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Air-Cooled Head
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Joined: October 15, 2002
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Location: Chicago Suburbs
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 Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 7:34 am Post subject: T3 4 Lug Wheels |
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A couple questions about T3 4 Lug rims.
So I have a bunch of 4 lug rims from who-knows-where, and I need to pick which ones to have prepped for installation. To ensure that get T3 & not T1, I started measuring offset. That's where the trouble started; I got multiple results. So I must be doing it wrong.
1) What is the correct offset for T3 4 Lug wheels? I did a search here & found differing answers.
Additionally I have 4, 4.5, & 5.5 inch widths. Pretty sure the 5.5s are Bug rims, but is offset the same on 4 & 4.5?
2) How do you properly measure offset? There's a post showing how somewhere, but I can't find it.
Now a "Stump The Pro" type question: In this pic you can see the valve stem holes are different sizes. When did that change? (Both of these are 4 inch rims.)
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Air-Cooled Head
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 7:48 am Post subject: Re: T3 4 Lug Wheels |
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So of course, the moment I post a question, almost immediately find an answer. 
Is the info in this post accurate?
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=660195&highlight=backspace
Still would like to know about the valve stem holes.
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ataraxia
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 8:02 am Post subject: Re: T3 4 Lug Wheels |
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| There should be a date stamp on your wheels if they're OE - that'll give you a starting place for figuring out the difference...although, if they're factory replacements, the date stamp might simply add to the confusion. |
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Boo-Koo-Z 
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Joined: February 03, 2004
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 9:30 am Post subject: Re: T3 4 Lug Wheels |
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Since I had so many wheels around the shop I started going through my collection and making sets and powder coating. In all my years of doing type 3 I've only seen a few wheels actually stamped with the ET46. Most of my type 3 wheels have been stamped ET41. Some of the differences I've come accross include the difference in the valve stem area. The early 66 dated 4 lugs have that rectangular indentation around the valve stem and the hole for the valve stem is larger. Also there is a difference between the inner ring valve stem area. Some have that inner ring indented next to where the valve stem is and others do not.
Everyone talks of type 3 wheels being ET46 but with how many I've owned with 15x4.5 et41 I'd say there was a certain stretch of production that got the et46 and the rest got et41
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Air-Cooled Head
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 10:00 am Post subject: Re: T3 4 Lug Wheels |
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Thanks Josh. Most of these rims (13 of 'em!) are so rusty you can't see much more than a faint impression if there ever was a stamp.
When did VW use 4 inch 4 lug, on what? (And how/why do I have 6 of them?  )
Sorry Joel, I hadn't seen your post..
The 4.5 inch rim I measured matches exactly the Hummer H2 wheel in the link I posted. That sez 46mm offset.
I wish the ET was readable, but it's not, on any of mine 
Hopefully the 5mm won't be problematic. 
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Bobnotch
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 10:25 am Post subject: Re: T3 4 Lug Wheels |
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| Air-Cooled Head wrote: |
Thanks Josh. Most of these rims (13 of 'em!) are so rusty you can't see much more than a faint impression if there ever was a stamp.
When did VW use 4 inch 4 lug, on what? (And how/why do I have 6 of them? )
Sorry Joel, I hadn't seen your post..
The 4.5 inch rim I measured matches exactly the Hummer H2 wheel in the link I posted. That sez 46mm offset. |
Tom, the 4" 4 lug rims are beetle rims, as the type 3 always came with 4.5 rims (even wide 5). So, either add them to your scrap bin, give them to a bug owner, or weld them together in pairs to make car stands. 
The offset is supposed to be ET46 for type 3s. I believe the ET 41 is for t-14 Karmann Ghias. On the face of the rim, in an indent, it should be stamped ET46. You might need a wire cup brush to knock the rust/paint off to find it though.
As for the large, versus the small valve stem, I think 66 was the last year for the large stem. It should also not have the safety lip for keeping the tire mounted to the rim.
I hope this helps.
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Boo-Koo-Z
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 10:46 am Post subject: Re: T3 4 Lug Wheels |
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I'm not convinced that all type 3 were et46. On the dozens of type 3 I've owned I've seen dozens with stamped wheels of et41 and only a couple stamped et46. What are the odds that all the T3s had ghia wheels swapped on to them?
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Bobnotch
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 10:54 am Post subject: Re: T3 4 Lug Wheels |
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| Boo-Koo-Z wrote: |
| I'm not convinced that all type 3 were et46. On the dozens of type 3 I've owned I've seen dozens with stamped wheels of et41 and only a couple stamped et46. What are the odds that all the T3s had ghia wheels swapped on to them? |
To be honest I don't know. But, the VW without guesswork booklets had the ET46 in them fir T-3's, as does my big Blue Bentley (for both 4 and 5 lug), as does the Brown Bentley calling out ET 46. I'm pretty sure I've even seen it listed in a couple of owners manuals as well. Now, is it possible that some PO's bought Ghia rims to put on their T-3? Yes.
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71 Notch ...aka Krunchy; build pics here;
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
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| "Friends are God's way of apologizing for relatives." |
| Tram wrote: |
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Mike Fisher
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 11:05 am Post subject: Re: T3 4 Lug Wheels |
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I only found ET46 on 1 of my squarebacks and lots of ET41 & ET34. Slide an appropriate length straight edge across the outer edges of the rim. If you hit the hubcap mounting bulge then it is an ET46, but the straight edge will slide over the top of an ET41.
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Air-Cooled Head
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 11:06 am Post subject: Re: T3 4 Lug Wheels |
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Thanks, Bob! That helps alot!
| Bobnotch wrote: |
weld them together in pairs to make car stands. |
I know a guy who welded 2 stacked rims together, welded on castors, & added seat cushions to make shop stools. Cool idea.
Thanks Mike! ET 46 confirmed.
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Boo-Koo-Z
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 11:10 am Post subject: Re: T3 4 Lug Wheels |
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| Mike Fisher wrote: |
| I only found ET46 on 1 of my squarebacks and lots of ET41 & ET34. Slide an appropriate length straight edge across the outer edges of the rim. If you hit the hubcap mounting bulge then it is an ET46, but the straight edge will slide over the top of an ET41. |
The et41 also misses the lip with a straight edge by about 1mm on a 4.5" wheel
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Donnie strickland
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 12:56 pm Post subject: Re: T3 4 Lug Wheels |
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The rims I put on my car came as new equipment on a 1976 standard Beetle. They are 4 1/2 J X 15 (see picture), and are stamped ET41 (see other picture). They fit just fine on my car and they don't rub anywhere, so as Joel says you could run the ET41 wheels if you have some.
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Typ3nut
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 6:40 pm Post subject: Re: T3 4 Lug Wheels |
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VW Steel Wheel Offset Chart
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Boo-Koo-Z
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| Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 7:51 pm Post subject: Re: T3 4 Lug Wheels |
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And that's why I don't believe the books. I'm sure it's a where it was delivers thing or what model. Nowhere on there does it say 15x4.5 41mm offset. And that's what comes on most of my type 3s.
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