steel wheel question

[suntour]

Does anyone know if they make a 15? steel smoothie wheel . The kind without all those holes you find on bug rims. Something that looks like a stock Thing or Bus rim and accepts a stock hubcap in a four bolt pattern?

[Marc]

Why would anyone with a Thing know (or care) about 4-lug rims?

...took me a good 8 seconds to find these on Google:
http://www.bugzone.net/bzrims/rims1.html

[suntour]

Believe it or not, I also did a search and didn?t find anything. I didn?t use Google though, maybe that was my problem. I have also never been to the bug zone website. I also asked two of the local VW Aircooled only stores and they scratched their heads and told me they didn?t know. My bad, sorry.

I am just researching a few options for suspension and brake setups. Since 4 bolt disk brake kits are so cheap compared to 5 lugs I was wondering about this type of rim. The idea being, with a hub cap on you wouldn?t really notice a four lug wheel. And yes I know it isn?t as strong as a five lug. I found this guy here who will cut out the center section of the rim and weld it to a new outer section in whatever offset and rim width I want. I am trying to figure out if it will be cost effective figuring in brake kit, wheel purchase, wheel rebuilding, suspension mods, etc, for a 4lug versus a 5 lug. Then decide if it is worth the headache.

[Bob Ingman]

suntour , Mike at Things Unlimited has good deals on KG front disc kits for Things. Can`t remember the exact price but i know he sells a lot of them at a good price. Bob Ingman

[Marc]

So it's all about putting on disk brakes, then? Were you thinking 4-wheel or just on the front? Why do you want them, can't you make your drum brakes work? You might try some semi-metallic linings first (aircooled.net, KYMCO).

[suntour]

Thanks Bob,

I still have not made up my mind on 4 or 5 lug, just looking around to see some options. I have seen the 4 lug kit at Thing Unlimited and it sure is affordable and I think it only has a 1? offset (please correct me if I am wrong.) and a rear 4 lug setup is very affordable too. I have also looked at the 5 lug from So.Cal Imports and so far my favorite is the 5 lug from Gear One. Now if only someone would make one with bolt on rotors like the ones from Coleman Racing.

Still looking at options on everything, including the wheels, suspension etc.

I have the semi metallic pads. Infact the entire brake system from front drum to rear drum had been replaced less than 8 months ago and it works ok... I guess I am getting to used to the disks on my Honda's and wanted a little of that for the Thing. Also a few weeks ago I was out puddle jumping my Thing around town and my brakes were VERY wet when suddenly traffic stopped and well... I didnt... Sort of puts the fear of god in you...

[Bob Ingman]

Justin another option is the set up from 944 Porsche. You end up with 5X130mm patterns though and a little harder to find narrow front wheels for. The big advantage though is bolt on swaps. Even the rear arms bolt to the VW and give you 4 wheel discs then. Cost is cheap too. Bob

[Bob Ingman]

Justin another option is the set up from 944 Porsche. You end up with 5X130mm patterns though and a little harder to find narrow front wheels for. The big advantage though is bolt on swaps. Even the rear arms bolt to the VW and give you 4 wheel discs then. Cost is cheap too. Bob

[Kubelmann]

As the resident expert on the 944/Thing crossover let me offer up a few issue that may or may not be grist for the mill.

I have an awesome pipeline for 944 parts.

Start by getting the 5 x 130 wheels. The rest is super cheap. pmail me for details.. I have done this on a number of Things and have run into most of the brick walls that make the process rough. K-mann

[Bob Ingman]

Kubelmann you know what would be nice would be to have you do a write up here where all thingers can gain from your experience. We could make a sticky of it. I think it is a much prefered method of conversion compared to 4 hole options. What do you think? Bob

[suntour]

Kubelmann,
What do the Porsche 5 lug rims look like? Do they make a plain steel wheel that will accept VW 5 Lug hubcaps? Can I drill and mount stock hubcap retaining clips to them? The reason I ask is that the final look I am after is that of a stock Thing wheel with stock hubcaps except 15? instead of 14? and disk brakes. Painted the stock grey color, etc. I would prefer a 15?x6?or7? rim for the tires I want to mount. So would this work with the Porsche 944 setup? Oh and another question, do you have to use the 944 rear trailing arms? Or can you use 2x3 tubular trailing arms instead? (great just what I need, another set of rear trailing arms. I already have three sets. I swear they are just like coat hangers, they breed when we arnt looking.)

[Kubelmann]

I would be happy to share what I have learned and what I can help others with. The 5 x 130 vs the 4 x 130 issue is a cool issue. There are some very cool crossover parts that will allow some very good conversion to disc brakes for far less than the off the shelf products> k_mann

[Kubelmann]

this is when posts get good> While I am posting my fellow RoMTOC compadre posts issues..

The major drawback with the Porsche set up is the wheel bolt pattern. You must use a 5 x 130 wheel the favorite for the off road crowd ( 5 x 205 or the late model bug 4 x130) will not run..

Trailing arms is an intersting issue. Like you, at this point I have a bucket load. It seems that the diameter of all of the stub axles are the same. You can run 92, 100 0r 108 stubs in any and all trailing arms. The bearings, seals and hole that houses the stub are tha same for stock bug, Thing -944 - bus etc and 930 are the same size. K-mann

[Kubelmann]

I suspect that your "extra" trailing arms will be able to get you rear 944 disc brakes that will make your set up as you desire...
Focus on this

early bug and favorite for offroad is
5 x 205 (wide five)

Late bug a 68 and forward and street car set up to include 914 Porsche is
4 x 130 (thin four)

My quest
multi application Porshe
5 x 130 (the issue here is taht the brake sytems are hard core and cheap but the interface take some work not to mention getting rims. In the street application it is not so tuff but for Centerline race quality set up the issues the set up becomes a little more work. and so it goes. K-Panzer

She runs the 5 x 130 set up with 944 cookie cutters ( 5 x 130 with J7 x 15 with 23.3 mm offset) She has Bridgestone Blizak 235 x 70 x 15 all around. Talk about a nice look.... The tires alone rasie the car 3" and this car is et up for highway cruising....

[suntour]

Kubelmann,

You wouldn?t happen to have a photo of the 235?s on your Thing Would you? I was strongly contemplating putting Bridgestone Dueler MT 215 75r/15?s (27? diameter) on all four wheels. (I really like running all four tires the same size, you only need to carry one size spare.) The factory recommends 15 x 5.5?-7? rims for this tire. I am concerned about issues with fitting those 235 inside stock front fenders. I believe that I could fit the 215?s easier than the 235?s but I would like to see what they (235?s) look like to get an idea of the bigger tires.

How is the clearance and what did you do to the front beam to get those under there? From my experience you can only cut and turn the Thing front beam so far before the ball joints bind up and the suspension turns rock solid. If I can find some steel Porsche 5 lug wheels I can always have the rims cut off and new ones welded on with custom back spacing.