| Author |
Message |
Jeff Green (Carguy)
Junior Member
Username: Carguy
Post Number: 181
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 5:03 pm: | |
Thanks to all for your interest. PATRICK...I will do some checking on your idea. It may not be too far fetched at that. ROB...there are three wheel companies who will make wheels for single-lug TR's. The cheapest is SAC wheels in Florida at $3,700 plus delivery. But I'm not too crazy about their design. The other suppliers prices start at $4,800 and go UP !!! BBS and Speedline will make wheels to fit, but their prices are just too high for me. The machining work just isn't that high-tech to warrant such a price. Another problem is the low volume, not many cars out there and of those, not many owners looking to change wheels. The style of wheels I want are like the 512TR's and F355's five-spoke design. But again there must be a flat 150mm circular area around the hub to allow the trim ring to fit. Too cold to do anymore checking right now. Maybe this weekend....we'll see. |
Rob Schermerhorn (Rexrcr)
Member
Username: Rexrcr
Post Number: 288
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 8:32 am: | |
Jeff, lots of work, most impressive forensic engineering!
Will BBS work with you? Are their prices within budget? What manufacturers are happy to work with you on this? |
Patrick S. Perry (Psp1)
Junior Member
Username: Psp1
Post Number: 121
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, March 02, 2003 - 6:33 pm: | |
I will admit I'm just brainstorming here (I haven't looked into it other than look at the parts manual) but would it make more sense to either manufacture or modify new wheel hubs? The original hubs and rotors have 10 bolts - could half of those be modified to studs and would that give you a standard 5 bolt pattern? The splined part that holds the wheel would have to be removed or would it be easier to turn new ones from scratch? The rear hubs would be more difficult - maybe modification would be simpler.
Does any of this make sense? |
roger j comer (Comer)
New member
Username: Comer
Post Number: 4
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 02, 2003 - 11:43 am: | |
You betcha Jeff: I contacted wheel makers in the UK thinking I may be able to find a supplier. No one seems interested in this project.
Not sure what I could do to help you but just let me know.
Do you have any specific style of wheel in mind?
|
Taso Anastasopoulos (90rossa)
Junior Member
Username: 90rossa
Post Number: 55
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, March 01, 2003 - 6:53 pm: | |
I'm interested too. Have a 87 Koenig TR.
Taso |
Ric Rainbolt (Ricrain)
Member
Username: Ricrain
Post Number: 502
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, March 01, 2003 - 10:21 am: | |
I'd be interested in what you find, so keep on posting. |
Jeff Green (Carguy)
Junior Member
Username: Carguy
Post Number: 176
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 9:50 pm: | |
This is the ongoing saga of me exploring other wheel possibilities. Well, it has been a long road, but I have done a complete dimensional layout of my TR's Spline Adaptor, Retainer Ring, and a Rear Wheel. Oh...and my wheels are made of magnesium, not aluminum as others have suggested. I then made blueprints using CAD showing multiple views as well as a cutaway drawing of each. I did make a significant discovery. The factory offset or backspacing of 73mm is clearly shown on the backside of the rear wheel. And that number is technically WRONG !! On single-lug wheels, the backside of the wheel has a 150mm dia. pocket recessed in by 5mm. This recessed area is where the spline adaptor seats, and is the actual offset of the wheel at 78mm. So if one were having wheels machined to fit their TR, this is the number to use. Also, any wheel design being considered would need to have a flat area on the front side that is 150mm in dia. to allow the trim ring to fit flush. And also the hub area would need to be somewhere around 47 to 50mm thick to allow the necessary machining for all the parts to fit properly. I am now looking at various aftermarket wheels for possible candidates for the machining required. I would also like to know if it's possible to buy "blank" wheels that have not been machined yet. This is a lot of work up front, but if successful I will save thousands in the long run. Where aftermarket wheels prices start around $3500 and go up, I may be able to get something similar for perhaps $1500 to $2000 or so. I will continue this tedious work and post my findings. Is this info. of interest to anyone out there? Sometimes I feel like I'm the only early TR owner who would like some spiffier wheels. Tootaloo for now. |