TheSamba.com :: View topic

Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:03 pm

ok so here's the skinny. I offroad my bay, and am looking for some 15 inch rims so i can get some bigger tires. searching through the forum, a million folks have asked what bolt pattern they need and are given a list of compatable models. I have all those bookmarked now. however, nearly every one of those cars uses ally rims. I do not want alloy rims. they are stronger than steel rims, but when they get damaged they shatter instead of bend, which leaves me stuck in the woods. Does anyone know of 15 inch rims, 5x112 bolt pattern, and a decent offset, 35 or so. that resemble the stock steel rims?

a lot of the wheel threads do not have iimages attached, so I can't tell what is made of steel. Thanks for anyone who can help.

Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:05 pm

Look for a B5 Passat with hubcaps--there's steel wheels underneath them. They didn't all come with aluminum rims.

Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:35 pm

ok cool. I am doing a junkyard run this week or whenever I get half decent list of cars to ask about. hopeufly I'll find something.

Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:39 pm

An Audi A4 is an expensive Passat also, so check for steel wheels on those.....

You may not have much luck in the pick n pull yards looking for them, but you can check junkyards in your area for them by going to www.car-part.com

Mon Nov 09, 2009 9:05 pm

You didn't say cost, although you did say junkyard, so my first thought was the 15" steel stock wheels that you can get from GoWesty. Then I thought about junkyards, and remembered an old Mercedes I saw with hubcaps and steel wheels, but I think they were 14". New Jettas/Golfs have those too.

Good luck.

Mon Nov 09, 2009 9:23 pm

cheap.
also, cheap

fugly is fine by me, it only needs to be the right size.

Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:59 am

I know some will disagree...but styled steel wheels from Jeep work fine. You can get 'em in 15" and with a bolt circle of 5x114 they bolt right on. Here's a pic of my friends bus running Jeep rims.

He didn't modify the holes and they've never tried to come off. Also, when you get Jeep wheels, you usually get truck tires ;). Peace!

Tue Nov 10, 2009 7:13 am

I've seen the passat wheels modified to accept the bus hub caps. When powdercoated silver with blackwall tires you'll never be able to tell they aren't stock without looking close.