Wheel fitment for GT350

[Crashspeeder]

I bought a set of wheels from American Muscle to use as my winter setup. The website says they fit a 2016 GT350 (http://www.americanmuscle.com/charcoal-amr-19x85-2015.html) . I bought tires, had my mechanic mount, balance, and install the wheels and tires. I was with him when he was installing the wheels. Lo and behold, they didn't clear the caliper when we tried installing on the front. We didn't even try the back. The caliper hit the inside of the wheel spokes, only allowing the frontmost bolt or two through. There's no way these fit. The brake calipers are six piston Brembos, and I'm not sure you took them into account. It seems somebody used numbers to confirm fitment, not a real car.

I had my mechanic disassemble the wheels and tires to prepare for sending everything back. After jumping through a few hoops I got an RMA. It seems you require pictures as proof that the wheels didn't fit. After some back and forth you were kind enough to make an exception, but I shouldn't have to prove anything. All the while, the phone rep is telling me you have tested all the wheels for fitment on the various cars you list and that they do fit. Yesterday was quite frustrating as a result, and now I need to get an RMA from TireRack as well.

Why am I posting this? I'd like to bring this to whoever is a decision maker at American Muscle. The shopping experience was pretty good, the website is easy to use, free shipping is awesome, but I'm not sure I can believe anything on your site that says it fits a GT350. I really liked those wheels and would certainly want to buy something similar, but I don't want to do this song and dance all over again. More than anything, I was disappointed.

I don't want compensation or coupons. I want wheels that fit. It would be ideal if I didn't have to return the tires, but I'm not holding my breath. Any assistance you can offer would be appreciated.

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[WildHorses]

After jumping through a few hoops I got an RMA. It seems you require pictures as proof that the wheels didn't fit. After some back and forth you were kind enough to make an exception, but I shouldn't have to prove anything. All the while, the phone rep is telling me you have tested all the wheels for fitment on the various cars you list and that they do fit. Yesterday was quite frustrating as a result, and now I need to get an RMA from TireRack as well.

agree your situation could be better so you don't have to go through that, but one statement stood out, which I bolded.

Why do you feel you shouldn't have to prove anything?

I understand you contacted them to say it didn't fit, if it fit you wouldn't have to contact them and make this post. By providing pictures it will help them to get a better understanding of the fitment issue instead of someone saying "it doesn't fit" and not willing to back up the statement.

- Please understand I do not know what you said over the telephone, I am only reading your side of the story.-

Maybe AM had another situation with someone, and that person said it didn't fit without providing any proof and it turned out they installed the part, then decided not to use the part, so they used the "it didn't fit saying" just to get a refund. That could be a result of asking for pictures of the fitment issues.

I had a similar situation when I bought wheels for myself. I bought wheels and valve stem sat inside the rim more instead on the edge like most wheels. Unfortunately my valve stem hit the brembo caliper. The place I purchase the wheels from said it fit all Mustangs, and didn't say anything about valve stems hitting the Brembo caliper. I provided them a picture of my issue and was able to return them for a different set of wheels. I was able to back up my statement of it didn't fit with the pictures.

Anywho, hopefully something will work out for you so you can get winter wheels for your GT350

 

[Crashspeeder]

The only reason I didn't take pictures is because I had already left my mechanic's shop and had asked him to take the wheels and tires apart. He was headed home. I'd have to go back, have him take my wheel off again, and try to mount the wheel again. The previous rep had said to simply try mounting a different wheel on the other side. No dice.

I haven't returned the wheels yet and I have a friend who has a floor jack coming this weekend so I don't have to bug my mechanic with this again. I'll waste my time with this, but not my mechanic's. I'm willing to eat crow if I'm wrong. Credit where credit is due, they made an exception in their process for me. If I don't have to send them back I'll be thrilled, believe me.

