Vehicle Covered in this Guide
2005-2014 Mustang
Chassis Introduction
Ford completely redesigned the Mustang for 2005, bringing back retro styling and a highly improved chassis. A new 3-link rear suspension incorporates a panhard bar with a single upper control arm, eliminating the bind-happy 4 link design that was used for many years prior. This car quickly became a hit with enthusiasts and racers alike. In 2008, Ford released their first ever fully factory-built race car in the form of the FR500S, to compliment the rest of the FR500 lineup. In 2010, the body went through a few revisions to make it look more modern, but the chassis and drivetrains stayed the same. The big news came in 2011 with the revival of the famed 5.0 engine nameplate, this time pumping out 412 hp. Featuring big Brembo brakes, a stiffer suspension and chassis that responds incredibly well to mods, Ford knocked it out of the park with this car and it has become one of the best performance cars for the money today.
| Bolt Pattern: 5x114.3 | Thread Pitch: 1/2"x20 | Center Bore: 70.5mm |
OEM+ Fitments
Ideal for the driver who wants a no-nonsense direct bolt-on fitment. These fitments are a small step up from stock wheels and tires, and offer a small but noticeable performance improvement.
Square Setups
Recommended for most types of street and performance driving. Allows proper front-to-rear tire rotation to extend tire life & improve handling balance.
- Front and Rear: 18x9.5” ET35 with 255/45-18 tires
- Direct fit.
- 275/40-18 tires may also be used as a direct fit.
Staggered Setups
Maintains stock-like handling characteristics, tires can only be rotated left to right. Maximizes both front and rear tire width.
- Front: 18x9.5” ET35 with 255/45-18 tires
Rear: 18x10” ET40 with 275/40-18 tires
- Direct fit.
- 285/40-18 tires may also be used in the rear as a direct fit.
Performance Street/Track Fitments
These fitments are effective for both performance oriented street cars and weekend track warriors. The suspension type, alignment settings, and tire brand/size can be changed accordingly to work for either scenario.
Square Setups
Recommended for most types of street and performance driving. Allows proper front-to-rear tire rotation to extend tire life & improve handling balance.
- Front and Rear: 18x9.5” ET35 with 275/40-18 tires
- American Iron-Approved.
- Direct fit
- 275/35-18, 285/35-18 and 285/30-18 tires may also be used as a direct fit.
- Front and Rear: 18x10” ET40 with 275/40-18 tires
- Official wheel of the SCCA Nationals Spec Mustang (SMG).
- Popular fitment.
- Direct fit
- 285/40-18 tires may also be used as a direct fit
- 295/35-18 or 295/40-18 tires may also be used with approximately -2 degrees of front camber and at least 12mm spacers up front to clear most suspensions.
- Aftermarket suspensions with offset struts can typically bypass spacers. See below.
- Front and Rear: 19x10” ET40 with 285/35-19 tires
- Popular fitment.
- Direct fit
- 275/35-19 tires can also be used as a direct fit
- 295/30-19 or 295/35-19 tires can also be used with approximately -2 degrees of front camber and at least 12mm spacers up front to clear most suspensions. Aftermarket suspensions with offset struts can typically bypass spacers. See below.
Staggered Setups
Maintains stock-like handling characteristics, tires can only be rotated left to right. Maximizes both front and rear tire width.
- Front: 18x10” ET40 with 275/40-18 tires
Rear: 18x11” ET52 with 305/35-18 tires- Rear bump stop may need modification to prevent rubbing on the inside. See below
- Rear bump stop may need modification to prevent rubbing on the inside. See below
- Front: 19x10” ET40 with 285/35-19 tires
Rear: 19x11” ET52 with 305/30-19 tires
- Rear bump stop may need modification to prevent rubbing on the inside. See below
Race Fitments
These no-compromise fitments are ideal for dedicated track / race cars. They rely on aggressive negative camber specifications and may require rolled rear fenders to prevent rubbing. Since you'll be using all available real estate under the fender arches to accommodate these wide wheels, coilovers with linear race springs are highly encouraged for inner clearance (JRZ, MCS, Ground Control, AST, Moton, etc.).
Square Setups
Recommended for most types of street and performance driving. Allows proper front-to-rear tire rotation to extend tire life & improve handling balance. All 11” wide wheels with ET52 offset require up to a 25mm spacer on the front. For vehicles with aftermarket coilovers, often times you can run a 20mm. For vehicles that decide to run a true rear coilover, a small rear spacer roughly ¼” may be needed. Vehicles that run a divorced rear setup (like factory), will not require a rear spacer.
