deanomont
Samba Member
Joined: September 06, 2009
Posts: 214
Location: Kansas City MO
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 Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 6:39 am Post subject: Re: "Smoothie Rings" for 4-bolt Type 1... |
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That is very interesting Steve. I'm pretty sure I told you to stay away from t-3 wheels, which are the et-46. My apologies if i wasn't very clear. I'm just glad they worked out for you. Are you sure they are 46's? Maybe they are 41's.. I'm sure you know, but I could never get them to fit on the 46's. They almost fit, but there was the issue with the gap and they also "stood up" to tall where they make contact with the hubcap, causing the hubcap to fit too loosely.
A little history about project: type-3.
When I first developed the smoothie ring, I based it off of the rims that are on my own car, which is a 1974 standard beetle (ET-41). Like many people do, I assumed that all 4-bolt wheels are the same. I knew that there were different offsets, but I thought all the centers were the same. I even tested them on a type-3 and passed, but I was fooled, because it obviously had the wrong wheels on it. Before, I realized this, I went ahead and launched my business and marketed them for type's 1 and 3.
My very first customer, a T3 guy, contacted me and made me aware of the issues. I was happy to return, them, but then he decided to keep them. To this day, I have not had one single return, and I usually don't have any idea what my customers drive. It is always in the back of my mind..
Since I was now aware of the T3 issues, I began to resolve the problem. i sourced a ET46 for myself, and sure enough, I was having the same problem as my first customer. This is the moment I decided to stop marketing them for T3's. I don't want to offer something that isn't up to par - It would require making a new tool, which is costly and time consuming. I just did't think there was going to be a big enough market for the T3.
Well now here is the clincher.. I broke the tool, so I had to make a new one. I designed this one a bit bigger (sort of split the difference), and miraculously, the rings fit both very well now... Must have been meant to be for all you T3 people.
So Steve, I'm really glad you are happy with your rings and remember-It's one size fits all, so no need to specify type 1 or 3. |
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Stock Steve
Samba Member
Joined: April 10, 2005
Posts: 1963
Location: My Left Nutmeg State
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