Still looking for One 16inch Wheel

1
Can anyone as assist in my search for One {spare} 16inch 7 or 7.5J wheel for my Syncro. Ken directed me to TireRack in the USA but the wheel Ken recommended is apparently unsuitable !

Cheers

Tony
2
Tony i think it is the 16inch nature that may be your problem.

I have 15 inch Merc rims that did not require any mods to the lughole size or the seat.

What about getting Ajax Wheels in Melbourne to make you one? You could even use a standard 14 steely and get a new rim made to match what you have.

Are you sure Tirerack had nothing suitable? What are the other 4 rims you have?

Gary

[2 0 / 2 1 Design]
28 Gwynne St
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gary@twentytwentyone.net
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On 16/04/2009, at 5:00 PM, tonyricketts99 wrote:




Can anyone as assist in my search for One {spare} 16inch 7 or 7.5J wheel for my Syncro. Ken directed me to TireRack in the USA but the wheel Ken recommended is apparently unsuitable ! 

Cheers

Tony


3
> I have 15 inch Merc rims that did not require any mods to the lughole
> size or the seat.

The hole is large enough but the seat is different. You compare the VW nut to the MB nut you will see the difference.





>
> What about getting Ajax Wheels in Melbourne to make you one? You could
> even use a standard 14 steely and get a new rim made to match what you
> have.
>
I don't think that you can make a 16" from a 14" centre.

What are the wheels that you have now?
4
Blimey Phil how many times do we have to go over this? I know the seat is slightly different but i'm satisfied it seats well enough and the wheel locates accurately on the lugs with plenty of metal to metal contact on the face of the rim and chamfer on the nut. 

I wasn't even trying to make that point, just that Tony is unlikely to find anything in steel in a 16 inch size that will fit from another vehicle. Finding anything for a syncro is hard enough.

Ajax are the only company I could think of that might be able to help him. I've seen steel rims manufactured from scratch by them so surely having the centres out of some 14s might cut down on the machining time.

I'm sure Tony would welcome all potentially helpful suggestions.
Gary

On 16/04/2009, at 5:13 PM, plander@optusnet.com.au wrote:



> I have 15 inch Merc rims that did not require any mods to the lughole 
> size or the seat.

The hole is large enough but the seat is different. You compare the VW nut to the MB nut you will see the difference.

> 
> What about getting Ajax Wheels in Melbourne to make you one? You could 
> even use a standard 14 steely and get a new rim made to match what you 
> have.
> 
I don't think that you can make a 16" from a 14" centre.

What are the wheels that you have now?


5
On Thu, Apr 16, 2009 at 12:00 AM, tonyricketts99 <ricketts.tony@gmail.com> wrote:

Can anyone as assist in my search for One {spare} 16inch 7 or 7.5J wheel for my Syncro. Ken directed me to TireRack in the USA but the wheel Ken recommended is apparently unsuitable !

Cheers

Tony
Are you sure that was Ken? I have six (6) of the aforementioned wheels in my possession. Sent you a pmail but did not get a response. You said you can get them fixed at some local wheel place. I can get the wheel from TR and shipped it to you if necessary. The sales rep will tell you they do not fit 14mm bolts or studs, I beg to differ. I can stick a 14mm stud in the whole of the wheels they sold and take a pic for you if you like. There is a commercially available lugnut washer which matches the contour of the steel rims to the T3 lugnut. Cost less than US$ each. With those, you do not need machinework on the lugseats.
BenT
6
Here's some pics from the web of the same wheel painted black and silver. Also pics on a 2wd and on a Syncro.
The Syncro 16 plastic centercaps can be used on these to make them look like stock. The centercaps may cost you as much as the wheels.=(



--
BenT
7
> Blimey Phil how many times do we have to go over this? I know the seat
> is slightly different but i'm satisfied it seats well enough and the
> wheel locates accurately on the lugs with plenty of metal to metal
> contact on the face of the rim and chamfer on the nut.

Good for you but not all wheels are the same. I had all of this explained to me by a wheel manufacturer when I tried all of this.

Wouldn't it be better to try to match the wheel?

I am pretty sure that you cannot take a 14" centre to 16" rim. I don't think that they make them deep enough.

What are the original wheels from????????
8
Ajax makes a 15" wheel using a deep centre rim and inserting a 14" centre.  I doubt that any 16" rim would have a deep enough well to be grafted onto 14" centres.
 
I have said all that I need to say about wheels before and I am getting tired of saying the same thing over and over but I will add that I have seen many failed wheels and know what caused the failures.  My life is worth more than using mismatched studs, wheel nuts and offsets.
 
Les
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 6:39 PM
Subject: Re: Re: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Still looking for One 16inch Wheel



> Blimey Phil how many times do we have to go over this? I know the seat
> is slightly different but i'm satisfied it seats well enough and the
> wheel locates accurately on the lugs with plenty of metal to metal
> contact on the face of the rim and chamfer on the nut.

Good for you but not all wheels are the same. I had all of this explained to me by a wheel manufacturer when I tried all of this.

Wouldn't it be better to try to match the wheel?

I am pretty sure that you cannot take a 14" centre to 16" rim. I don't think that they make them deep enough.

What are the original wheels from????????

9
On Thu, Apr 16, 2009 at 1:49 AM, Les Harris <leslieharris@optushome.com.au> wrote:


Ajax makes a 15" wheel using a deep centre rim and inserting a 14" centre. I doubt that any 16" rim would have a deep enough well to be grafted onto 14" centres.
I have said all that I need to say about wheels before and I am getting tired of saying the same thing over and over but I will add that I have seen many failed wheels and know what caused the failures. My life is worth more than using mismatched studs, wheel nuts and offsets.
Les
Stockton wheel in California has been making steel rims bigger, narrower, and wider for decades. However, I believe they will only go one step up. Meaning 14" center into 15" rim, 15" center into 16" rims etc. More often than not, it will be much less expensive to buy a wheel already made for the specifications that you need. In the above example, they charge between US$150-US$200 for the job. You can get the comparable MB specific rim for US$49-US$129.
Many of these Italian made steel rims from Tirerack sold to Syncro owners in the past two months. No doubt there will be a number of reports expected to come in in the next few miles as they go into service. I am contemplating putting them in service on my Syncro 16 whilst my steel 16 rims get powdercoated. I expect there will be more to say if they fail rather than if they work.
BenT
10
Get in touch with performance wheels in South Aus they made my 16's with correct specs cost about 250 per rim - no problems since cheers ,eddie.--- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, "tonyricketts99" <ricketts.tony@...> wrote:
>
>
> Can anyone as assist in my search for One {spare} 16inch 7 or 7.5J wheel for my Syncro. Ken directed me to TireRack in the USA but the wheel Ken recommended is apparently unsuitable !
>
> Cheers
>
> Tony
>