- Front and Rear: 18x9.5” ET35 with 275/40-18 tires
- American Iron-Approved.
- Direct fit.
- 275/35-18, 285/35-18 and 285/30-18 tires may also be used as a direct fit.
- Front and Rear: 18x10” ET40 with 275/40-18 tires
- Official wheel of the SCCA Nationals Spec Mustang (SMG).
- Popular fitment.
- Direct fit.
- 285/40-18 tires may also be used as a direct fit.
- 295/35-18 or 295/40-18 tires may also be used with approximately -2 degrees of front camber and at least 12mm spacers up front to clear most suspensions. Aftermarket suspensions with offset struts can typically bypass spacers. See below.
- Front & Rear: 18x11” ET52 with 305/35-18 tires
- Popular fitment.
- Requires at least -3 degrees of front camber
- Approximately 25mm front spacers required with most suspensions. Aftermarket suspensions with offset struts can reduce spacer thickness. See below.
- 295/35-18 or 295/40-18 tires can also be used with at least -2.5 degrees of front camber and at least 20mm spacers up front to clear most suspensions. Aftermarket suspensions with offset struts can reduce spacer thickness. See below.
- 315/30-18 tires can also be used with at least -3.5 degrees of front camber and at least 25mm spacers up front to clear most suspensions. Aftermarket suspensions with offset struts can reduce spacer thickness. See below.
- Rear bump stop may need modification to prevent rubbing on the inside. See below.
- Front & Rear: 19x11” ET52 with 305/30-19 tires
- Popular fitment.
- Requires at least -3 degrees of front camber.
- Approximately 25mm front spacers required with most suspensions. Aftermarket suspensions with offset struts can reduce spacer thickness. See below.
- 295/30-19 or 295/35-19 tires can also be used with at least -2.5 degrees of front camber and at least 20mm spacers up front to clear most suspensions. Aftermarket suspensions with offset struts can reduce spacer thickness. See below.
- 315/30-19 tires can also be used with at least -3.5 degrees of front camber and at least 25mm spacers up front to clear most suspensions. Aftermarket suspensions with offset struts can reduce spacer thickness. See below.
- Rear bump stop may need modification to prevent rubbing on the inside. See below.
Additional Fitment Information
Identifying Suspension Types
See the image below to identify which type of suspension you have, as it may effect your wheel fitment.
Aftermarket S197 Mustang Suspensions Known To Reduce Inner Clearance
(includes but not limited to):
KW V1 Coilovers
About Camber Plates 
Adjustable camber plates do more than just aid in wide wheel and tire fitment. They provide increased grip and reduced tire wear by spreading the load evenly during cornering. Learn more in our blog article, The Positives of Negative Camber, then see our S197 Mustang camber plate pages here.
Big Brake Kit Clearances
We have tested many big brake kits with most of the wheels listed in this guide. Those that have been confirmed to clear are listed in the table below. Please email us with any questions related to brake clearance, we’ll be happy to help.
| Clears 18" EC-7 | Clears 19" EC-7 |
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Rear Bump Stop Info
On the rear body of the S197, there is a bracket spot welded to the inner fender well that provides support for the bumpstop under hard compression. If you fit your 18x11s onto the rear of the car and are experiencing clearance issues, this is the first spot to check. There are a few options to remedy this situation, outlined below.
If the suspension is under full drop where there is no load under the rear axle, while you’re changing tires, this is a situation that won’t be encountered once the vehicle is in motion. Simply loading up the suspension by placing a jack and jack stands under the axle will give adequate clearance to fit your wheels.
Another option is to remove the spot welds from the bump stop bracket, which ultimately removes the bracket from the vehicle. A spot weld drill bit can be dangerous so take caution and should be done by someone with experience. If you rely on full functionality from your bump stops on the axle, they will need to be relocated inwards using a kit found here this link also inlcudes detailed images of where the spot welds are and what the bracket looks like removed: http://ccmustangbrackets.com/product/s197-bumpstop-relocation-brackets/
The final option would be to run a very small spacer, but this could cause the tires to sit past the outer fender lip and rub with certain lowered suspensions. This should be the last route considered.
| OEM Bracket | OEM Bracket Removed | Painted Over |
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Still have questions?
Fill out our Fitment Recommendation form
Call us: 925-245-0773
Email us: support@apexraceparts.com
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