| Author |
Message |
Crooked Designer
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2018
Posts: 610
Location: Chicago, IL
|
 Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2025 11:21 am Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
 |
|
| Christopholi wrote: |
| Crooked Designer wrote: |
| Christopholi wrote: |
| Crooked Designer wrote: |
| Anyone have any tips for getting the T3 Technique center caps for these off without taking the wheel off? Don't want to f up the powder coat on the wheels. |
IIRC, I had to wrap it in a cloth and tap it with a rubber mallet while simultaneously trying to pry it off with my free hand. It's a bit of a job, but once it starts coming off, it gets easier. |
Tap the sides? probably work your way around it? did you try to pry anything between the cap and the flange on the rim? |
Yeah, just tap around the cap until it starts to come off. You will need to be firm, but loving. If you pry with anything, you will likely damage the cap and/or the wheel. |
That's kinda what I thought. Thanks for the reply. I'll give it a shot.
_________________
'85 Westy full camper, Subaru 2.5L, 5 speed SubiGears + 5speedbus shifter kit |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Christopholi
Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2011
Posts: 263
Location: Vancouver, BC, CANADA
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2025 11:19 am Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
| Crooked Designer wrote: |
| Christopholi wrote: |
| Crooked Designer wrote: |
| Anyone have any tips for getting the T3 Technique center caps for these off without taking the wheel off? Don't want to f up the powder coat on the wheels. |
IIRC, I had to wrap it in a cloth and tap it with a rubber mallet while simultaneously trying to pry it off with my free hand. It's a bit of a job, but once it starts coming off, it gets easier. |
Tap the sides? probably work your way around it? did you try to pry anything between the cap and the flange on the rim? |
Yeah, just tap around the cap until it starts to come off. You will need to be firm, but loving. If you pry with anything, you will likely damage the cap and/or the wheel.
_________________
1988 Tintop Wolfsburg Special Edition - "Meatloaf"
RMW 2.5 Subaru, SubaruGears 5MT 4.44 w/LSD, Coast Mountain Hightop |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Crooked Designer
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2018
Posts: 610
Location: Chicago, IL
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2025 11:14 am Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
| Christopholi wrote: |
| Crooked Designer wrote: |
| Anyone have any tips for getting the T3 Technique center caps for these off without taking the wheel off? Don't want to f up the powder coat on the wheels. |
IIRC, I had to wrap it in a cloth and tap it with a rubber mallet while simultaneously trying to pry it off with my free hand. It's a bit of a job, but once it starts coming off, it gets easier. |
Tap the sides? probably work your way around it? did you try to pry anything between the cap and the flange on the rim?
_________________
'85 Westy full camper, Subaru 2.5L, 5 speed SubiGears + 5speedbus shifter kit |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Christopholi
Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2011
Posts: 263
Location: Vancouver, BC, CANADA
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2025 11:12 am Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
| Crooked Designer wrote: |
| Anyone have any tips for getting the T3 Technique center caps for these off without taking the wheel off? Don't want to f up the powder coat on the wheels. |
IIRC, I had to wrap it in a cloth and tap it with a rubber mallet while simultaneously trying to pry it off with my free hand. It's a bit of a job, but once it starts coming off, it gets easier.
_________________
1988 Tintop Wolfsburg Special Edition - "Meatloaf"
RMW 2.5 Subaru, SubaruGears 5MT 4.44 w/LSD, Coast Mountain Hightop |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Crooked Designer
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2018
Posts: 610
Location: Chicago, IL
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2025 9:59 am Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
Anyone have any tips for getting the T3 Technique center caps for these off without taking the wheel off? Don't want to f up the powder coat on the wheels.
_________________
'85 Westy full camper, Subaru 2.5L, 5 speed SubiGears + 5speedbus shifter kit |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
pnwkayaker
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2008
Posts: 987
Location: Sammamish, WA
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2025 2:21 pm Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
| Vana408Goon wrote: |
New to the Forum, just bought my 91 2WD weekender 4spd. Thought I’d post my recent upgrade to it.
