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Boss 302S Race Wheels and Tires

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We just took delivery of a 2013 Boss 302S (#14). Our plan is to run it in the 25 hrs of Thunderhill. The car comes on 19" street wheels with street tires. Not sure why Ford Racing did that, but in any event we need different wheels and tires. For Thunderhill we want to run DOT rubber to stay in E0 class. Recommended wheels and tires?

We note that Ford has two 18" offerings, 10" Boss 302R wheel and a new 9.5" Boss 302S wheel. Is there an advantage to one over the other?

Thanks.
 

Sesshomurai

Here is the 18x10" 302R wheel (on sale)
http://www.shopcapaldiracing.com/

And the 302S 18x9.5" wheel
http://www.levittownfordsupercenter.com/ford-mustang-boss-302s-wheel-p-1102.html

Tires are harder to suggest. Depends some on the track, time of year, location, etc. I'm not sure what to recommend for TH since I never driven it.
 
Technovc said:
We just took delivery of a 2013 Boss 302S (#14). Our plan is to run it in the 25 hrs of Thunderhill. The car comes on 19" street wheels with street tires. Not sure why Ford Racing did that, but in any event we need different wheels and tires. For Thunderhill we want to run DOT rubber to stay in E0 class. Recommended wheels and tires?

We note that Ford has two 18" offerings, 10" Boss 302R wheel and a new 9.5" Boss 302S wheel. Is there an advantage to one over the other?

Thanks. See you in December!!
 
darreng505 said:
Here is the 18x10" 302R wheel (on sale)
http://www.shopcapaldiracing.com/

And the 302S 18x9.5" wheel
http://www.levittownfordsupercenter.com/ford-mustang-boss-302s-wheel-p-1102.html

Tires are harder to suggest. Depends some on the track, time of year, location, etc. I'm not sure what to recommend for TH since I never driven it.

I guess our initial question is whether the Boss 302R wheel requires adapters (spacers) and what size tire to run if we use that wheel? The 9.5" Boss 302S wheel and 275 tires seems simple. Hoosier and others have tires that size (DOT).
 

Sesshomurai

I know that NASA American Iron cub race class uses Toyo Proxes RA1 as their spec tire for 18x9.5" spec rims like the 302S. Its rather treaded and used for brief races.

Another possibility is the Hanook Ventus (more slicky) http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Hankook&tireModel=Ventus+Z214

As for the 18x10" 302R wheel, maybe ask some of the race teams what tire they use (e.g. Rehagen).
I wish I had endurance racing experience on this subject, but I don't yet.
 
Technovc said:
I guess our initial question is whether the Boss 302R wheel requires adapters (spacers) and what size tire to run if we use that wheel? The 9.5" Boss 302S wheel and 275 tires seems simple. Hoosier and others have tires that size (DOT).

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable then me will come along here. I can tell you that the 302R wheels used on the 302R race car are using the 275/35 Continental (Hoosier) slick. I use the the same tires on another FR 9.5 wheel (non-lightweight) and the 275/35 is a perfect fit. I think the 275 Hoosier DOT tires would also be a better fit on the 9.5 but I doubt there will be any issues on the 10 inch.

What size studs does the 302S come with, I think the same as the factory Boss (1/2 inch)? If that is the case the 302S wheels in 18 would be easier since the 302R wheel uses different 5/8 studs and lugs. If you go that route you are limited to just that one wheel for future use.

I do not think the R wheel requires an adaptor, have you contacted Dean at Rehagan racing about them. If not I'm sure he can point you in the proper direction.
 
Yeah, I figure Dean is distracted by Daytona, but I can call Rehagen on Monday. Just wondering if there is a standard setup.
 
The 302R BBS wheels (M-1007-R1810) are drilled for 5/8 studs and have a racing lug nut bevel of 45 degrees. A regular wheel lug nut has a 60 degree bevel or cone angle. Racing wheels typically have a 45 degree cone angle.

The BBS wheels can be used with ½ inch studs and the appropriate lug nut. The lug nuts used on the 302R are made by Allstar Performance, part number ALL44102. The lug nuts are sold in sets of 10. Summit Racing has them for $9.99 / set. These lug nuts have a ½” – 20 threads per inch, just like the stock studs. The lug nuts are open ended and are bright plated zinc finished. A 1” socket is used to tighten these lug nuts.

