need assistance on new wheels

BangkokDean

BangkokDean

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I just purchased 4 Torq Thrust II wheels used
Sizes 17"x8" with 5 inch back spacing for the front and 17"x 9.5"with 5.5 back spacing for the rear.
My questions are with stock trailing arms on my 81 will these clear? BTW I measured the back spacing by putting a straight edge on the back of the wheel and measured to the back of the center hub that meets the rotor back.
Also does anyone know where I can buy center caps that have the knockoff spinners or just plain originals as the plastic center caps are really bad.
 
Stock backspacing is 4" with a 8" wide rim. The 8" wide rim with 5" backspacing on the front is sitting 1" further inboard and will likely rub the inner fender -> easy and cheap solution is a 1" thick adapter.

You might need another set for the rear, 5.5" BS might but might not fit... mount the rim and see if it clears.

Center caps and spinners: look on Ebay, this sounds like another flat rate box :smash::smash:
 
OK I just rebooted and can now read your messages. BTW the box is stuck in customs some where in Bangkok I will try to find out where as the notice is in Thai.
 
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OK so I am now trying to fit the new 17 inch wheels on the car and found the 8inch wide fronts fit great. But the 17 X 9.5 rears will be sticking out from the rear fenders about an inch :bomb: The problem is the rear spring hits the rim so I am unable to tuck them in under the rear fenders. Any ideas besides rear fender flairs?:clobbered:
 
BangkokDean said:
OK so I am now trying to fit the new 17 inch wheels on the car and found the 8inch wide fronts fit great. But the 17 X 9.5 rears will be sticking out from the rear fenders about an inch :bomb: The problem is the rear spring hits the rim so I am unable to tuck them in under the rear fenders. Any ideas besides rear fender flairs?:clobbered:
Click to expand...

Shorten the rear spring.
 
You don't have tires yet, right? Once the weight of the car is back on the suspension the spring is most likely sitting inside the rim, now that the car is supported under the frame the suspension is not loaded and the spring end is lower thus hitting the rim.
I don't see why it's sticking out 1" ... 9.5" wide with 5.5" BS leaves 4" from mounting surface to the front of the rim (to the inside of the lip actually). The stock rim is 8" wide and the BS is 4"... again that leaves 4" to the front of the rim....

I can see it sitting to far inboard and hitting the spring and/or the frame but too far out ?

Place a thick block of wood under the rim or place a jackstand under the trailing arm, that way you see what it really looks like....
 
My rear spring is the composite spring so I don't see how it can be shortened or cut with out damaging the spring.

What I am doing is trying to find out what size spacer I need for the rear and just holding the rim with a block of wood the spring is hitting the rim. I understand that many have used 18inch rims in the rear to put the spring end inside the rim. But these rims were here and priced right so I really would like to use them and really don't want to add rear flares.:suicide:
Maybe putting the tires on the rims will work but I still need the spacers to do that. Chicken and egg problem:lol:
 
MYBAD79 said:
You don't have tires yet, right? Once the weight of the car is back on the suspension the spring is most likely sitting inside the rim, now that the car is supported under the frame the suspension is not loaded and the spring end is lower thus hitting the rim.
I don't see why it's sticking out 1" ... 9.5" wide with 5.5" BS leaves 4" from mounting surface to the front of the rim (to the inside of the lip actually). The stock rim is 8" wide and the BS is 4"... again that leaves 4" to the front of the rim....

I can see it sitting to far inboard and hitting the spring and/or the frame but too far out ?

Place a thick block of wood under the rim or place a jack stand under the trailing arm, that way you see what it really looks like....
Click to expand...

I under stand what you are suggesting but remember with the stock 15 X 8 inch rims when the car is jacked up the spring does not touch the rim or tires
 
big2bird said:
BangkokDean said:
My rear spring is the composite spring so I don't see how it can be shortened or cut with out damaging the spring.
Click to expand...

It can be done. I THINK Karsten did that mod. I know a few guys have.
Click to expand...

I hope Karsten can give me some more ideas as he is always helpful to me, plus there may be others that can chime in. Fortunately I have nice wheels on the car now so there is no great rush to get this done.
 
I know someone did. They just moved the steel plates inboard and redrilled the hole.:sos:
 
If I were to do it, I would carefully saw off the end of the glass spring and then carefully cut the hole with a fine toothed hole saw at low speed. When done I would coat the freshly cut surfaces with some epoxy (just brush on) to seal it, then also epoxy bond and bolt the metal end plates on. That should work perfectly. i have never done it however...just speculating :)
 
I'm too scared of fiberglass springs - I am sure this subject has been discussed and argued to death and back, steel vs glass.... you CANNOT argue with Murphy and Murphy's law says that if one out of 10000 springs break it's the one under my arse....
only steel for me..... :sweat::sweat:
 
glenn64vette said:
MYBAD79 said:
I shortened a 9-leaf steel spring, not fiberglass.....
Click to expand...

Yea, he sure did. Nice job too.


Hey, I finally got a stamp.:push:
Click to expand...

Hey Glenn, hope it fits and works for 'ya..... I think the 7-leaf spring I installed is a little stiffer than the shortened 9-leaf but that might be that part of my brain telling me that it MUST be better since I paid $140 for the new spring..LOL:smash:
I see me placing a order soon... now the thicker leaf from Guldstrand got my attention....heck, for that much money (shortening mine and buying a new one) I could have bought at least two new fiberglass springs...LOL.. I'm glad this isn't my daily driver...
 
Twin_Turbo said:
If I were to do it, I would carefully saw off the end of the glass spring and then carefully cut the hole with a fine toothed hole saw at low speed. When done I would coat the freshly cut surfaces with some epoxy (just brush on) to seal it, then also epoxy bond and bolt the metal end plates on. That should work perfectly. i have never done it however...just speculating :)
Click to expand...

Well from what I understand from the message from Vansteel is you can remove the steel spring end covers cut off 1.5 inches or to the edge of the original drilled hole then re-drill in 1/2 inch re install the steel caps and it will work. They did say the bolts will be angled in and they saw that as maybe a problem. My bolts now angle out a little now so I don't know how much they will be angled in?
IMG_0032.jpg
 
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