I stayed on the line with the rep last night brainstorming what could possibly have been the issue. Did they accidentally send the wrong size? No. Same part number for all Mustangs from 2009-2016. I even apologized to him because I was upset when we started the call (sorry, Matt!).

 

[Crashspeeder]

It's official, the wheels don't fit. I jacked the car up this weekend and tried to get it on for a good half hour or so, hoping there was just a trick to getting it to fit since clearance on even the stock wheels is very close. I wasn't looking to damage the wheel or my caliper, I kept approaching it from different angles, turning the hub and the wheel to get even the slightest amount of extra space.

It turns out I was mistaken in what I thought I saw at my mechanic's. It's not the offset that was the problem, but the interior diameter. I later confirmed that with him after my attempt to install the wheel.

Let me be clear, this is not an attempt to discredit or disparage American Muscle. What I want is to buy wheels that fit. I'm still willing to buy from American Muscle, I just want somebody to confirm they fit before I go through this again. Sadly, I've received no contact as of yet. I will be shipping this set back as soon as I can schedule a UPS pickup.

 

[AMAlexLazarus]

It's official, the wheels don't fit. I jacked the car up this weekend and tried to get it on for a good half hour or so, hoping there was just a trick to getting it to fit since clearance on even the stock wheels is very close. I wasn't looking to damage the wheel or my caliper, I kept approaching it from different angles, turning the hub and the wheel to get even the slightest amount of extra space.

It turns out I was mistaken in what I thought I saw at my mechanic's. It's not the offset that was the problem, but the interior diameter. I later confirmed that with him after my attempt to install the wheel.

Let me be clear, this is not an attempt to discredit or disparage American Muscle. What I want is to buy wheels that fit. I'm still willing to buy from American Muscle, I just want somebody to confirm they fit before I go through this again. Sadly, I've received no contact as of yet. I will be shipping this set back as soon as I can schedule a UPS pickup.

[MENTION=19459]Crashspeeder[/MENTION]

My apologies for the delay (Offsite last week) and inconvenience on the wheels sir!

Can you please drop me a PM with your order information and I'll have a return set up. We can schedule the UPS pickup as well to get the wheels back for a full refund. We make every attempt to test fit wheel/tire combinations here but there's been a lack of GT350's in the area to do so.

Sorry about the delay and trouble again.

Alex

 

[Crashspeeder]

Thank you for your reply, Alex. I suppose I was just the victim of bad timing. I've PM'd you the order details. I'll need to wait until tomorrow or so until I can drop the wheel off at my mechanic again and have them all picked up from there.

 

[AMAlexLazarus]

Thank you for your reply, Alex. I suppose I was just the victim of bad timing. I've PM'd you the order details. I'll need to wait until tomorrow or so until I can drop the wheel off at my mechanic again and have them all picked up from there.

Crash - PM Received and replied sir.

Alex

 

[HizliBullet]

almost all their wheels said "will fit gt350" but they removed that statement from ALL their wheels now..

 

[Crashspeeder]

Good to hear. They don't have a GT350 to test fitment on, unfortunately. Using the usual dimensions, these wheels should have fit, but the interior diameter just wasn't wide enough. It also seemed tapered. They've taken car of me and got me a set of wheels we know fit (MMD Axim). Though they aren't my favorite style, I'll simply be happy to know they fit.

 

[AMAlexLazarus]

almost all their wheels said "will fit gt350" but they removed that statement from ALL their wheels now..

Good to hear. They don't have a GT350 to test fitment on, unfortunately. Using the usual dimensions, these wheels should have fit, but the interior diameter just wasn't wide enough. It also seemed tapered. They've taken car of me and got me a set of wheels we know fit (MMD Axim). Though they aren't my favorite style, I'll simply be happy to know they fit.

[MENTION=19817]HizliBullet[/MENTION] - That's correct. Rather than have customers run into fitment issues we've pulled the GT350 listings as Crashspeeder ran into some trouble.

Sorry about the trouble!

Alex

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