When should you call it quits trying to fit a set of wheels?

[jimxms]

I took my favourite set of wheels off my old car before I sold it, and I've been trying to fit them to the new car. The problem is the old car was 5x114.3 (studs) and the new car is 5x112 (bolts). It also looks like I need to add some spacers behind the wheels as the hubs on my new car are longer than a native african's nipples and poke out the middle of the wheels.

Is there any hope for getting them on there, or should I just call it quits?

I love the wheels and I'll only get a fraction of what I paid back for them, so its a hard decision to make.

[Classic Grad 98]

Frankly anything other than replacing the wheels with a set that fits is a horrible bodge.

[jimxms]

Classic Grad 98 said:

Frankly anything other than replacing the wheels with a set that fits is a horrible bodge.

Yeah I'm not a fan of spacers and adapters or wobble nuts either, but I spent a year tracking down these wheels and a fortune refurbing them so I'm gutted to have to sell them at a silly price. I would almost rather make a coffee table from them

[Classic Grad 98]

If money is no object, or you're really determined, it may be possible to have new hub flanges etc manufactured to convert the wheel fitment but I'd guess you're into over a grand there.

[E30Addict]

What wheels are they?

[jimxms]

E30Addict said:

What wheels are they?

Rays Gramlight 57F-Pro's. They're about 10 years old, but the closest set that Rays sell these days are Volk GT-C's which are about £2.5k.

Whats worse is they suit the Merc perfctly

[Eighteeteewhy]

If the wheels do not fit flush over the flange in the middle I wouldn't bother, bolts/nuts only hold the wheel on, the flange takes most of the vertical load.

[HorneyMX5]

Eighteeteewhy said:

If the wheels do not fit flush over the flange in the middle I wouldn't bother, bolts/nuts only hold the wheel on, the flange takes most of the vertical load.

Total nonsense. The wheel supports the car though the frictional grip between the mounting surfaces and not on the spigot lip or on the wheel bolts/studs.

As you clearly need spacers to make them fit then your best bet is getting a custom set of PCD adaptors knocked up to give you the right ET for your car as well as the correct PCD. Plenty of firms out there that make these and as long as it's all torqued up correctly then no problems.

NIck

[jimxms]

Eighteeteewhy said:

If the wheels do not fit flush over the flange in the middle I wouldn't bother, bolts/nuts only hold the wheel on, the flange takes most of the vertical load.

Reading around it seem that the bit which is stopping me is the wheel bearing cover, which it doesn't seem there's much I can do about as removing it causes the bearings to fail prematurely

A hubcentric spacer would give me the space required and carry the vertical load, but I'd still have the problem of converting 114.3 to 112 safely

[lesstatt]

E30Addict said:

What wheels are they?

Lets see a pic of these wheels please

[jimxms]

lesstatt said:

E30Addict said:

What wheels are they?

Lets see a pic of these wheels please

On the old car...

[IrrElephant]

Nice wheels, old car an IS200? Whats the new car?

[jimxms]

IrrElephant said:

Nice wheels, old car an IS200? Whats the new car?

Good eye.. It was an IS300, but I'll let ya have it

New car is an W211 E55 AMG

[IrrElephant]

jimxms said:

IrrElephant said:

Nice wheels, old car an IS200? Whats the new car?

Good eye.. It was an IS300, but I'll let ya have it

New car is an W211 E55 AMG

Should have noticed that from the indicators :P

New car sounds nice, I'd sell the wheels (Skyline or 200SX forum) and get something else. Whats the offset like?

[jimxms]

IrrElephant said:

Should have noticed that from the indicators :P

New car sounds nice, I'd sell the wheels (Skyline or 200SX forum) and get something else. Whats the offset like?

Most I've been offered so far is £850 for them and tbh I'm finding it hard to part with them for that as that barely funds a set of knock-off wheels with tyres.

Offsets are ET35 all round with 8J front 9J rear - so fairly conservative and probably no good for Skyline or Supra?

200SX is a good shout and maybe 350Z?

[TaffRichie]

I can see your problem, very nice wheels sir...

[Mave]

Ooh, they do look nice!

[Altrezia]

Hub centric spacers. I had some made for a car a few years ago. I had no issues and it was relatively cheap.

[Eighteeteewhy]

HorneyMX5 said:

Eighteeteewhy said:

If the wheels do not fit flush over the flange in the middle I wouldn't bother, bolts/nuts only hold the wheel on, the flange takes most of the vertical load.

Total nonsense. The wheel supports the car though the frictional grip between the mounting surfaces and not on the spigot lip or on the wheel bolts/studs.

As you clearly need spacers to make them fit then your best bet is getting a custom set of PCD adaptors knocked up to give you the right ET for your car as well as the correct PCD. Plenty of firms out there that make these and as long as it's all torqued up correctly then no problems.

NIck

Sorry but I beg to differ, try fitting a wheel with a spacer that does away with the flange/spigot lip. The wheels are all over the place causing severe vibrations.

[jimxms]

TaffRichie said:

I can see your problem, very nice wheels sir...

Thanks mate. Another part of the reason why I really dont want to get rid is because all the crap I went through getting them refurbed. Wasn't just a case of sending them to Lepsons. Has to get all 80 of those bolts chrome plated and all the holes redrilled to fit them