TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed May 10, 2006 9:47 pm

I just put on some 2003 Audi A4, 7 spoke rims with Pirelli 205/65/15 P6 tires. They are 7x15 with an et of 38. Maybe 39. Can't see that close up. There is a good inch between the tire and the spring plate and a good inch between the tire and the fender lip. I used my head porting tools to hog out the center. The rim was lug and hub centric. Now it is just lug centric. My stock lug nuts are about 4 threads shy of being flushed out. No big. Still plenty of threads grabbing. Looks good. No center caps. Haveta work on that. User friendly. I do not have the capability to post pictures. May be able to get a shot through NAGs thread in shows/camping/events. It was actually a perfect fitting wheel because it is just a little larger to both the inside and outside as compared to the original 14" wheel. 40 lbs of air and it steers well. Tirerack.com didn't have good marks for the tires. They were the factory installed i believe. New wheels definately adds character. Seems like a different Bus. Happy Trails, Regis

78 Westy.

Thu May 11, 2006 8:13 am

Look like bug wheels with 1200 lb passenger tires on them. :(

Thu May 11, 2006 10:31 am

nemobuscaptain wrote: Look like bug wheels with 1200 lb passenger tires on them. :(

oooph. pathethic ain't it? thanks capt., i know sqat about beetles. i think i've driven in a beetle less than five times. been following the tire sticky with care.

Thu May 11, 2006 10:48 am

These are precisely the ones I have and prolly install on the Plump truck & the Gutless Wonder!!! :P

Mon May 15, 2006 6:12 am

On Friday, 5th May 2006, whip618 posted a picture of the 5-spoke alloy wheels, fitted to his 1971~79 VW Type 2 Kombi.

Recalling a British magazine article (Alan Clunnie, "Van with Vroom", VW Motoring, June 1997, pp68~71) I read nearly nine years ago, those wheels look remarkably similar to those which were factory-fitted at Uitenhage, to the late-model (i.e. 1992 onward), 2•5 or 2•6 litre, 5-cylinder engined, South African VW Caravelle T3 (i.e. Vanagon, in North American parlance), which I think are 15 x 6½ inch & 30 mm offset, normally shod with 205/65 R15 tyres, but will also accommodate 215/65 R15 tyres, which are a common size used on several MPVs (i.e. multi-purpose vehicles), such as the Chrysler Grand Voyager, Fiat Ulysse, European Ford Galaxy, Hyundai Trajet, Kia Sedona & Toyota Previa!?!

I liked the look of the Caravelle's alloy wheels I saw, in the aforementioned VW Motoring article, but was unsure whether they would be compatible with the 1971~79 VW Type 2, and if they were, how one might obtain some second-hand, at reasonable cost, all the way from South Africa!?! The somewhat different looking, 5-spoke alloy wheels, fitted to the more basic-level, South African VW Microbus T3, are also quite attractive, but I preferred those of the Caravelle.

If one preferred to use 14 inch alloy wheels, then the two patterns of 14 x 6 inch & 30 mm offset alloy wheels, with 205/70 R14 tyres, fitted to the German manufactured, VW Caravelle or Carat T3 (i.e. Vanagon), can be obtained second-hand in Europe and North America, whose details are as follows:

255 601 027 Scheibenrad 'ALU',
6.0Jx14H2 ET30 5/112 (Offset 30 mm)
(1980 ~ 1985, 12 round holes)
No Longer Available from VW

251 601 025 091 Scheibenrad 'ALU',
6.0Jx14H2 ET30 5/112 (Offset 30 mm)
(1985 ~ 1992, 5-spoke)
No Longer Available from VW

The following, relatively recent advertisement on TheSamba.com, illustrates the later, 5-spoke alloy wheel:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=291169

An aftermarket wheel, about which I have read a detailed discussion, with reference to the VW Vanagons and Vanagon Syncros, is the 900 kg rated, 16 x 6½ inch & 30 mm offset, 5-spoke, CV 900 alloy wheel, made in Europe (probably Germany, Austria or Switzerland, judging by the name!) by CW Fahrzeugtecnik, as follows:

http://www.syncro.org/Tires.shtml
http://users.rcn.com/derekdrew/vanagon/All_About_16-Wheels_And_The_CV_900.htm

In terms of strength, weight, rim diameter, width and offset, the CW Fahrzeugtecnik CV 900 alloy wheel, would probably be as close to optimum for both the VW Vanagon and 1971~79 VW Type 2, as one could hope for, as well as being quite attractive. They could potentially be fitted with 195/65 R16, 205/60 R16 or 215/60 R16 light truck tyres, which would retain close to the same nominal, external circumference, as the stock 185 R14 tyres, to within ± 2%; which is a legal requirement in some territories.

Sadly, at a quoted price of US$210 per wheel (not including tyres; which for premium-brand tyres, are almost as expensive as the wheels!), plus shipping, they're way outside my budget; especially for a complete set of six wheels (four and two spares).

Regards.

Nigel A. Skeet

Mon Jul 10, 2006 3:42 pm

what a relief. five painted rims and five vanco8's. the old chromies are ready for a new owner,, preferably a local oregon bug owner.

Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:04 pm

Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:16 pm

would you know what Audi model and year those wheels came from..Thanks NO_H2O wrote: Audi 16x7's. Still need to lower it and paint it.

Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:43 pm

stock wheel painted farmall red!

Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:45 pm

Sell me that single cab when you get tired of it. [-o<

Mon Jul 10, 2006 6:45 pm

you wanna see my what?

Thu Jul 13, 2006 1:53 am

EZ Gruv wrote: Those are GoWesty alloys. Or at least GoWesty hub caps.
Those cute center caps were the first thing I noticed when I was last at GoWesty. You won't find them on the website for obvious reasons.

Hrvoje-ZD wrote: Mercedes factory wheels.From late 80 and early 90
Mostly 90s. Too many models to list.

The 14" rims are a PITA to find tires for but I still like the way they look:

Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:08 pm

Hippopotabus wrote:

Sorry to all that are sick and tired of seeing my rims.... :oops: I ain't got much but I do have pretty slick lookin rims. 8)

Those Michelin Agilis 81's are cool also. Wish we could still get those.

Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:37 pm

You can for $109 each http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Sizes.jsp?make=Michelin&model=Agilis

Thu Jul 13, 2006 10:33 pm

nemobuscaptain wrote: Hippopotabus wrote:

Sorry to all that are sick and tired of seeing my rims.... :oops: I ain't got much but I do have pretty slick lookin rims. 8)

Those Michelin Agilis 81's are cool also. Wish we could still get those.

reviews say they are great, and others say they wear quickly. i would like to hear more about the agilis 81's in the tire sticky. especially after they get +/- 30k under the belts. i hope the sticky becomes the place for that sort of discussion.

Fri Jul 14, 2006 12:58 am

Fri Jul 14, 2006 1:48 pm

Those look nice tricky tom. Are they Ronals??? 15" or 16"?

Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:12 pm

Quote: Wish we could still get those

Why can't you get them. I think Tire Rack still carries them.

Also any information about wear on these tires I'd love to see. Not trying to be a wise ass but according to everthing I've heard the Michelin Tire is one of the stongest tires on the market. But again, I'd like to see any review that says different.

Wed Jul 19, 2006 2:19 pm

Wed Jul 19, 2006 4:56 pm