Tire wheel and suspension thread

[TDCTDI]

[Vladiiiii]

I am back from the first spirited drive with wide tires. As in, 185/65 R15 from Michelin.

Blown away how much grip they have, and how well a Ghia handles.
HD Swaybar in the front with Sachs shocks, somewhat preloaded Z-Bar in the rear with Gas shocks, and the tires..... wow Steering effort I don't feel it much worse at all.

I could keep full throttle through many corners, with the rear ever so slightly running wide. One hair of adjustment on the wheel, and it sticks
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Vlad's 72 Ghia (Once in a Lifetime Restoration topic)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9237746#9237746

[Car32]

I bought Porsche phone dials even before I bought my '71 Ghia because I'm committed to them.

They're the 15x6, 52mm-offset version, meaning their "frontspacing" is about the same as my stock wheels.

Well, I bought adapters to go from VW 4-lug to Porsche 5x130 and there was a problem.

Brand-new Empi adapters that I bought from xxxx vendor are not 5x130. They're more like 5x128. The lugs simply do not make a circle big enough to fit into the Porsche wheels.

I could force them (maybe) but I'd probably strip the threads on the studs. I could file or drill my Porsche wheels' holes so as to match the 5x128. Those are bad ideas.

Has anyone else seen this problem? The guy at xxxx vendor hadn't seen the problem "in 25 years" of doing business.

I'm wondering if the latest batch of Empi adapters is bad or if my wheels are something like 5x132?

Weird, right?
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First Car = 1970 Westfallen Typ II
Second Car = 1966 Baja
Nth Car = 2006 Cayman S

1971 Karmann Ghia Coupe

[c21darrel]

Adapter are going to push the whole assembly out (not sure how much). You may be better off and eliminate even more issues using Porsche pattern predrilled disc/drums
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GhiaBuild
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=481184
1967 DC build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=693583&highlight=67+dc
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[Car32]

I definitely won't use wheel adapters for a few reasons:

1) They push the wheel out too far
2) Seeing how they're made, I'd fear for my life mounting a wheel to one
3) Their bolt circle isn't a legitimate 5x130 (or my wheels aren't)

Considering #3, which is most likely?

1) Porsche made a set of 924S wheels whose bolt-circle was 2 mm too large?
2) Empi's wheel adapters in 2021 are smaller than 5x130 mm?
3) Something else?

Has anyone else seen this problem?
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First Car = 1970 Westfallen Typ II
Second Car = 1966 Baja
Nth Car = 2006 Cayman S

1971 Karmann Ghia Coupe

[rbsurfguy]

As Darrel said, you're better off buying pre-drilled Porsche pattern disc and drums. Plenty of vendors selling them, try Airkewld, pricier than others but you can get a good idea of what's available. I'm sure others can point out other vendors.
Jeff
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1971 Ghia convertible (Body off rebuild)
2019 VW Atlas 4Motion
2012 Passat-Sold


See my build on The Samba at:
Jeff's 71 Vert Restoration/Reassembly http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6...highlight=

[40horsesand6volts]

Hello Samba Folks,

I have a question specific to the narrowed adjustable beams that CB Performance sells. I have a 1963 Karmann Ghia coupe running the original stock 15" x 4.5" steel wheels and 165 R15 tires front and back. The car also has the original beam and stock front suspension set up. I want to use CB Perf. drop spindles and their front disc brake kit # 4192 for wide 5 bolt pattern wheels.

The CB Performance sales rep said that in order to run the 165 R15's up front with the dropped spindles I'd need to use a narrowed beam. So I ordered the narrowed beam, complete with new narrowed torsion leaves and narrowed tie rods, and narrowed sway bar. I put the new beam under the front of the car to check clearances and it appears that the shock towers on the new narrowed beam won't fit because of the inner fender wells. I am not cutting my body.

Has anyone run stock tires and wheels with that disc brake kit and lowered spindles?

Thanks,
-Jim

[c21darrel]

I had to trim the inner fender a small bit to fit my beam, but mine is 3 inch narrowed. I was under the impression 2 inch wouldnt need it, maybe a couple hammer taps. This is how much i cut for the beam.

_________________
GhiaBuild
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=481184
1967 DC build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=693583&highlight=67+dc
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[crocteau]

[pcseminole47]

I have a 1970 ghia. 2” narrowed beam with drop spindles and air ride front and rear. Can i run 17-7 wheels front and rear or do i have to use smaller rims on the front. And what tire sizes. And help is appreciated. In new to the ghia world.

[Ian Godfrey]

You will probably get the 7 x 17's under the front depending on offset, but you will have a very poor turning circle. I'd be thinking 6's and 195 max for a decent turning circle. At the rear you can just get 7" with 205's under if the wheel offset is just right. you may need to roll the guard at the back, trim the bump stop and use a button head on the front trailing arm bolt.
What offset will the wheels be?
the other problem is these cars are 'handmade' and no 2 bodies are exactly the same, and sometimes a bit different side to side, and a lot have had repairs. Go slowly and measure carefully.
Good luck and let us know your progress.

[xzener]

[de-inked]

[Alppiapina]

-Front: Camac 135/80, Rear: Vredestein Sprint Classic 155/80
-356 copy
-Dropped spindles, 2" narrowed adjustable axle
-1 notch dropped rear
-Caster shims
-Stock brakes

[kingkarmann]

[Le Borg]

I was surprised to find out how hard it is to buy a relatively small tire anymore, so since I found something I'm happy with I thought I'd share.

Nokian WR-G4 tires at 175 65 r15
"all weather" and I've used them with no problem since december. These rode hella safer than my pickup with goodyear wranglers in a couple inches snow and they do great in constant 90+ of summer, I've done a few trips on them between 150mi and 700mi and this is my daily driver so I slam on the breaks now and then and they stick to the ground well too.

I think I lost about an inch total of ride height, so these might be nice for the lowered crowd.

stock everything
stock height +worn bushings!
some aftermarket rims, I don't know the dimensions but no adjustment was made

[DadaCheese]

Hate to be this lazy, but looking for current (2022) tire recommendations: stock, or stock-ish, radials desired. Have recommendations?

1971 Karmann Ghia Coupe.
Stock.
Looking for best fitting/closest to stock sized radials on the stock wheels, which are safe, good and will last awhile.

The previous owner had 165/80R15 on it, which if I am reading correctly is an oft-used replacement size.

Advice and suggestions very much appreciated; once a decision is made it's time for use to replace all five tires.
Thanks in advance.

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Dada as in dadaism.
Cheese as in the stuff I love to eat.

[Ian Godfrey]

I like Vredstein or Blockley in either 155R15 or 165R15, both of these have really good grip.
An old fashioned R tyre is an 80 ratio which is correct for our cars.
sometimes the 165R15 is a very tight fit in the spare tyre well, 155R15 is perfect.

[Era Vulgaris]

[DadaCheese]

Concerning looking for stock-ish for our 1971 Ghia Coupe: