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kvschmitz
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2009
Posts: 5
Location: Sarasota FL
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 Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:55 pm Post subject: Please help me understand wheel offset |
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My '67 bus came with these 15" rims and old dry-rotted 185/60 tires. I'm trying to get new tires and had planned to use these same rims with 205/75 tires (to get back closer to the original tire diameter). But comparing these rims to the one original 14" rim, the offset seems to be very different. When I jacked up the rear, the camber kicked in and tipped the top of the tire out quite a bit.I don't think I can get a taller tire under the rear wheel well with these rims.
So does anyone have a recommendation for reproduction wheels?
If not, can you explain how to measure the offset, or what offset my should be?
Many thanks.
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mandraks
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2004
Posts: 7047
Location: Lawrenceville, Ga
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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i think you should be okay
take some measurements on your wheels and compare to the 5.5 inch wheels below will absolutely put at least a 195 wide tire on the back of a 67.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1415303
looks like the offset is quite similar
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Uli
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'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel |
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earlywesty
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2004
Posts: 2357
Location: In the woods, Ontario
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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| If that is a bus rim on the right in the photo it looks to me to have quite a different offset that would make a substantial difference in how a tire fit in the wheelwell. |
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kvschmitz
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2009
Posts: 5
Location: Sarasota FL
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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| buseric wrote: |
| If that is a bus rim on the right in the photo it looks to me to have quite a different offset that would make a substantial difference in how a tire fit in the wheelwell. |
Yes that is the one original wheel (14") I got with the bus. The star rims are 15" |
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cdennisg
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004
Posts: 20263
Location: Sandpoint, ID
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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The white spoked rims you have are commonly referred to as "Jackmans" and were designed for off road bugs and buggies. They likely have a beetle offset, as least those that aren't 8-10" wide. With a full size tire, they may not fit in the bus rear wheel well, as they were not designed to be there. You might have to get a tire mounted to see if it will fit the bus. You can deflate the tire for install clearance, then inflate it once you have it past the wheel well lip.
Or, get your stock wheels cleaned up and buy new 14" tires.
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kvschmitz
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2009
Posts: 5
Location: Sarasota FL
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earlywesty
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2004
Posts: 2357
Location: In the woods, Ontario
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 7:04 pm Post subject: |
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| surely someone in florida has some stock rims for sale. |
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cdennisg
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004
Posts: 20263
Location: Sandpoint, ID
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 7:10 pm Post subject: |
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Those still have beetle backspacing, so you won't be gaining much over what you have.
If you want 15" wheels that fit your bus without modification, buy some 15" bus wheels. Or find three more 14" wheels and go that route. You may be able to find some tall narrow tires to fit those jackmans, but it will be tight. There are folks looking for those wheels, so you could sell them off to recoup some of your expenditures toward stock wheels.
If you really want to keep an aftermarket wheel setup, you may have to make some compromises.
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GTV
Samba Member
Joined: March 27, 2004
Posts: 2084
Location: Si'ahl
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 7:17 pm Post subject: |
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| buseric wrote: |
| surely someone in florida has some stock rims for sale. |
X2.
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Krustybus
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2004
Posts: 442
Location: SE Michigan
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mandraks
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2004
Posts: 7047
Location: Lawrenceville, Ga
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 9:06 pm Post subject: |
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those are the same style wheels i referenced earlier. 5.5s will absolutely put at least 195s on your 67, pretty sure they will fit 205s as well.
Still, if your current wheels are 5 inches wide, they will probably work, just throw a tire on one before you go order replacements, if it works, great, if not, you can still order other wheels, even stock wheels. personally, i would NEVER put 14s on, 15s look so much better. Unless, of course, you just want stock...
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regards
Uli
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'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel |
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cdennisg
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004
Posts: 20263
Location: Sandpoint, ID
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 9:10 pm Post subject: |
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| mandraks wrote: |
those are the same style wheels i referenced earlier. 5.5s will absolutely put at least 195s on your 67, pretty sure they will fit 205s as well.
Still, if your current wheels are 5 inches wide, they will probably work, just throw a tire on one before you go order replacements, if it works, great, if not, you can still order other wheels, even stock wheels. personally, i would NEVER put 14s on, 15s look so much better. Unless, of course, you just want stock... |
Width is one thing, but offset comes in to play, too. You could fit a seven inch wide rim in there with the correct offset. But that 5.5 incher may not fit if it pushes out so far that the tire rubs the arch.
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mandraks
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2004
Posts: 7047
Location: Lawrenceville, Ga
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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| cdennisg wrote: |
| mandraks wrote: |
those are the same style wheels i referenced earlier. 5.5s will absolutely put at least 195s on your 67, pretty sure they will fit 205s as well.
Still, if your current wheels are 5 inches wide, they will probably work, just throw a tire on one before you go order replacements, if it works, great, if not, you can still order other wheels, even stock wheels. personally, i would NEVER put 14s on, 15s look so much better. Unless, of course, you just want stock... |
Width is one thing, but offset comes in to play, too. You could fit a seven inch wide rim in there with the correct offset. But that 5.5 incher may not fit if it pushes out so far that the tire rubs the arch. |
agreed, measuring or test fitting will make all the guesswork unnecessary.
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regards
Uli
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'53 3-Fold Oval, L35 Metallic Blue, looking for a narrow hatch panel |
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kvschmitz
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2009
Posts: 5
Location: Sarasota FL
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| Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 5:26 am Post subject: |
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| Thank you all very much. I thought I searched the site for wheels and couldn't find any reasonable or local. I guess I searched wrong. I will check out the 14s and call the tire store to see if they have one I can test fit on current rims before I decide. I kinda like the look of the jackmans and I'm not concerned with 'all stock'. I really just want a setup that will make the bus ride well and get up to a decent speed. |
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jeffff
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Joined: February 23, 2006
Posts: 1044
Location: Alberta, Canada
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cdennisg
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004
Posts: 20263
Location: Sandpoint, ID
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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They were painted black first, then painted white on the outer half. You could just paint them black and run them like that for awhile. Then if you ever get tried of it, paint the outer side white like original.
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jeffff
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Joined: February 23, 2006
Posts: 1044
Location: Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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| cdennisg wrote: |
They were painted black first, then painted white on the outer half. You could just paint them black and run them like that for awhile. Then if you ever get tried of it, paint the outer side white like original. |
Ahh yeah, I never thought of that!! great idea. |
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EverettB 
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Joined: April 11, 2000
Posts: 69798
Location: Phoenix Metro
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MrPolak
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 1337
Location: AG ,atnaltA
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| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2015 10:26 am Post subject: |
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| I searched but could not find. What is the backspace of a 14'' bus wheel? Mine are getting powder coated now and I am about to order some adapters for my trailer to use bus wheels. |
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Jonesy
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Joined: June 14, 2005
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Location: UK
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