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EverettB Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000 Posts: 69829 Location: Phoenix Metro
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Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2014 9:26 am Post subject: Re: True Bus Wheels |
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zehbeh wrote: |
wavelengths999 wrote: |
1. Is it true that a 15" bus wheel will always have the valve stem hole line up with one of the lug nut holes? Meaning, if they don't line up the wheel is not from a bus.
2. If so, is that true for 14" wheels as well?
3. Is it true that only 16" bus wheels were "smoothies", have no slots, and that all 14" and 15" bus wheels have slots? Meaning, if a 14" or 15" wheel has no slots, it's not from a bus. |
1. & 2. Had a look at my 14" and 15" bus wheels. The valve stem hole lines up with a hole at all of them.
3. All 14" and 15" bus wheels are slotted. 15" have bigger ones. |
More;
3. Bug 16" wheel were smoothies too but yes, only 16" Bus wheels are smoothies, the 15" and 14" versions have slots if they are Bus. _________________ How to Post Photos
Everett Barnes - [email protected] | My wanted ads
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wavelengths999 Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2013 Posts: 2 Location: Oahu, Hawaii, USA
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Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2014 9:32 am Post subject: True Bus Wheels |
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Mahalo. |
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Rad-mobile Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2012 Posts: 22 Location: Garage, Albuquerque NM
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Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 7:38 pm Post subject: 15" bus wheels??? |
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I bought a set of what I though were 15" wheels for my '60 panel. They appear to be the standard wheels on the first post. Valve stem lines up with lug hole, and slots look right. But measuring the outside diameter on the side shown measures about 16.5". I have forgotten the width already, sorry. Am I measuring these incorrectly? Please don't tell me I bought some Thing or Type 3 wheels. Any help will be appreciated.
_________________ '60 panel
'68 UK RHD Beetle |
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cdennisg Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004 Posts: 20278 Location: Sandpoint, ID
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Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 7:47 pm Post subject: |
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Don't measure the very outer lip diameter. Measure the point where the bead of the tire will sit. Or just look at the markings on the wheel. It will say 4J15 or something like that.
They are 15" bus wheels. _________________ nothing |
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Rad-mobile Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2012 Posts: 22 Location: Garage, Albuquerque NM
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Posted: Tue Feb 11, 2014 7:59 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the quick reaponse. That makes better sense. I'll admit, I had a few Hi lifes while I was looking at them, but 16.5" didn't make any sense at all. Thanks again, now I can press with the spray bomb. _________________ '60 panel
'68 UK RHD Beetle |
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Bill Parrott Samba Member
Joined: March 23, 2007 Posts: 18 Location: McAlester OK
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Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 9:00 am Post subject: |
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thanks a bunch this helps a lot....later |
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oodeftone Samba Member
Joined: November 08, 2004 Posts: 65 Location: Carlsbad, CA
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Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 2:36 pm Post subject: |
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I know I've seen it on here but I can't seem to find it after many searches. Type 3 15" rims have the same offset as 15" bus wheels right? |
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Bill Parrott Samba Member
Joined: March 23, 2007 Posts: 18 Location: McAlester OK
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Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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like I said ...I have a lot to learn about rims.does the bus have a different off set than type 1 and what is the 15 inch bus rim off set. and you think type 3 have same as bus rims....thanks for the help. later |
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cdennisg Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004 Posts: 20278 Location: Sandpoint, ID
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Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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Bill Parrott wrote: |
like I said ...I have a lot to learn about rims.does the bus have a different off set than type 1 and what is the 15 inch bus rim off set. and you think type 3 have same as bus rims....thanks for the help. later |
I don't know the exact number, but bus rims definitely have a different offset than beetle rims. That is why there are so many hoops to jump through when using aftermarket wheels on a bus. Nearly all aftermarket wheels for VW's come in the standard Beetle offset.
As far as type 3 offset compared to a bus, I don't think they are the same, but I don't have any 5 lug type 3 rims here to measure. I would guess that type 3 is the same as beetle. _________________ nothing |
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oodeftone Samba Member
Joined: November 08, 2004 Posts: 65 Location: Carlsbad, CA
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Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 9:15 pm Post subject: |
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Bill Parrott wrote: |
like I said ...I have a lot to learn about rims.does the bus have a different off set than type 1 and what is the 15 inch bus rim off set. and you think type 3 have same as bus rims....thanks for the help. later |
Here is a basic article about offset and it also explains backspacing. http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=101
From my research here on The Samba I gather that stock 15" beetle wheel backspacing is 95mm. Stock 15" bus wheel backspacing is 118 or 119mm. That's almost a 1" difference. Stock bus wheels are 1/2" wider so that's part of it but it also means, I think, that stock bus wheels put the tire roughly 1/2" closer to the center of the bus. I could be wrong on all counts. |
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farnhamassoc Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2010 Posts: 122 Location: Riverside ca
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Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2014 6:37 pm Post subject: bus 15x 4.00 ... I have one spare rim for what year bus? |
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Does anyone know what year the 15 x 4.00 fit on. Was it all the years spare rim. or only a certain year. I heard it is a spare tire size to fit behind the seat.