Tires : TOYO open country A/T lll - 215/75 R16 100T
With CLK wheels no spacers . Needs a lift for a more aggressive look . Hope this can help someone. Ride quality 80x better !! Engine rpms dropped by ~ 500
14” wheels @ 70mph : 3500 rpm
16” wheels @70mph : 3000 rpm
Speedometer is off by mph 70mph now = 75mph
|
What beautiful CLK wheels! Are they painted or poweder-coated?
_________________
87 Syncro Westy EJ25 ("Tardis")
Seattle Meetup at Marymoor (link)
A collection of Simple Useful Mods (SUM) (link) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dhaavers
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 8523
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2025 11:31 am Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
| Vana408Goon wrote: |
New to the Forum, just bought my 91 2WD weekender 4spd. Thought I’d post my recent upgrade to it.
Tires : TOYO open country A/T lll - 215/75 R16 100T
With CLK wheels no spacers . Needs a lift for a more aggressive look . Hope this can help someone. Ride quality 80x better !! Engine rpms dropped by ~ 500
14” wheels @ 70mph : 3500 rpm
16” wheels @70mph : 3000 rpm
Speedometer is off by mph 70mph now = 75mph |
Welcome! Nice rig, my favorite configuration & definitely an aggressive look. 
Gotta ask though, what engine you running? 15% taller tires means 15% less
horsepower to the pavement, so stock 2.1 wasserboxer (90hp) now gives you
only 76hp to work with. Highway hill climbing in anything taller than 2nd gear
may be a real challenge. Maybe you plan to stay in town, just cruise the ‘hood?
- Dave
PS: New van, new fuel lines yet? Safety first!
_________________
86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
shagginwagon83
Samba Member
Joined: February 07, 2016
Posts: 4405
Location: SWVA
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2025 7:57 am Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
sheeeeesh
_________________
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Vana408Goon
Samba Member
Joined: January 09, 2025
Posts: 3
Location: San Jose CA
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 09, 2025 7:45 am Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
New to the Forum, just bought my 91 2WD weekender 4spd. Thought I’d post my recent upgrade to it.
Tires : TOYO open country A/T lll - 215/75 R16 100T
With CLK wheels no spacers . Needs a lift for a more aggressive look . Hope this can help someone. Ride quality 80x better !! Engine rpms dropped by ~ 500
14” wheels @ 70mph : 3500 rpm
16” wheels @70mph : 3000 rpm
Speedometer is off by mph 70mph now = 75mph
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Crooked Designer
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2018
Posts: 610
Location: Chicago, IL
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2024 11:58 am Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
| SnowDaySyncro wrote: |
It's good of you to share information that could help others, but, to clarify:
-The wheels in the ad are not the wheels this thread is about
-The wheels in the ad are not rare at all, they are far and away the most ubiquitous Mercedes wheel out there.
-The tires are not suited to any Vanagon (nothing available with a whitewall has a suitable load range) so the price would essentially be for the wheels sans tires, with the added effort/cost of removing and selling/disposing of the tires.
| Crooked Designer wrote: |
If you're in the Chicago area, this appears to be an amazing deal.
|
|
Der.. of course they aren't CLKs.. sorry about that. total brain lapse when I posted. Still a good deal on the ones GW sells the replicas of. And yes, far from "rare" Thanks for clarifying.
**Moderators, if you want to move this to a relevant thread, go for it. maybe here?
_________________
'85 Westy full camper, Subaru 2.5L, 5 speed SubiGears + 5speedbus shifter kit |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SnowDaySyncro
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2006
Posts: 186
Location: Hartford, CT USA
|
| Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2024 10:42 am Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
It's good of you to share information that could help others, but, to clarify:
-The wheels in the ad are not the wheels this thread is about
-The wheels in the ad are not rare at all, they are far and away the most ubiquitous Mercedes wheel out there.
