Syncro 16 wheels

MuzzcoVW · Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2020 1:10 pm Post subject: Syncro 16 wheels

Are the oem 16s still available anywhere? I swear I had a bookmark for a couple sites, but can't locate them. Thanks

SteveMc · Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2020 3:30 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

MuzzcoVW · Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2020 5:24 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

I'm not sure. Did Mefro make the originals? You're right though they look pretty much the same.

ALIKA T3 · Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2020 5:39 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

I'm pretty sure Mefro was the manufacturer.
They're actually in France. They go for like 50 bucks a pop at caravans retailers but I think they stopped production recently.
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget

tjet · Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2020 5:59 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

That's what I heard too. No mas.

vanagonjr · Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2020 8:28 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

Microbusdeluxe · Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 2:32 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

I have a 16" syncro with factory wheels. The Mefro looks very similar, though the factory wheels were painted black.
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tjet · Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 5:18 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

From my research, it looks like factory Syncro 16 rims have 15 perimeter holes. The Mefro's have 16. South African steel rims and Syncro 14 rims have 20 holes.

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syncrodoka · Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:22 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

I don't belive that mefros were syncro 16 wheels, the are different width and missing some raise dimples near the lug nuts.
Around 2008 I was looking for stronger wheels than the SA steel wheels that i bent offroad. I found out about mefro wheels gmbh and encouraged peter at VC to import a set for me even though they were a trailer rim. They turned out to be more durable and looked very similar to stock and were available in 15" and 16". He imported a pallet of them initially and soon after they came in regularly several pallets at a time to try to catch up with demand.
Apparently they were purchased by accuride last year, a heavy truck wheel manufacturer. I am longer able to find something that will fit our vans in their new catalog.

tjet · Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:59 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

The Mefro 15" rims I bought from Campervan Culture have a DOT/ECE stamp. FYI, They don't say "TRAILER" on them. I bought them a few months ago. I do have a set of "trailer use only" rims on my old pickup. They seem fine. I'm not sure what the difference is vs reg truck wheels.

The steel on the Mefro's is thicker than the SA rims I have.

Here's a vendor that makes some nice looking steel rims...

https://www.corsasteelies.com/wheels

syncrodoka · Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:07 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

That stamp certifies it for road use. I am not sure that there is a trailer stamp but i do know what catalog that i got them out of and had purchased for me which became a staple rim in the US through VC.

Steve M. · Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:34 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

syncrodoka · Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2020 7:57 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

Syncro 16 steel wheels are 251601027A. They are 16x5.5 ET34, probably work best with "skinny" tires.
I checked vwclassic and a few of the usual suspects and they didn't offer them.

Steve M. · Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2020 12:00 am Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

There are wheels out there in private hands,. The owners of Syncro 16's who have done big brake mods where the wheels do not fit anymore.
I think I paid $600.00 for my Winter tire set of 4 in 2016. Shipping charges then were $300.00, but that was because I had to do expedited shipping
I don't even want to think about what it would cost for shipping today the way prices have gone up on shipping.
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Steve M. · Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2020 12:40 am Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

clift_d · Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2020 3:14 am Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

OEM Syncro 16" wheels are a thicker gauge of steel than Mefro wheels, which means that they're really heavy to move around, particularly if you have a chunky all-terrain tyre fitted. OEM wheels also have raised areas between the bolt holes to clearance the head of the retaining bolt on the rear brake drum - with the Mefros you generally need to omit this bolt to make the wheels sit flat. In terms of dimensions, the Mefros are a slightly wider rim at 6x16" whereas the OEMs are 5.5x16" - it's not a big difference, but it does mean that you should check that any tyres you are considering fitting to the OEM wheels are specified as compatible with a rim that narrow. Lastly, the Mefros need wheel nuts with a tighter R12 seat radius than OEM wheel nuts, so you should include for these in your shopping list.

The only oddity we've found with our OEM rims is that we've had to put a 3mm spacer behind them to clearance the SA big brake front calipers we have fitted.

I'm pretty sure you can't get the OEM 16" wheels new any more, whereas the Mefros are still available new.
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syncrodoka · Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2020 7:50 am Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

Metros are ET30, no issues with wheel bearings.

ALIKA T3 · Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 12:57 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

I see a lot of discussion trying to distinguish the Mefro wheels fron the Syncro 16".

Mefro was prolly the manufacturer for VW but it doesn`t mean they were allowed to sell them on their own Wink

So they`re clearly 2 different wheels.

The SA wheels are made for Mercedes, I posted pics elsewhere, it has the Mercedes part number on them. Oddly enough, the same part number comes up with a different offset elsewhere in the world (German supplied wheels) Wink

_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget

syncrodoka · Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 10:14 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

Mefros don't look like synco 16 wheels side by side. Syncro 16 wheel center face looks really flat are are easy to identify. The width and offset are different as well as the lug nuts they use, even the syncro 16 center caps can't be used. If they made the wheels for vw they changed the design completely for theirs.
My SA steel wheels are stamped with VW and the Audi rings logo next to it. Definitely nothing about Mercedes on them.

Steve M. · Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 10:24 pm Post subject: Re: Syncro 16 wheels

Now I'm curious about the weight of the Syncro 16 wheel with a tire?
I remember my Land Rover oem 16" wheels with the stock tire size being 75 lbs.
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