Author |
Message |
SparksLP Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2009 Posts: 213 Location: Ohio
|
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 11:30 am Post subject: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
Hello,
Looking for suggestions, trying to find wheels that would bring my tires in towards the body/reduce track width. Currently my car has CB Performance drop spindles and EMPI GT-5 wheels. Picture of how they stick out, rubs during turns (current tires 185/60r15)
Are there any 5.5" wide wheels that don't stick out as far? I know stock wheels aren't that bad, but I want a wider wheel/tire in the front than a 4.5" wheel can take. Thanks in advance!
Tom _________________ Tom
1966 VW Beetle Sunroof Sedan |
|
Back to top |
|
|
DerrickfromNC1 Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2008 Posts: 1293 Location: North Carolina
|
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 12:58 pm Post subject: Re: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
185 series tires are pretty wide for the front with stock VW fenders. You might get a better fit with 165 series on those rims. You might also want to consider a 2-4” narrowed front beam with your current combo.
Derrick |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Mike Fisher Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006 Posts: 17962 Location: Eugene, OR
|
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 1:13 pm Post subject: Re: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
5.5" 2.0 liter wheels will fit 185X60.
I run them with 185X60 & 205X70 on my lowered square with no rubbing. _________________ https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold
Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey |
|
Back to top |
|
|
DerrickfromNC1 Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2008 Posts: 1293 Location: North Carolina
|
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 2:23 pm Post subject: Re: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
Mike Fisher wrote: |
5.5" 2.0 liter wheels will fit 185X60.
I run them with 185X60 & 205X70 on my lowered square with no rubbing. |
The question isn’t whether 185 series tires will fit on 2.0 liter wheels...it’s whether the offset(backspacing) of the 2.0 liter wheels is different than the EMPI GT-5 wheels he is currently running. If they are the same then his front tires will still protrude past the stock fenders. My suggestion to SparksLP is to measure your backspacing of your GT-5 and hopefully others here on Samba will measure the backspacing of their wheels to see if there are wheel options with more position offset.
https://www.lesschwab.com/article/what-is-wheel-offset.html
Derrick |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Mike Fisher Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006 Posts: 17962 Location: Eugene, OR
|
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 2:51 pm Post subject: Re: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
DerrickfromNC1 wrote: |
Mike Fisher wrote: |
5.5" 2.0 liter wheels will fit 185X60.
I run them with 185X60 & 205X70 on my lowered square with no rubbing. |
The question isn’t whether 185 series tires will fit on 2.0 liter wheels...it’s whether the offset(backspacing) of the 2.0 liter wheels is different than the EMPI GT-5 wheels he is currently running. If they are the same then his front tires will still protrude past the stock fenders. My suggestion to SparksLP is to measure your backspacing of your GT-5 and hopefully others here on Samba will measure the backspacing of their wheels to see if there are wheel options with more position offset.
https://www.lesschwab.com/article/what-is-wheel-offset.html
Derrick |
The Answer is Yes since 2.0 liter have a very flat face with No dish & ET40. _________________ https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold
Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey |
|
Back to top |
|
|
DerrickfromNC1 Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2008 Posts: 1293 Location: North Carolina
|
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 4:23 pm Post subject: Re: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
EMPI GT-5 wheels have a et20mm compared to your wheels with et40mm. Sometimes I get confused on this positive vs neg ET thing but if I’m looking at this correctly the 2.0 liter wheels will stick out further.
Having said that the op was asking about purchasing another set of wheels...the price of a “new” set of wheels with a better offset is getting close to the $$ of a new bare narrowed beam!
Derrick |
|
Back to top |
|
|
SparksLP Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2009 Posts: 213 Location: Ohio
|
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 4:33 pm Post subject: Re: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
Yeah, the offset vs ET thing always mixes me up. I probably should have specified, my car is a 1966 Bug, so it's the "wide 5" (5 x 205) bolt pattern. Those squareback wheels would be a 4-lug wheel, right? And I'm hoping to not have to go to a narrow beam, the car is being built for autocross and then eventually (hopefully) track days and the like. So wide wheels and tires are necessary, to a point. Go figure, our silly shaped little cars make things complicated! 😂 _________________ Tom
1966 VW Beetle Sunroof Sedan |
|
Back to top |
|
|
DerrickfromNC1 Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2008 Posts: 1293 Location: North Carolina
|
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 5:30 pm Post subject: Re: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
Not a lot of options with the early wheels. We have a ghia and splitbus with the 17”x7” BRMs but the 7” width makes your situation worse.
