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jsSyncro
Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2007
Posts: 59
Location: mill valley, ca
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 Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 12:00 am Post subject: gowesty 15x7 wheels on a Syncro? |
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Hi folks,
I'd like to get some 15x7 gowesty wheels for my '87 Syncro.
The description of the gowesty 15x7 wheels (Part #GVW-8540)
says they will rub on a Syncro, particularly with BFG tires
yet this seems to be the precise combo they sell as the Syncro
tire/wheel package (Part #GVW-WP26) . Is the offset on the Syncro
package wheels different? Will I have to install spacers to make this work?
ALSO: Do the Gowesty wheels have enough room to accomodate a "big brake" upgrade?
thanks for your help!
js |
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Dogpilot
Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2005
Posts: 4205
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
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| Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 1:31 am Post subject: |
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I went for the 16" wheels on my Syncro with Nokian Hakka's in 215/65 R16. I have the Big Brake upgrade from Van Cafe on the front and the smallcar disks on the back with no issues.
_________________
Geology with a Syncro rocks!
86 Syncro Westy AKA "The Bughunter"
98 Disco I
08 Range Rover SC
08 VW Rabbit S
1951 O-1G |
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Christopher Schimke
Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2005
Posts: 5524
Location: PNW
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| Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:48 am Post subject: |
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| gowesty wrote: |
| Our ET 23, 8-wheels, 15 and 16 inch, will FIT either 2wd Vanagon or 4wd Syncro Vanagon, or Eurovan. However, whereas an ET of 23 is needed on a 2wd so the tire clears the suspension parts, that same wheel sticks out more than needed on the Syncro and Eurovan. As a general rule, our wheels with an ET 23 wheels should not be used on Syncro or Eurovan applications, even though they will fit. This is especially true when the BFG tires are used, because they are rather large and will rub the body needlessly on a Syncro if the ET 23 wheel is used. |
| gowesty wrote: |
| This tire size is strictly for 4WD Syncro's only. They will not fit in the wheel well of a 2WD Vanagon without lifting springs. This tire is also much larger than stock and will RAISE your final drive ratio by as much as 12% depending on the tire it is replacing, which will make your speedometer read SLOWER by the same percentage. |
I wouldn't believe everything that GoWesty is saying here. Take a look at this:
| DeMinimis wrote: |
Loogy, hope this helps the thread.
15x7 ET23 AT Ilatia wheels
215 75R BFGs
No spacers
No rubbing
Longer studs (can't remember the length)
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Those "AT Ilatia" wheels are the same as GoWesty's. DeMinimis's van is stock height 2wd which GoWesty says won't work. Go figure!
GoWesty is correct in saying that a Syncro can use a little more offset but this is due to the design of the front suspension, not the body.
_________________
"Sometimes you have to build a box to think outside of." - Bruce (not Springsteen)
*Custom wheel hardware for Audi/VW, Porsche and Mercedes wheels - Urethane Suspension Bushings*
T3Technique.com or contact me at contact@t3technique.com |
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Dogpilot
Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2005
Posts: 4205
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
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| Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:58 am Post subject: |
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I also did find the description confusing. I ended up calling and speaking to Lucas direct. Picking the tire is also a challenge. If you want to go for the bigger brakes, the issue that should concern you is the spare. If you go for 15" wheels, most steelies will not work with brake conversions. You can get them with the correct offset and bolt pattern, but the way they are constructed makes fitting them with the disks problematic. They tend to interfere on the way the inner disk rolls to the outer rim.
The 16" rims seem to clear, I used a Passat wheel. Two reasons, cheap and had a new tire on it of roughly the size to match the main wheels. If your Syncro does not have a decoupler, then your spare must match the mains exactly or the tranny will suffer.
Van Cafe Big Brake kit:
_________________
Geology with a Syncro rocks!
