Pro's / Con's - Hub Swap vs Speedstars???

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blowngt

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I'm new to the Mark VIII community, but not new to the car scene. I've spent the past few weeks searching every forum I could find regarding swapping hubs to run 18" Saleen wheels.

So far, the only downside that seems to effect me is the inability to have much of a wheel choice (if I decide I don't like the Speedstars anymore). Personally, I love the way the saleen's look over just about any other wheel out there (just my opinion of course).

That being said, swapping hubs gives me more choices on brakes and wheels, but could turn out a bit more costly and certainly more time consuming.

All that being said, I'm leaning towards the Speedstars only because of ease of swap, a little less expense, and I don't plan on running anything bigger than cobra brakes.

If anyone can point something else out to me, I would certainly appreciate it!!!
 
talk to saturn5 he will piont u in the direction u need for doing the swap and then just search and go from there man
 
Ask yourself one question. Will you still have a Mark VIII after three years? If the answer is no, don't hub swap. You are throwing money away. The true owners know there's no value in our cars. I suspect this is why you got yours probably got yours rather cheap. I for one don't see the need to hub swap. I have speedstars.
 
I say if you want the Cobra brakes, and the wheels, you might as well go all the way.

Doing the full swap might be a little more expensive up front, but it'll be cheaper in the long run. You won't have to worry about (depending on which way you go) hub-centric rings, adapters, getting rotors drilled to a different bolt pattern, or drilling hubs.

My motto: Do it right, and do it once.
 
I has bigger wheels and brakes, no hub swap ...
20120611_165642.jpg

But I'm not changing my wheels for a while, and these are Mark pattern, so the only way for me to do it "right " was to do it this way
 
I have 18x10 saleens in the rear, hubswapped.

Good choice if you keep the car

(get the 2005+ mustang offset)
 
98lincmk7lsc said:
I say if you want the Cobra brakes, and the wheels, you might as well go all the way.

Doing the full swap might be a little more expensive up front, but it'll be cheaper in the long run. You won't have to worry about (depending on which way you go) hub-centric rings, adapters, getting rotors drilled to a different bolt pattern, or drilling hubs.

My motto: Do it right, and do it once.
Click to expand...

You're an exception. You will have a Mark for Many years to come. It makes sense for you. Now will Blowngt be long term Mark VIII owner? Only time will tell.
 
I have hub swapped/cobra braked almost every MN-12/FN-10 I have owned. These car just do not have enough brake from the factory and I don't want to deal with drilling rotors or having hubcentric rings on the back to get better brakes.

-Alan
 
Sapperfire said:
I has bigger wheels and brakes, no hub swap ...
20120611_165642.jpg

But I'm not changing my wheels for a while, and these are Mark pattern, so the only way for me to do it "right " was to do it this way
Click to expand...

Sapp, why isn't that motor in the car?
 
GMAN said:
Ask yourself one question. Will you still have a Mark VIII after three years? If the answer is no, don't hub swap. You are throwing money away. The true owners know there's no value in our cars. I suspect this is why you got yours probably got yours rather cheap. I for one don't see the need to hub swap. I have speedstars.
Click to expand...

Well, I have a tendency to keep my toy cars way to long. I've got a 2000 GT, DOHC swap, twin turbo, auto, etc, etc, etc that has 27k orginal miles. I have a feeling that if this Mark turns out to be 1/2 as fun as the stang, she'll be in the garage for a while.

That being said, what makes the hub swap a better long term solution? I really have no intentions of changing wheels (forgot to mention that my GT is a Saleen clone), so other than wheel options what the reason?

98lincmk7lsc said:
I say if you want the Cobra brakes, and the wheels, you might as well go all the way.

Doing the full swap might be a little more expensive up front, but it'll be cheaper in the long run. You won't have to worry about (depending on which way you go) hub-centric rings, adapters, getting rotors drilled to a different bolt pattern, or drilling hubs.

My motto: Do it right, and do it once.
Click to expand...