Without a wheel spacer on my LS, the front wheel clearance between the edge of the BBS rim and the strut is approximately ¼”. Clearance with the stock LS wheels is about ½ “. So a ¼” wheel spacer comes close to restoring the stock clearance on a Boss LS. I would suspect it is similar on a non-LS Boss since the front wheel offsets are the same as the Boss LS

With a 1/4" wheel spacer the stock wheel studs are a thread or two too short. Not an issue if you swap the stock studs for the ARP or FRRP studs.
 
Cherno134 said:
The 302R BBS wheels (M-1007-R1810) are drilled for 5/8 studs and have a racing lug nut bevel of 45 degrees. A regular wheel lug nut has a 60 degree bevel or cone angle. Racing wheels typically have a 45 degree cone angle.

The BBS wheels can be used with ½ inch studs and the appropriate lug nut. The lug nuts used on the 302R are made by Allstar Performance, part number ALL44102. The lug nuts are sold in sets of 10. Summit Racing has them for $9.99 / set. These lug nuts have a ½” – 20 threads per inch, just like the stock studs. The lug nuts are open ended and are bright plated zinc finished. A 1” socket is used to tighten these lug nuts.

Without a wheel spacer on my LS, the front wheel clearance between the edge of the BBS rim and the strut is approximately ¼”. Clearance with the stock LS wheels is about ½ “. So a ¼” wheel spacer comes close to restoring the stock clearance on a Boss LS. I would suspect it is similar on a non-LS Boss since the front wheel offsets are the same as the Boss LS

With a 1/4" wheel spacer the stock wheel studs are a thread or two too short. Not an issue if you swap the stock studs for the ARP or FRRP studs.
When I was thinking of buying these wheels I was going to use the 9.5" 302S wheel in the front and 10" 302R wheel in the rear since I'm running staggered tires.
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
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Arizona, USA
darreng505 said:
Dont use wheel spacers for race use. Its not recommended.

That is not true, a lot of GA teams run 1/8" spacers up front. Just make sure you get GOOD spacers if you're going to run them; I have a set from Maximum Motorsports. Also don't run anything stupid like a 1" spacer or a stack of smaller spacers.
 

Sesshomurai

ArizonaGT said:
That is not true, a lot of GA teams run 1/8" spacers up front. Just make sure you get GOOD spacers if you're going to run them; I have a set from Maximum Motorsports. Also don't run anything stupid like a 1" spacer or a stack of smaller spacers.

Which GA teams use wheel spacers? IF they do they probably have custom hubs.
Just google for 'dangers of wheel spacers'. It highly unadvised by many. Use at your own risk.
 
darreng505 said:
Which GA teams use wheel spacers? IF they do they probably have custom hubs.
Just google for 'dangers of wheel spacers'. It highly unadvised by many. Use at your own risk.

I don't like wheel spacers, so I have had custom rotor hats machined with an extra 10 mm built-in. It's what machine shops are for. ;)

If I think I'm baller enough to run $600 wheels and two-piece rotors on the Boss (which I would love to do), I would probably do it that way again.
 

Sesshomurai

Jimmy Pribble said:
I don't like wheel spacers, so I have had custom rotor hats machined with an extra 10 mm built-in. If I think I'm baller enough to run $600 wheels and two-piece rotors on the Boss, I would probably do it that way again.

Yes. Either that, the hub or the wheel would be customized for clearance. No respectable pro racing team would stick a metal "shim" between their wheel components.
 

Sesshomurai

NFSBOSS said:
You should read the description of the wheel.

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?PartKeyField=11825

Hehe. Well, I read that ages ago. ;) But I asked Rehagen if that wheel will clear the (various) brembo race brakes (including their own monster brake kit) and it does, without a spacer. Not sure why that remark is on that website, but I always do my own research and double check with the pros! Can't trust marketing material these days, which often will go obsolete... :)
 
I have used the H & R spacers/adapters with no issues. First, keep as thin as possible, just to clear the caliper. Make sure they are hub centric if thicker that 1/2 inch (12mm) and quality billet material. Install the longer lug studs (Moroso) with the nut aligning tips (bullet point). Spacers should only be used for brake clearance issues, not to widen the track (looks). Always best to get wheels with proper backspace. You can check the wheel sites for instructions for measurments. I wonder why Ford went with 19" when most raceing apps use the 18"?
 

Sesshomurai

If you look closely at the spacer..... ;D

spacer1.jpg


And was that the white 302r that wrecked?!?!
 

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