86 Syncro Westy AKA "The Bughunter"
98 Disco I
08 Range Rover SC
08 VW Rabbit S
1951 O-1G |
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Petervw
Samba Member
Joined: July 04, 2005
Posts: 1020
Location: Sarnia Ont. Canada
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| Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 10:38 am Post subject: |
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| loogy wrote: |
| gowesty wrote: |
| Our ET 23, 8-wheels, 15 and 16 inch, will FIT either 2wd Vanagon or 4wd Syncro Vanagon, or Eurovan. However, whereas an ET of 23 is needed on a 2wd so the tire clears the suspension parts, that same wheel sticks out more than needed on the Syncro and Eurovan. As a general rule, our wheels with an ET 23 wheels should not be used on Syncro or Eurovan applications, even though they will fit. This is especially true when the BFG tires are used, because they are rather large and will rub the body needlessly on a Syncro if the ET 23 wheel is used. |
| gowesty wrote: |
| This tire size is strictly for 4WD Syncro's only. They will not fit in the wheel well of a 2WD Vanagon without lifting springs. This tire is also much larger than stock and will RAISE your final drive ratio by as much as 12% depending on the tire it is replacing, which will make your speedometer read SLOWER by the same percentage. |
I wouldn't believe everything that GoWesty is saying here. Take a look at this:
| DeMinimis wrote: |
Loogy, hope this helps the thread.
15x7 ET23 AT Ilatia wheels
215 75R BFGs
No spacers
No rubbing
Longer studs (can't remember the length)
|
Those "AT Ilatia" wheels are the same as GoWesty's. DeMinimis's van is stock height 2wd which GoWesty says won't work. Go figure!
GoWesty is correct in saying that a Syncro can use a little more offset but this is due to the design of the front suspension, not the body. |
Looks good the way it sits there...perhaps, go-westy's statement is ment to cover all situations...I did meet someone in Colorado with the same set up as you have and he did mention to me that when slowly going over some rough terrain with some side to side movement with the van loaded will have the tire hit the fender lip..also when useing the newer South African mud flaps will just touch his BFG's |
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jsSyncro
Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2007
Posts: 59
Location: mill valley, ca
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| Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:13 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the great info guys!
Dogpilot- are you able to get a 15/65 R16 spare into a modified clamshell
or do you have a decoupler?
I don't have a decoupler so I was thinking of going with this combo:
-15" ASA type 8 from TireRack (apparently same wheel as goWesty and *in stock*)
-215/75R15 BFG All Terrain TA KO
-Van-Cafe Oversized Spare Kit
-Same wheel/tire on spare to accomodate future big brake upgrade
I would strongly consider going with above on a 16' wheel but with
a BFG 215/70R16 *IF* I can cram the spare into the Van-Cafe Spare Kit envelope. The 27.8" diameter of this tire is theoretically the same as the
215/75R15 but I'm guessing it won't fit because the wheel/tire are roughly
1/2" wider. Anyone know if that is true?
thanks again,
john
| Dogpilot wrote: |
I also did find the description confusing. I ended up calling and speaking to Lucas direct. Picking the tire is also a challenge. If you want to go for the bigger brakes, the issue that should concern you is the spare. If you go for 15" wheels, most steelies will not work with brake conversions. You can get them with the correct offset and bolt pattern, but the way they are constructed makes fitting them with the disks problematic. They tend to interfere on the way the inner disk rolls to the outer rim.
The 16" rims seem to clear, I used a Passat wheel. Two reasons, cheap and had a new tire on it of roughly the size to match the main wheels. If your Syncro does not have a decoupler, then your spare must match the mains exactly or the tranny will suffer.
Van Cafe Big Brake kit:
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Dogpilot
Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2005
Posts: 4205
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
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| Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:02 pm Post subject: |
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I do have a decoupler, so I was not constrained except to clear the brakes. It seems each upgrade has other consequences. The Vanagon is kind of like a finely tuned ecosystem, disturb one element and the others spin out of control.
The stock clamshell will not clear much more than stock tires. I did manage to get my old Agils on the 15" Audi rims in the clamshell. The 16' was no way. So rather than buy the oversize spare carrier, I made one out of high strength webbing, some screws, a 3" piece of Angle and some flat plate scrap. I had to fab some bits of the flat plate to mimic the attachments the clamshell had to the rods on the backside. Not too tough, a mallet and a piece of wood to the correct width. Trim to size. This was screwed to the webbing, which I melted holes through. The two straps met at my specially designed, via a high end Sun Sparc Station running CATIA, so its aerodynamics would not affect the critical van pavement interface air flow zone, plate. This the went via the master strap to the angle with a special round hole drilled into it. Then I used the Original Equipment Volkswagen/Audi bolt to hold it down. The straps were made short and snug up as you crank down the bolt.
_________________
Geology with a Syncro rocks!
86 Syncro Westy AKA "The Bughunter"
98 Disco I
08 Range Rover SC
08 VW Rabbit S
1951 O-1G |
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