The Bus has a 4” beam and the ghia is stock. Both these cars are running 205/40 tires front and back.
If you want 185 tires with your current wheels & stock width beam then CCC fiberglass wider fenders maybe your only option. BTW you wouldn’t happen to be running a spacer between your front drums and wheels ? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
SparksLP Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2009 Posts: 213 Location: Ohio
|
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 8:23 pm Post subject: Re: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
No spacer, the drop spindles just push the wheel out, plus the wheel being wider than stock. For example, here's the stock wheel with a 165/80r15, drop spindles installed.
It seems my choices are narrow the beam or maybe figure out how to get adjusters installed? Especially if I want to stay with a wide tire setup? _________________ Tom
1966 VW Beetle Sunroof Sedan |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Glenn Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001 Posts: 76760 Location: Sneaking up behind you
|
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 8:28 pm Post subject: Re: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
Get a set of REAL Porsche 914 alloys. They have a deep ET42 which really pulls them in. I have 195/55-15 on a set of Porsche/Pedrini 5.5x15 ET42 alloys on a stock width beam that dropped 3" via Avis adjusters.
_________________ Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
Member #1009
#BlueSquare |
|
Back to top |
|
|
SparksLP Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2009 Posts: 213 Location: Ohio
|
Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 8:39 pm Post subject: Re: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
Glenn wrote: |
Get a set of REAL Porsche 914 alloys. They have a deep ET42 which really pulls them in. |
Not a 5x205 bolt pattern, I imagine the cost to change all the hubs to fit those outweighs the benefits, haha. Always love seeing your car, Glenn. It's perfect! _________________ Tom
1966 VW Beetle Sunroof Sedan |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Glenn Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001 Posts: 76760 Location: Sneaking up behind you
|
Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 5:35 am Post subject: Re: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
Then a set of 356 wheels... also not cheap.
_________________ Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
Member #1009
#BlueSquare |
|
Back to top |
|
|
MANNAXMAN Samba Member
Joined: March 25, 2009 Posts: 485 Location: Cali
|
Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 2:07 pm Post subject: Re: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
You need a wheel with a lot of backspacing/large positive offset. These are an option - CIP SS SUPER SPEED WHEEL. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
SparksLP Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2009 Posts: 213 Location: Ohio
|
Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 7:49 pm Post subject: Re: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
Some of those do have a better offset/ET, thanks. And Glenn, I didn't even think about 356 wheels! _________________ Tom
1966 VW Beetle Sunroof Sedan |
|
Back to top |
|
|
pondoras box Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2004 Posts: 1207 Location: Eerie PA
|
Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2020 10:23 am Post subject: Re: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
I know you are going five lug but wanted to clear up something regarding a suggestion for future readers of this thread.
The Porsche 2.0 liter wheels do indeed have a desirable offset for late model cars, especially supers, but be careful to ensure they are genuine Porsche wheels. The aftermarket ones are different so do your homework. _________________ Looking for anything from Hal Casey Motors out of Hamburg New York, from license plate surrounds to matchbooks.
1961 23 Window (Bobo)
1965 11 Window (Zelda)
1965 13 Window (Lucas)
1957 Oval ragtop
1988 Cabriolet VR6 conversion
Plus a lot of other rusty junk |
|
Back to top |
|
|
SparksLP Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2009 Posts: 213 Location: Ohio
|
Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2020 6:52 pm Post subject: Re: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
Here's a random thought I had, tangentially related to the wheel/tire discussion. Would doing things to stiffen up the suspension (sway bar, shocks), prevent tire rub? I was considering a bigger front bar anyway, maybe that's a route that would solve my clearance problem. Or maybe I'm talking out my rear end. 😂 _________________ Tom
1966 VW Beetle Sunroof Sedan |
|
Back to top |
|
|
SparksLP Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2009 Posts: 213 Location: Ohio
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
EVfun Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2012 Posts: 5446 Location: Seattle
|
Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 8:58 pm Post subject: Re: Replacement wheel recommendations |
|
|
The 14 inch Bus front wheel in the 5 by 205 bolt pattern will suck each front tire in 14mm compared to the stock Bug wheel. I don't think any Bug front disc brake systems will fit inside of 14 inch wheels but the stock drums fit. _________________
Wildthings wrote: |
As a general rule, cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy. |
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
|