Wheel Issue again,LOL!

[raygreenwood]

There are a few issues. It would be rare to find a 411/412 with a 5.5" stock wheel. They came with a 4.5" wheel. I believe the wider wheels were an option in some years and in some places. The offset and wheel is essentially the same as the 914...and possibly the type 3.

Don't let anyone but a very high end wheel manufacturer knock the center out of your wheels. The chances of getting them back together with acceptable runnout is about zero...unless the wheel is mounted on a jig...under tension...heated...and then induction welded at multiple points simultaneously.
The issue with the "valley" between center and edge can be gotten around in a couple of ways. In the case of powder coating...its simple. You fill that valley with a bead of urethane or something silmilar but paintable....ike epoxy. The object is to build up the valley into a radius of say 1/8"...instead of a crevice. The sole problem with the "valley" is that beadblasting or sandblasting media and/or moisture cannot be fully gotten out of this crevice....and its simpler just to incapsulate it and move on.
This can also be sone by chrome shops...by heating the wheel....in an oven....to equalize heat stress....then fill th valley with a low temp metal brazing or solder. This way the original welded points that keep the center straight....ar not disturbed. Then the solder is hand shaped into a shallow radius valley instead of a crevice....then chromed over.

There are minor issues with the stock 356 style 5.5" wide"chromies" that are available for the $45 dollar range. (1) On the positive side, they fit superbly with 205/55-15 or 205-60-15 tires on a 411/412. They are a major handling upgrade (this width and profile). (2) On the negative side...they are chromed on the outside only. The chrome...though nice looking, is thin and susceptable to scrapes from hubcap removal, and rust if not kept clean. (3) They are not nearly as stiff as the steel from a stock rim. They flex alot. This flexing flakes chrome from the center section. This...and a very peculiar feeling at times when driven hard...is the only notice you have that the wheels flex. (4) Because they are not as stiff....they will get flat spots if you let them sit still for more than a few months at a time.

By the way....if you have even stock wheels...and the car has sat still for more than a year at any time....I will 100% guarantee you...that your wheels are no longer straight. On type 4's....this....as well as many of the wearable suspenson parts I have spoken of...cause a lot of the ugly vibrations you cannot get rid of. Unless you work hard at it....it is also hard to detect. Many people just can't see what it is that is wrong with the wheel....so they never suspect them. The problem is that the rim spreads. The only way to see this....is with the tire off...and the whee lmonted on a machine or on the car....and a pair of measueing points next to the rim so you can see where the spread is.
On stock width and stock sidewall height tires...it may show you very little noticable effect...because when the spread part of the rim rolls around to the contact patch side......the flex of the side walls absorbs the difference.
When you move to something like a 55 or 60 series.....the sidewall is stiffer. What you get...is not a "shake" of the steering wheel like an alignment problem....but an actual up and down oscillation of the wheel. This is because where the wheel spreads.....the radius of the wheel....as mesured from the hub center...is reduced. It is like having the wheel drop into a very shallow depression every time the spread spot turns around to the ground side. It causes an oscillation...though the car drives straight. It feels worst when turning the car at high speed.
Soooo....the wheel feels like it is constantly out of balance.....and no amount of balancing can seem to fix them........sound familiar?

Lastly....the softer chromies tend to get this problem...about every 2-3 years. But at the cheap price.....its not a bad option. Ray

[tuna]

Don't let anyone but a very high end wheel manufacturer knock the center out of your wheels.

I agree. The place that I have mine makes, among other things, Baja wheels, so I feel safe in having them do my wheels. Currently I have a pair of 4" Sprint Stars on the back of my '69 Bug and they are great. I'm waiting on another pair for that car.

Tuna

[vwbill]

Uber, those wheels would look sweet too! I like that look and was looking at something like that and maybe even paint them Red like the car though the black is a great contrast! Ray, is there anyway to have the original steel wheels straighted? It seems if you have to ship them it would be just cheaper to buy the chrome replacement types but the original steels being chromed somehow would be nice if they could be straighted and then chromed nice! I guess it sounds like if you let the car sit you should put her on stands! So do you think you could run a 6.5" wheel that was 15" with 35 offset? Anyone know what the term P.C.D. is?
I wonder if they make a wheel with 4x100mm lugs you could get them redrilled to 130mm? thx, bill