bus boys adjustable springplate / tire clearance issues

[Jeff Power]

i am running the bus boys adjustable springplates with four lug beetle drums w/ five lug adapters.

i am trying to mount my wheels, but am having problems with my, 195/65/15 tires on stock 15'' wheels, hitting the springplate adjusters.

i need about another 1/2'' to clear the adjuster.

anyone else have these problems, any possible solutions.
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[mintonman]

I don't know if type 3's ever had 4 lug drums, but if they did, you may want to try a set of them. Like the bus drum, it's wider, I belive they did have 4 lug in the late 60's & 70's. If like the bus drum, you may have to grind the snout of the drum down to put the avel nut on. I'm not 100% on any of this , but my get you in the rite direction.
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[Jeff Power]

what i don't understand and will have to wait until monday morning to ask is what does bus boys say about this. what have they told other customers to do because they do list 4 bolt beetle drums with 5 bolt adapters as one of the options for brakes in their online instructions.

thanks for that suggestion with the type 3 brakes but it would be kind of expensive and, this early in the game, not an option.
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[mintonman]

Bus boys will probably blame your tire size & suggest a 185/65. Do they mention anything about tire size in there add? I wonder if they are sold to be used with stock tires(bastards )
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Hoockd on fonicks werkt for mee?
under the influance "DUH"

[Riff Raff]

The offset of the wheels is the culprit.
The stock bus wheels have less (or more depending on your viewpoint) than any other wide five wheel.
I think you have two choices ( actually only one choice, but two alternatives)
Use rims with more positive (negative?)offset, or install a spacer to move the whole hub farther "out".

I am running Type 3 four bolt rear brakes with an adaptor, and my stock bus wheels clear the springplate, but not by much. I would like to put wide 5 drums on the rear, but the loss of the 1/2" I get from the adapter means that the tires may not clear the spring plate . I just haven't got around to measuring yet.
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[NAES]

You have to run some sort of a spacer with a busboys kit. I run 3/8" on mine. There are two different styles of bus 15's. The crowsfoot and noncrowsfoot.

The crowsfoot has more backspacing than the other. Since you need about 1/2" your gonna end up with a fatty of a spacer. 4to5 lug adapters should push the wheel out some but I've seen up to 3/4".
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[oilspot]

The type three drum (4 lug) is wider and may give you the spacing. What year bug drums are you running???
The good news is that if that will fix your problem you get to buy drums, wheels cylinders, shoes .

[Jeff Power]

my 4 lug to 5 lug adaptors are already 1/2'' . i need another 1/2'' to clear the springplate.

i was thinking last night and maybe i could have a fabricator add another 1/2'' to the 4 to wide 5 adaptors. i wonder if this would be safe.
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I build complete Westy Style camping interiors check them out here > www.rjcampers.com

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[vwbus67]

i have the same prob. im running 165R15 and the hit the adjuster. i have a 68 bug tranny with 67 drums and brakes. what do i need to do? if i need a spacer, where would i put it?

[roadron]

another option. buy some 15x5.5 mangels chromies. grind off the 5 small welds that hold the center to the outer. you can then slide the center to any offset position tou want. measure and reweld. it was pretty easy R
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[joe56vw]

are the adjusters on both sides can you flip them around

[primer look]

I have the same prob' running 185/70 and tryed 165/80 both no good they rub biggtime. A was allready running 1" spacer due to my pre 67 bug drums.

I called bus boys they told me to get other wheels or run a 1" and on top of that a 1/2" spacer witch ofcourse is not safe anny more. A just removed them and put them on the shelf.

Now my bus drums are at the machine shop to get the nose cut and the lip removed so they will fit the beetle axle again. in this way i gain some more space and if i use my spacer again they will fit.

Dennis

[primer look]

@ joe56vw

[Long-roofs]

I have not seen the adjustable spring plates, but they sound useless, at least for stock rims and low profile tires. I guess you could narrow the rear so the spring plates bolt right up to the short axles/tubes, that is another 1 1/8". Obviously alot of work to go that route.
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[splitpile]

I just put those on a bus I am working on. I have 17X7 wheels with a 55 mm offset. When I put the BB adjustables on the tires hit. I ended up usind a 1/2 spacer to get the clearance I needed.
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[Jeff Power]

what if i had a 1'' thick 4 lug to wide 5 lug adaptor made would that be dangerous.
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I build complete Westy Style camping interiors check them out here > www.rjcampers.com

Check out my basses here www.ellabasses.com

[Riff Raff]

The 1" thick adapter would have to be damn sure it was true, and composed of the proper alloys to be both hard enough not to bend under the abuse, and soft enough to not crack under the stresses.
Also, you would probably have to get custom lug bolts built that are about 1/2" longer than stock.
From the "For what it's worth department"
Sounds like more pain in the butt than the alternatives.
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The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge
- Daniel Boorstin

[primer look]

Just get your bus drums reworked and get them on (loose the beetle drums) add a spacer and your there.

dennis