Wheel Borbet Type E will it work?

[GrindGarage]

I have been searching for a good deal on wheels and have a good feeling about these:

Borbet Type E 16x7.5", 5x112, et 35

They where last used on a passat. Looked everywhere for more specs and found none.

Anyone help with fitment!
_________________
-cliff

91 Vanagon AUTO
97 Single Port EJ22 all smallcar.com

[D Clymer]

They can be made to work with some modifications. You would need to use them with 10mm spacers. They would also need to have the center bores machined out to 66mm. The Passat and all Audis use a 57mm center bore. Aftermarket wheels sometimes have a larger center bore with a plastic ring inserted to reduce them to 57mm. This allows them to work with more applications. I'm not sure if the Borbets are that way or not. If not, machining the center bores can be kind of expensive.

The other consideration is the length of the center bore plus the thickness of the spacer. This combined dimension needs to be over 2" in length to clear the grease cap and spindle nut barrel on the front hub. If the combined length is too short, the wheels will work but you won't be able to use the centercaps - at least on the front.

Sounds like a lot of trouble, I know. But it might be worth it. They're nice looking rims and they'd look cool on a Vanagon. Also, 16" is IMO a perfect rim size for a Vanagon. Proportionately they look good, but also the tires, while low profile, aren't so low that the ride gets destroyed. I like the tire size 215/55/16 for this fitment.

David

[GrindGarage]

Thanks for the heads up. It looks like they use centering rings on these wheels and they come with the tire size that you mentioned. Any idea of the max spacer I may be able to run? I am concerned with the center cap not fitting. Besides that I like the look.
_________________
-cliff

91 Vanagon AUTO
97 Single Port EJ22 all smallcar.com

[D Clymer]

I took some measurements. The overall length of the front spindle stub and the grease cap is 62mm, or 2.44 inches. The thickness of the necessary spacer is 10mm so that leaves 52mm that would need to be taken up by the length of the wheel center bore. You could ask the seller to measure for you the distance between the machined flange that the center cap clips to and the mounting face on the back of the wheel. I have a bad feeling that due to the deep dish configuration of the wheel it isn't going to have a long enough center bore. A flush face wheel of the same offset would have a longer center bore.

You have the right idea by asking if the spacers can be made thicker to create a longer center bore, but unfortunately a 7.5" wheel is about as wide as a Vanagon can accomodate. If you go any further out, the wheel and tire won't really fit under the front fender lip.

Assuming the wheel center bore is not 52mm, there are a few options:

1. You could bore the centers all the way out and not run front center caps at all.

2. You could adapt a different type of center cap that sticks out and creates room for the grease cap. VW did this with the 14" Carat alloys.

3. You could try to shorten the grease cap up to gain some extra clearance.

4. You could buy a Syncro because Syncros don't have the ridiculously long front grease cap

I wish there were more options, but this is an all too common situation when trying to fit custom wheels to Vanagons. I've never actually looked in it, but I believe Loogy's "Wheels That Fit" thread in the stickys section shows some good options for wheels that will work on a 2wd Vanagon. It's generally a good idea to browse Mercedes wheels rather than Audi/Passat wheels since Mercedes wheels often have more center bore room given their rear wheel drive front spindle configuration.

David

[Christopher Schimke]

I had previously answered your original post (with slightly different answers from David) in the wheel thread, but since it seems to have taken off from here...hope this helps.

_________________
"Sometimes you have to build a box to think outside of." - Bruce (not Springsteen)

*Custom wheel hardware for Audi/VW, Porsche and Mercedes wheels - Urethane Suspension Bushings*
T3Technique.com or contact me at [email protected]

[scotty007]

Hi
My Vanagon with Borbet Typ E

7x15 with spacers

[GrindGarage]

Thank you Scotty. What size spacer and is it flat or hub centric? I was able to find out borate are 64mm. I think Im going to buy them and hit up loogy for all my hardware. Sweet looking ride u have there.
_________________
-cliff

91 Vanagon AUTO
97 Single Port EJ22 all smallcar.com

[JPrato]

I've got the Borbet CA wheels off a A4 (same as Passat). They just clear the caps in the front with 20cm spacers, longer studs and bolts. You remove the hub inserts they have in them and they become lug centric.

_________________
Joe

87 Syncro Tin Top project
84 Westy, 2.5L Subaru power
06 Subaru 2.5 turbo in waiting
46 Cessna 140

[scotty007]

[Acustimon]

Grind, Have you had any luck with the Borbet fitment? Currently looking at the Composite Motosports here trying to make a decision. -Thx

http://www.rallyshop.it/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=26_1247&products_id=11447

[GrindGarage]

Did not get them.
Going to stick with 14's to aviod the downward spiral of brake upgrades front and rear.
_________________
-cliff

91 Vanagon AUTO
97 Single Port EJ22 all smallcar.com

[Acustimon]

[K58]