Will 14 inch 5 lug rims from a Ford probe fit a Aerostar.

 

I think so, but why would you want to? If you are going to replace rims, get some 15" ones off a Ranger or Explorer.

 

I'm almost sure that they won't work...a Probe is a Front Wheel Drive and Aerostars are RWD or all wheel drive depending on the model. I believe the offset is different.

You'll find a better fit with something from a Ranger/Explorer, or even some Crown Victoria rims will fit, and if you follow other recent threads, they'll be 15", which means more tires to select from.

Do a search in this forum for Rims under this Aerostar branch and you'll find links to lists that'll tell you what fits what.

 

i would be concerned using light Probe wheels on an Aero fully loaded to max GVCW.

 

What's the effective change in gear ratio going from 14's to 15 inch rims? i considered making the switch last spring because 14" tire are scarce but my 3.0 is short on power and I run loaded most of the time.

 

Not much,........ you can compensate with the profile height of the tire to a degree depending what is available. If you are needing more power consider changing the diff ratio. I believe the VSS can be compensated at the EEC so speedo will read correctly with lower gear ratio diff unit.

 

Just picked up a set of four 15x7 factory alloy "twisted stars" off a junked Ernie Bauer Explorer for 80 bucks! Hope they fit.

 

aerohiwaystar: The only other pita is that when sourcing from a 4WD rather than a 2WD you will be looking for 2 more center caps with solid faces rather than ones with the center hole.
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It's so nice to be able to swap diffs without considering the speedo affect. This requires the original design of the Vehicle Speed Sensor to have it downstream on one of the half shafts. The EB 4.10 diff will help with the launch and make it feel peppy at low speeds but nothing it can do about tasks that really require the 4.0.

After switching 14"->15" and mounting 215/65 tires and no other changes, my EB digital speedo Exactly matches any radar driven roadside sign I have ever passed.

 

Actually, three. I only found one center cap. They look straight. I was really surprised to see they had no road rash. Buying old, used rims is always dicey but I think I have a usable set. I'll be looking for a set of 215/65/15's next. Oh, and I gathered up all the lugs to them because I thought they may be more specific to the stars. Thanks to all for the advice.

 

tiny probe wheels on a Aero ?.. just be careful. it could wind up looking like this <style></style>http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/a...1&d=1217861816

 

The bolt holes are the same yet the offset and hub opening are quite different.

I saw a really nice set of probe 15" factory alloys, yet the hub size and offset were a lot different. If I recall the offset would need to be corrected with wheel spacers and the hub opening would require hub rings. By the time you buy all of that extra hardware your costs will be as much as a new/used set of wheels that fit correctly.

I had good luck running mustang wheels, many of us run ford ranger 90's which rather well. The money then becomes tires. 15" tires are a lot less expensive then 16" if you are running the same overall size, little or no change to your speedometer reading, no more stress on the suspension or drive train.

I ran 94 Mustang GT 16" wheels, 5 spokes silver paint, which looked really nice and had 225-55-16 tires which cleared the front and rear fine except for occasional rear drivers side rubbing. I am currently looking for a really nice set of 90's Mustang factory 15" alloys as they are1/2 inch narrower than the 16" take a 215/65/15 tire which be 1-2 mph @ 65mph so your gear ratios will be very close. Actually my speedometer at 65 is 2-3 miles too fast. As for price the same tire brand and model will cost less then $400 installed in a 15" and a 16" (same rolling size) is over $550 @ Costco.

My 96 Aerostar did corner much better with the lower profile and wider tires.

I would rather have the extra money then the lower profile 16" wheels and tires.

 

The early 1990s Mustangs used a 4 bolt wheel pattern with the exception of the 1993 Cobra. The switch-over for all other models was in 1994, so you really need to stick with 1994 and later Mustangs.