Just trying to understand why running the speedstars would be considered doing it wrong?

Dmaup said:
+1

The only way to do it is to hub swap. With the bigger wheels you will need the better brakes.
Click to expand...

Sapperfire said:
I has bigger wheels and brakes, no hub swap ...
20120611_165642.jpg

But I'm not changing my wheels for a while, and these are Mark pattern, so the only way for me to do it "right " was to do it this way
Click to expand...

That's why I'm looking at running.......03-04 Cobra brakes. Any idea if the Saleen 4 piston calipers fit as well??

Lux said:
I have 18x10 saleens in the rear, hubswapped.

Good choice if you keep the car

(get the 2005+ mustang offset)
Click to expand...

What did you do on the front?

Thanks to everyone for their input. That gives me a lot more stuff to think about.........
 
There's nothing wrong with the Speedstars, but if you want to do Cobra brakes, do the hub swap, and get some Mustang Speedstars for cheaper...

2000 Cobra R brakes will work, just need some different wheels. Speedstars won't work...
IMG_3068.jpg
 
Hub swap all the way...will also be hub swapping the gf's cougar

2005+ mustang wheels fit awesome, had bullits 18x9 deep dish chrome...now when with '05 newer 18x9 speedstars with 255-45 on all 4 corners
 
doing it right, once, basically i'm just throwing a dart here, is there just arent a lot of options when it comes to our cars. hub swapping( by the way iv'e been fighting with it myself and decided not to) give us a whole world of aftermarket and oem options for rims, brakes suspension thats doing it right. if you swap and dont like the combo you have you can easily choose another. they make speedstars for our marks, they just disappear quickly some of them faster than others, but then brake upgrading is another story.plan what you want, make sure its what you want, then do it then dont complain when your valve stem cap doesnt look like the one in the picture.lol :)
 
i hub swapped because i wanted my choice of used wheels. cheaper that way. and since i was already planning on bigger brakes, it was easily the best choice.
and it wasn't that expensive. but i went the redrilling route in the rear. which some people aren't a fan of. and i had to use centering rings for the rear rotors.
 
I was all for the Hub swap on my Silver Mark but just about to pull the trigger when my Trans went screwy. Then tripped on the What one with low miles and new tires on it. Still would like to do a swap on new one but it drives so crisp I don't wanna mess with it.
 
Im hub swaped
And it was the cheapest route for me.
So when i can afford better wheels (no curb rash) it will be easier.



Luke
 
For those who think the stock brake calipers are not adequate. Just get some EBC blue stuff brake pads and EBC brake rotors and it will greatly increase your stopping power. If Horsepower can use it in their 610 HP Project Deep Sleep 97 Thunderbird, we can use them as well, as I know nobody is pushing 610 HP. :shifty:
 
I think you need to take a ride in a mark with cobra brakes or better then tell me stock is adequate.
 
GMAN said:
For those who think the stock brake calipers are not adequate. Just get some EBC blue stuff brake pads and EBC brake rotors and it will greatly increase your stopping power. If Horsepower can use it in their 610 HP Project Deep Sleep 97 Thunderbird, we can use them as well, as I know nobody is pushing 610 HP. :shifty:
Click to expand...

i know they aren't adequate. at high speeds, single stop, ok.. two stops, meh. 3 stops, oh my goodness where did the pedal go its on the floor i smell brakes burning holy cow they rotors are warped bad omg.
at least in my experience.


cobra brakes, first stop, good. second stop, good. 3rd stop, good. and on and on.

its not single stops, its repeated stops.
 
My 13" cobra brakes feels like they should have been factory, i think 14" brakes are "adequate "
 
GMAN said:
For those who think the stock brake calipers are not adequate. Just get some EBC blue stuff brake pads and EBC brake rotors and it will greatly increase your stopping power. If Horsepower can use it in their 610 HP Project Deep Sleep 97 Thunderbird, we can use them as well, as I know nobody is pushing 610 HP. :shifty:
Click to expand...

You THINK nobody is pushing 610...:)
 
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