just one of those things that sits in the back of my mind when really launching hard :-P

**Mike V.** · 07-07-2009, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by Hemi31

BTW.....you will gain clearance when the suspension is loaded.When it's hanging like you have it the rim moves closer to the suspension bits.

Thanks! My biggest clearance concern is the inner fender in front of the wheel. There is a metal brace back there (tubular) and I can trim the plastic alittle if need be.

I am excited, I am getting them mounted today with hopes of a track visit tomorrow. Now I need recomendations for tire pressures.

I also see the potential need for a SLP line lock kit in my future.

Mike

**Mike V.** · 07-07-2009, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by lafrad

Thats what I've had since early 2006. I've had a few good 60 foot times, even with the heavy wheel.

The rim itself has a different "pitch" to the bolt holes, so be prepared to buy lots and lots of lug nuts for the first season, it tears them up. After enough installs it actually forms the proper angle in the steel... Do NOT use the same ones as your aluminum wheels... it WILL destroy the aluminum when you re-install.

My only concern with these wheels, is that they don't center themselves on the hub. for a daily driver wheel, i would not be as concerned with that (and I am not, I run 5mm spacers on my MSRT wheels), but its just one of those things that sits in the back of my mind when really launching hard :-P

do you have any suggestion on which lug nuts I should use?

Thanks for the input, and yes I know what you mean. At this point, anything is better than the 900 rpm launches I'm getting on the stock Michelins!

Mike

**Hemi31** · 07-07-2009, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by Mike V.

Thanks! My biggest clearance concern is the inner fender in front of the wheel. There is a metal brace back there (tubular) and I can trim the plastic alittle if need be.

I am excited, I am getting them mounted today with hopes of a track visit tomorrow. Now I need recomendations for tire pressures.

I also see the potential need for a SLP line lock kit in my future.

Mike

I actually run as high a pressure as possible.When I was running the M&H tire I ran between 26-28psi,on the M&T Bias Ply's I run about 22-24psi.Your gonna have to play with it but I would start about 24psi and go up or down till you find your best contact patch.Put them on and do a very quick burnout...just a couple of rotations and look at the tire....you will see if it's a consistent contact patch across the tire.If the outsides of the tire look like it's not touched as much let some air out.Just go up or down with pressure till its consistent.

**Mike V.** · 07-07-2009, 10:14 PM

Well, they stick out a little... but I'm okay with it.

**srt8_hmi** · 07-07-2009, 10:23 PM

Nice set-up for the money. How much more do they weigh compared to the cobra wheels? Or do they?

**BIGDAVE** · 07-07-2009, 10:32 PM

Ive had those for Years!I like them.I have the same DRs.
BIGDAVE

**Mike V.** · 07-07-2009, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by srt8_hmi

Nice set-up for the money. How much more do they weigh compared to the cobra wheels? Or do they?

Shipping weight of each wheel was 20.5# with the cardboard packaging... I weighed the whole thing (tire and wheel mounted with 25 psi air) on a not exactly accurate bathroom scale and got roughly 63#s.

I honestly have no idea what Mustang Cobra wheels weigh, but I do know of several 17" cast aluminum wheels that weigh more than these.

It boils down to simplicity (can't get much simpler than this) and how much you want to pay for reduced weight. Special lightweight forged wheels just aren't in my budget and the well known Borbets just don't do it for me. For the money, this fit the bill well.

Thanks,

Mike