Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2003 09:13:28 -0800
Reply-To: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Subject: fastener seats - was Will these wheels fit?
In-Reply-To: <110.29c366f0.2cccc54b@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Ben and the list.
I was wondering if you can share some more of your excellent knowledge on
wheels - more precisely how to correctly determine the correct fastener for
the wheel.
From what I understand there is a the basic M12 and M14 stud, which is
pretty easy to figure out (size in mm of the hole). But how do you
correctly determine if it is a ball or a cone and what type of ball or cone
it is?
From what I understand, please correct me if I am wrong. All *factory* T3
(Vanagon) wheels are M14 stud and ball fasteners for steel wheels and cone
for alloy wheels. What is usually used for Audi and MB? I know the VW
Iltis used M14 ball - I am running these wheels (16 x 5.5 ET35) on my Syncro
Pritsche with 30mm of spacing - net result of E35. I know sometimes this
can get confusing as there are some alloy wheels in Germany that are M14
stud but have M12 ball seats!
Why I ask this, is that I have a set of 16x6.5 ET23 "ATP" alloy wheels in my
garage that I can't quite figure out what I should use to hold the wheel in
place. I had the hub opened up to the same hub diameter as the Syncro
wheels. But I want to determine the correct fastener to use.
Also, is there any known way to determine load rating? These wheels were
originally purchased on eBay as Audi A8 wheels, but as with all things on
eBay you have to take that with a grain of salt. To see pictures of these
wheels please see: http://www.fastforward.ca/gallery/loraine.jpg
Thanks Ben!
David Marshall
Fast Forward Automotive Inc.
4356 Quesnel-Hixon Road
Quesnel BC Canada V2J 6Z3
http://www.fastforward.ca mailto:sales@fastforward.ca
Phone: (250) 992 7775 FAX: (250) 992 1160
- Vanagon Accessories and Engine Conversions
- Vanagon, Transporter and Iltis Sales and Importation
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-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Ben T
Sent: October 25, 2003 11:36 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Will these wheels fit?
In a message dated 10/25/2003 5:38:23 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
tbf@pacifier.com writes:
Ben, do you find that all of the Mercedes magnesium wheels have ball seats
in the bolt holes? I am doing the machine work for a friend so he can mount
a set of Mercedes wheels ( the big flat shiny ones that came on a 450SL I
think) I machined the front rotors for long studs and replaced the rear
studs with longer studs but I haven't figured out the proper lug nut for
these rims. After a quick inspection I thought a VW steel wheel nut will
work. The ball radius appears to look about right. I will have to check with
some Dyken blue to see if they are exactly right though. It sounds like you
have a lot of experience with this and thought you may know the answer off
the top of your head.
Todd Francis
Todd,
Not all Mercedes wheels have the same seat. Most early 450SL's had ball
seats
radiused for 12 mm bolts. The later S-class and M-class are the only ones I
can think of the top of my head which had the 14 mm bolts with similar ball
seats as the ones used in Vanagons. By "big shiny ones" I assume you to mean
the
flat faced 16 holes variety. As you know MB used a half dozen different
wheels
for the 450SL. Some of the very early ones even got REAL magnesium alloys
versus the mostly aluminum pressure cast and forged wheels. The magnesium
alloys
I have seen have all been dealer installed. Every single magnesium alloy
wheel
I have encountered in the SL's have been of the conical seat variety. Almost
all the aluminum alloy wheels have been of the ballseat variety. I happen to
have some of either radius bolts but not the nuts.
Best thing I can tell you is send me the specs on the wheel you are using
along with a pic so I can determine if we are talking about the same wheel.
There
were just too many wheels available on MB cars to be certain as to which one
you are talking about. A bunch of outfits like Centra made lots of replica
MB
alloys which looked virtually identical to the stock MB alloys. Quality were
not always the same and neither were the specifications. I have found
identical
looking wheels with differing pad thickness and different lughole seats.
BenT