-The tires are not suited to any Vanagon (nothing available with a whitewall has a suitable load range) so the price would essentially be for the wheels sans tires, with the added effort/cost of removing and selling/disposing of the tires.
| Crooked Designer wrote: |
If you're in the Chicago area, this appears to be an amazing deal.
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Crooked Designer
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2018
Posts: 610
Location: Chicago, IL
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:12 pm Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
If you're in the Chicago area, this appears to be an amazing deal.
_________________
'85 Westy full camper, Subaru 2.5L, 5 speed SubiGears + 5speedbus shifter kit |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
john_lessard
Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2017
Posts: 117
Location: Boston, MA
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2024 10:58 am Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
Finally found my 5th rim and can now move forward with prep and paint. I found it as a single in a junkyard, so I don't feel bad about breaking up a set.
I wanted to advertise that during my search I found a set of 4 in Pasco, Washington, at U-Pull-It Auto Parts for $35/rim. It is pick-up only and possible will have to remove the wheels from the car. Rims looked mostly intact in the limited photos I saw. Hope someone can score these!
_________________
1986 Tin-Top Vanagon, 2.0L Zetec, Peloquins TBD 2WD |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Christopholi
Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2011
Posts: 263
Location: Vancouver, BC, CANADA
|
| Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2024 2:22 pm Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
| john_lessard wrote: |
Found a set of 4 for my 2WD tin top (still searching for a spare 5th). Looking forward to refinishing and mounting them.
My rough plan: Paint using Eastwood 2K AeroSpray Charcoal Gray Rally Wheel Paint. I'll scuff up and smooth out the rims, prime with SEM high build primer, and finish with the 2K single stage urethane spray bomb.
https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-2k-aerospray-rally-charcoal-wheel-paint.html
Still working out how to open up the mounting holes and identify center caps that will fit.
I'm between Michelin Defenders and Yokohama Geolandars in 215/65R16. I currently have 205/70R15 Geolandars and am not terribly happy. They groan on hard turns, make a fair amount of noise at highway speed, and I rarely go offroad. These tires in this size are also barely load rated for our vans. I like having the capabilities of all-terrain tires, but don't want to end up with the same annoyances.
|
Thouroughly enjoying my Falken Wild Peak Ats at 215/65/16. Reasonably aggressive, very quiet, excellent load rating (102).
_________________
1988 Tintop Wolfsburg Special Edition - "Meatloaf"
RMW 2.5 Subaru, SubaruGears 5MT 4.44 w/LSD, Coast Mountain Hightop |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SnowDaySyncro
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2006
Posts: 186
Location: Hartford, CT USA
|
| Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 7:14 pm Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
If you'd consider going up one size, 215/70R16 has more choices and better load ratings. I've been running the Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme on my Syncro in the 225/75R16 size for the better part of the year and I love them. They're great on pavement, with no audible tread noise whatsoever. They performed well in my very limited offroad adventuring thus far as well.
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=...mpare1=yes
As far as opening up the lug holes, T3 Technique sells a drill bit that's perfect for that. A hand drill is fine, as the ball seats (make sure you get ones with a 12mm radius) will center it on the studs.
T3 also sells nice aluminum center caps for these wheels, pricey but very well made. I have a set of the deeper ones needed for 2WD (I got the shallow ones for the Syncro) that I don't really need. They're a little weathered, but that would suit being painted anyway.
| john_lessard wrote: |
Found a set of 4 for my 2WD tin top (still searching for a spare 5th). Looking forward to refinishing and mounting them.
Still working out how to open up the mounting holes and identify center caps that will fit.
I'm between Michelin Defenders and Yokohama Geolandars in 215/65R16. I currently have 205/70R15 Geolandars and am not terribly happy. They groan on hard turns, make a fair amount of noise at highway speed, and I rarely go offroad. These tires in this size are also barely load rated for our vans. I like having the capabilities of all-terrain tires, but don't want to end up with the same annoyances.
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
john_lessard
Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2017
Posts: 117
Location: Boston, MA
|
| Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2024 6:00 pm Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
Found a set of 4 for my 2WD tin top (still searching for a spare 5th). Looking forward to refinishing and mounting them.