And yes there is such a thing. 15x 4.00.
I aquired one for a spare tire behind my seat of the SO23 but I dont know what it was really suppose to fit.
Any info.
Thanks MIke _________________ Owned Countless VWs over the last 35 years.
Restored near 100 vws.
80 Rabbit diesel 1.9 TDI turbo 45mpg
06 Jetta TDI 45mpg
Restored several 11 window kombi and standard
Current inventory 66 delux hard top, so23
60 ragtop and 61 hard top bugs 54 hardtop bug
67 tin top so42 62 SO10 ruthmann bucket truck |
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oodeftone Samba Member
Joined: November 08, 2004 Posts: 65 Location: Carlsbad, CA
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Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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cdennisg wrote: |
Bill Parrott wrote: |
like I said ...I have a lot to learn about rims.does the bus have a different off set than type 1 and what is the 15 inch bus rim off set. and you think type 3 have same as bus rims....thanks for the help. later |
I don't know the exact number, but bus rims definitely have a different offset than beetle rims. That is why there are so many hoops to jump through when using aftermarket wheels on a bus. Nearly all aftermarket wheels for VW's come in the standard Beetle offset.
As far as type 3 offset compared to a bus, I don't think they are the same, but I don't have any 5 lug type 3 rims here to measure. I would guess that type 3 is the same as beetle. |
From what I gather trolling the Type 3 forum, 4.5x15 Type 3 smoothies have 116mm backspacing. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2139413&highlight=116mm#2139413
Stock 4.5x15 bus rim backspacing is 118/119mm. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=352429
Stock 4x15 bug smoothie back spacing is 95mm.
So bus and type 3 rims do not have the same backspacing, but very close. I don't think I'll be able to see it from my house... |
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lightice Samba Member
Joined: December 14, 2012 Posts: 599
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 5:32 am Post subject: |
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My friend found this for me, wondering if any one knows the origins of this rim.
It's 14", I don't seem to see markings on the inside, on the outward face, I see something like A20 punched into the metal.
Also, the rim is not slotted.
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EverettB Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000 Posts: 69829 Location: Phoenix Metro
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Z Samba Member
Joined: June 15, 2003 Posts: 2517 Location: galveston, tx
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 8:20 am Post subject: Re: bus 15x 4.00 ... I have one spare rim for what year bus? |
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farnhamassoc wrote: |
Does anyone know what year the 15 x 4.00 fit on. Was it all the years spare rim. or only a certain year. I heard it is a spare tire size to fit behind the seat.
And yes there is such a thing. 15x 4.00.
I aquired one for a spare tire behind my seat of the SO23 but I dont know what it was really suppose to fit.
Any info.
Thanks MIke |
I have never heard of a spare only rim for busses...aren't 15x4s a Thing wheel? |
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lightice Samba Member
Joined: December 14, 2012 Posts: 599
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 8:31 am Post subject: |
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Hi EB,
I've not seen a thing in real life before, there's probably 3-4 in my whole country.
But based on a quick search, it does look to be a rim from a thing.
How do i confirm it?
The rim itself is a 14"
On a side note, can the thing wheel fit into a split? I have issues finding a rim for my spare tyre and this was the closest I got in 3 years of searching. |
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GTV Samba Member
Joined: March 27, 2004 Posts: 2084 Location: Si'ahl
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 10:17 am Post subject: |
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Bus 14's are slotted, Thing is solid.
It will bolt up to a bus but the offset is greater, you may have interference issues. _________________ EMPI Power Rules! |
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lightice Samba Member
Joined: December 14, 2012 Posts: 599
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 10:32 am Post subject: |
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I'm assuming interference is only on the front wheels right?
Thanks. |
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EverettB Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000 Posts: 69829 Location: Phoenix Metro
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 10:36 pm Post subject: |
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lightice wrote: |
Hi EB,
I've not seen a thing in real life before, there's probably 3-4 in my whole country.
But based on a quick search, it does look to be a rim from a thing.
How do i confirm it?
The rim itself is a 14"
On a side note, can the thing wheel fit into a split? I have issues finding a rim for my spare tyre and this was the closest I got in 3 years of searching. |
As the admin I hate to say cross-post this question but I would verify it by asking in the Thing Forums. This is one time it's valid. _________________ How to Post Photos
Everett Barnes - [email protected] | My wanted ads
"Water is the only drink for a wise man" | "Communication prevents complaints"
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
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lightice Samba Member
Joined: December 14, 2012 Posts: 599
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 8:58 am Post subject: |
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Okay, thanks.
There are too few splits left running and even fewer 181s around. |
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