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delta9007
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Joined: March 17, 2008
Posts: 106
Location: Arcata,CA
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 Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 12:51 pm Post subject: Will 16" Factory steels fit 2wd Westy? |
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An out of area friend has a set of 16" factory steel wheels from a Syncro I can have but neither of us know if they'll fit my '89 2wd Westy. Any help much appreciated and yes I searched! 
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'89 2wd, 4spd, 2.1 Westfalia. |
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WedgeAntillies
Samba Member
Joined: April 07, 2008
Posts: 166
Location: Maple Ridge, BC
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| Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 1:01 pm Post subject: Re: Will 16" Factory steels fit 2wd Westy? |
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| delta9007 wrote: |
| An out of area friend has a set of 16" factory steel wheels from a Syncro I can have but neither of us know if they'll fit my '89 2wd Westy. Any help much appreciated and yes I searched! |
Just and FYI, there is an existing thread for wheel fitment questions.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=203519 |
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MarkWard
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Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 17114
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 1:23 pm Post subject: |
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I can't think of reason they would not fit, unless they have tires mounted that are too tall. Many syncro owners opt for taller tires along with their lift.
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syncrodoka
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Joined: December 27, 2005
Posts: 12005
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 3:11 pm Post subject: |
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They are kind of on the narrow side 5.5" IIRC.
Big brake kits will be a issue since the rim center is flatter than most options.
What tires are you going to run to keep from getting overgeared too much?
They are cool from the originality side but I have doubts that I would run them on my cars with other lighter/stronger/better looking options available. |
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Syncroincity
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Joined: April 15, 2007
Posts: 1557
Location: New York City
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| Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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They will bolt right on, but you need to use +2 size tires to keep your outer diameter close to the original.
Tire Rack: "Large diameter wheels and wide, low profile tires go together and show up everywhere from America's new car showrooms to its roads, tracks and trails. So whether the vehicle came from the assembly line or was upgraded after it was delivered, Plus Sizing (also called "Inch-Up" sizing in other parts of the world) probably played a role in its tire size choice. Plus Sizing allows tires and wheels to make a fashion statement while providing a functional improvement.
Plus Sizing dates back to the 1970s when Plus One and Plus Two fitments were the available choices. Drivers could upgrade their cars from relatively narrow 13-, 14- or 15-inch wheels and tires up to wider 14-, 15- or 16-inch combinations. While Plus One and Plus Two are still popular today, the starting point now typically begins with 15- or 16-inch wheel diameters and grows from there."
So if the OEM size was 205/70-14, you'll need something in the range of 215/60-16.
You also need tires load-rated for the heavier Westy, so your choices are a little limited
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'86 Syncro CHC Top AAZ Turbodiesel
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delta9007
Samba Member
Joined: March 17, 2008
Posts: 106
Location: Arcata,CA
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| Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 11:40 pm Post subject: |
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| syncrodoka wrote: |
They are kind of on the narrow side 5.5" IIRC.
Big brake kits will be a issue since the rim center is flatter than most options.
What tires are you going to run to keep from getting overgeared too much?
They are cool from the originality side but I have doubts that I would run them on my cars with other lighter/stronger/better looking options available. |
Thank you for the feedback. Main motivation was the price..Free! I'll have to research my tire options.
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'89 2wd, 4spd, 2.1 Westfalia. |
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delta9007
Samba Member
Joined: March 17, 2008
Posts: 106
Location: Arcata,CA
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| Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 11:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Syncroincity wrote: |
They will bolt right on, but you need to use +2 size tires to keep your outer diameter close to the original.
Tire Rack: "Large diameter wheels and wide, low profile tires go together and show up everywhere from America's new car showrooms to its roads, tracks and trails. So whether the vehicle came from the assembly line or was upgraded after it was delivered, Plus Sizing (also called "Inch-Up" sizing in other parts of the world) probably played a role in its tire size choice. Plus Sizing allows tires and wheels to make a fashion statement while providing a functional improvement.
Plus Sizing dates back to the 1970s when Plus One and Plus Two fitments were the available choices. Drivers could upgrade their cars from relatively narrow 13-, 14- or 15-inch wheels and tires up to wider 14-, 15- or 16-inch combinations. While Plus One and Plus Two are still popular today, the starting point now typically begins with 15- or 16-inch wheel diameters and grows from there."
So if the OEM size was 205/70-14, you'll need something in the range of 215/60-16.
You also need tires load-rated for the heavier Westy, so your choices are a little limited |
Excellent info, thank you. I currently have the 14" steelies with Hankooks.
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'89 2wd, 4spd, 2.1 Westfalia. |
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
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Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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OddN
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Joined: August 19, 2010
Posts: 690
Location: Northern Norway
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| Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 8:32 am Post subject: |
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Like others say, they will physically bolt on, but you will be limited to narrow tyres, like 205/60R-16. Even 215 is on the wide side for a 5,5 inch rim.
These Wheels are desireable for an original 16 inch syncro owner, and as such may be worth something as a trade, however for Your van, you will probably be better off with some Mercedes steel wheels. They are available in 7x16 et30 and many other dimensions. Look in the "what Wheels fit thread" for details.
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1991 VW Multivan syncro 1,9 TD |
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clift_d
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Joined: December 02, 2012
Posts: 265
Location: Hackney innit, UK
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| Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 2:59 am Post subject: |
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Free is the perfect price - go for it! I would hang on to them though - they're about the toughest wheels you can get for a T25, and all the offsets are perfect.
As others have said you just need to watch your overall diameter so that you don't get tyre rubbing. 195/65R16 or 205/60R16 are the same size as the standard 185R14 tyres so you could probably go a bit bigger than that, but get opinions from people who have done it first. We're running these wheels on our Westy Syncro with 215/70R16 BFG ATs so you may even find that this size will fit your 2WD.
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1988 LHD T25 1.6TD Westfalia Club Joker syncro |
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