My rough plan: Paint using Eastwood 2K AeroSpray Charcoal Gray Rally Wheel Paint. I'll scuff up and smooth out the rims, prime with SEM high build primer, and finish with the 2K single stage urethane spray bomb.
https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-2k-aerospray-rally-charcoal-wheel-paint.html
Still working out how to open up the mounting holes and identify center caps that will fit.
I'm between Michelin Defenders and Yokohama Geolandars in 215/65R16. I currently have 205/70R15 Geolandars and am not terribly happy. They groan on hard turns, make a fair amount of noise at highway speed, and I rarely go offroad. These tires in this size are also barely load rated for our vans. I like having the capabilities of all-terrain tires, but don't want to end up with the same annoyances.
_________________
1986 Tin-Top Vanagon, 2.0L Zetec, Peloquins TBD 2WD |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
campism
Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2007
Posts: 4716
Location: Richmond VA
|
| Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2024 4:18 pm Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
Two wheels for $275 in WI. Same seller has other ads for Vanagon stuff.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/381474630981559
_________________
'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic, tragically crushed by a falling hickory tree in my own driveway and now gone, leaving me Vanagonless and with no plans to replace it, alas. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SnowDaySyncro
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2006
Posts: 186
Location: Hartford, CT USA
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2024 4:12 am Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
| do.dah wrote: |
Or, just run them on until they bottom out, turn the lug wrench another turn or 2, and the end breaks off nice and clean.
A NOTE; since you ONLY have one lug key, you should consider NOT torquing that keyed lug nut tight. Just slightly snug. Might save you a buncha grief should you lose the key/break the key/strip the lug nut/lug nut gets rusted on/blahblahblah... |
The locks didn't bottom out against the capped ends, they bound up a few mm below that where the threads ran out. I'm not going to use wheel studs as taps, especially as one of those rear hubs is on at least its third set of pressed-in studs, seeing as it had replacement studs in place when I acquired it. The tap removed significant swarf on its way through the nuts, so I'm confident that was the right solution.
Regarding the lug key, I got two sets of locks with the same key so that I could lock my rear- mounted spare, so I have a backup in case my onboard one gets misplaced.
Not torquing locks so that you can remove them without the key defeats the very purpose of having locks, in addition to putting undue stress on these wheels which we're already asking to support a heavier vehicle than their original application. I'm happy with the approach I took and can't condone these alternatives. If anyone in the Hartford area wants to use my tap for the same mod, feel free to message me. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
do.dah
Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2015
Posts: 863
Location: Washington
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2024 6:37 pm Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
Or, just run them on until they bottom out, turn the lug wrench another turn or 2, and the end breaks off nice and clean.
A NOTE; since you ONLY have one lug key, you should consider NOT torquing that keyed lug nut tight. Just slightly snug. Might save you a buncha grief should you lose the key/break the key/strip the lug nut/lug nut gets rusted on/blahblahblah... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mtnhome 
Samba Member
Joined: July 17, 2010
Posts: 626
Location: Summit County, CO
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2024 12:04 pm Post subject: Re: CLK wheels |
|
|
| SnowDaySyncro wrote: |
I got a set of the T3 Technique 12mm ball seat locks for my wheels. They worked fine up front on my Syncro, where the OE studs are still in place. In the rear, however, I installed 50mm studs (15mm longer than stock, IIRC) which are a bit too long for the closed-ended locks.
I threaded the locks onto a 2WD front lug bolt clamped into a bench vise and drilled out the capped ends. The threaded area ended just shy of the newly-opened ends, so they wouldn't thread on fully. I solved this with an M14-1.5 tap, so all is well now.
|
Little late now, but I also had studs a bit too long and just cut them off. Used a mini grinder with cutoff disc and made sure to chamfer and deburr the end.
_________________
'84 Westy, '93 Subaru ej22 and Subarugears 5speed
Build thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=763098&highlight= |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
