Date:         Wed, 18 Mar 1998 01:39:32 EST
Reply-To:     JordanVw <JordanVw@AOL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         JordanVw <JordanVw@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Audi turbo wheels on a vanagon...Re: Audi 16 spoke 'spider' rim
Comments: To: ksull@MBARI.ORG, Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

In a message dated 98-03-17 13:26:36 EST, ksull@MBARI.ORG writes:

<< In my continuing quest to replace my syncro westy
 with other than the stock rim/hubcaps I got a set of
 '80s Audi Turbo5000 alloy rims for next to nothing
 at a local junkyard.

 I tried them on for size and found:

 a) rear studs too short

 b) small bolt head on brake drums intefering with
     flush  installation.

 c) center hub needs boring in order to fit
     on front.

 d) offset short by about 10 mm

 Has anybody attempted to make this rim work
 on Vanagons and specifically Syncros? Rather
 than 6 large spokes, it has 16 1" spokes all
 around
  >>

these are the 15" alloys from a '82-83 audi 5000s turbo.
yes they fit.
done it numerous times...
see:
http://www.enter.net/~bloss/vw/turner/
and scroll down.
those are the '84-'88 style audi 5000s turbo/quattro wheels pictured on my '87
vanagon (for sale, by the way).

all audi 15" alloys w/ 5 lug have the same bolt pattern as vanagon.
here's how you do it.

dismount tires from wheels.
take wheels to local machine shop and get them to machine inner dia of center
hub hole to 2"  (cost me 10 bucks a wheel at local machine shop)
get audi 5000 lug bolts for front (they're longer) you can get these for free
w/ the wheels...
remove those stupid small bolts that hold on the brake drums.  think about
it..you don't need them anyway..the wheel holds the drum on.
get longer studs for rears (or all 4 wheels if syncro??)  email me for where
to get them, they're about 5 bucks apiece. (let me know if you can find them
cheaper...)
run a thin wheel spacer on front.
that's it.

(ps, i have a set of wheels like i have pictured on that website, for sale...)

chris