need assistance on new wheels too (split off post)

Not to thread hijack...But I am a new member, and was directed to this place fro corvette forums, by MYBAD79, to try to get an answer to a problem I have with some wheels I just bought. I have a 76. It will soon have a redone suspension from VBP, complete with there smart struts, dual mounted mono spring, and mono leaf in the front as well, with new shocks.


The wheels I bought from another guy are stock C5 wheels, off a 2000 vette. Stock tires, too. The dimensions, to the best of my measuring abilities, are

rear
11.5 inches wide
8.5 inches BS
19 inches in diameter
26 inches with tires on

front
9.5 inches wide
7.5 inches BS
18.5 inches in diameter
25 inches with tires on


Now, I have been in the group and listened to people say they were running C5 wheels without the offset trailing arms...however, I just don't see how. I have a set of four 3 inch spacers, and even with that much, the rears rub the trailing arm. If I doubled up those spacers, it would work, but something about that sounds down right dangerous, let alone unorthodox. I really don't want to have to buy those offset trailing arms if I don't have to, because it means that I would have to once again tear everything down, pretty much, to get them on, just to be able to run these beautiful wheels sitting in my basement. Not to mention, they cost a pretty penny, no matter who you buy them from.


Is it possible? Are any of you doing it? Is it sane? Any help is appreciated....


Kevin

Welcome Kevin :hi:

8.5" backspacing is a lot, stock backspacing is 4", many run a 5" bs on the rear axle and that's a tight fit with or without offset arms.

The offset arms don't do a whole lot because the tire will rub on the frame itself also. There is a photo in the chassis section, yellow73sb posted it, it shows the view from under the car.

It looks like you need a 3.5" or 4" spacer, that's a lot but I'd say 3.5" is still safe: Gkull runs 3" spacers and he's not driving like grandpa with his 427ci SB...

Do you have enough threads left on the studs to place washers between axle and spacer and between spacer and rim ? Do NOT drive with the washers, just put them in there to determine how thick of a spacer you need.

You can buy spacers from "completevalue" on Ebay, I bought from them and it's good quality, might want to upgrade to ARP studs though.

Looks like you measured from the tire?


C5 base
8.5"/2 - 56mm/25.4 = 2.05"
9.5"/2 - 65mm/25.4 = 2.19"
(WIDTH / 2) - (OFFSET / 25.4) = FRONT SPACING

Yes, I measured with the tire on. Plus, my measurements are not going to be EXACT, I just used the ruler method for the BS, and eye balled it for total width with a tape measure.

Are your tires hitting the trailing arm or the parking brake bracket with the 3 inch spacers?

BBShark said:

Are your tires hitting the trailing arm or the parking brake bracket with the 3 inch spacers?

Click to expand...

Now I'm going to sound really stupid....and I have no way of explaining how it is I made this boo boo, lol. My spacers are actually 1.25 inches..................Sweet lord, I was reading the centimeter side...:banghead:


So when I double stacked them to measure, they actually counted as 2.5 inch spacers, which were fine for the front wheels, but still a tad short for the rears. The tires hit the parking brake line, which I COULD just remove, since the thing doesn't work, even after the rebuild kit, and I never use it anyway. But the tire also comes awfully close to the TA, as well. Jacked up, I would say I have roughly...half an inch, maybe even a little less, between tire and TA. Once I lower it, I expect that space to reduce, causing rubbing. This is something I am going to "wait and see" on, till after sunday. For all I know, a fresh new leaf spring and suspension set up might be the million dollar difference.



However, I now have a NEW problem, lol. In order for me to fit the 2.5 inch spacers, or the 3 inchers in the rear, my lugs have to be at least 1.25 inches long. Mine are only 1 inch. Is there some sort of kit or kung fu to get around THAT problem?

If you are SURE about the thickness email this seller on Ebay (completevalue) and see if he can make you a good offer for a set of four.

The 2.5" thick spacer will have the counterbore deep enough so you can use the stock length studs. I still recommend upgrading to ARP studs in 1/2" - that 7/16" stuff is marginal.

The front spacers need a lil extra massaging to fit the conical section of the C3 hub. I'll add photos to explain this better in a few minutes.

Welcome Keven,

I think some guys here just relocated the Parking brake line.

BTW...It's your thread, so you can't hijack it:hi:

Here's a few pics that show how to modify the fronts to fit the conical hub section AND still remain hubcentric:
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.
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here's a photo of the back-side of a hubcentric adapter/spacer:
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This is the "machined" inside diameter to fit the conical hub (I simply used a file):

.

Other members had this done at a local machine shop, just a quick cut on a lathe, shouldn't cost much ....

MYBAD79 said:

If you are SURE about the thickness email this seller on Ebay (completevalue) and see if he can make you a good offer for a set of four.

The 2.5" thick spacer will have the counterbore deep enough so you can use the stock length studs. I still recommend upgrading to ARP studs in 1/2" - that 7/16" stuff is marginal.

The front spacers need a lil extra massaging to fit the conical section of the C3 hub. I'll add photos to explain this better in a few minutes.

Click to expand...

Ok, explain to me what these ARP studs are? I don't understand...how do I put new studs into the disk? I would MUCH rather go with correct length studs, plus have a but more solid stud all around, seeing as I am already taxing things with a spacer...

You can get ARP studs at Summitracing or Jegs, these studs are made from better material, they're a lot stronger than stock studs even if you choose the stock size (7/16").
The studs are pressed in, hammer the old ones out and "pull the new ones in using nuts and washers.
I assume you don't have a hydraulic press - that would make pressing the studs in even easier.

OK, dumb question number 2. Figure I'll get em all outa the way quick like, you know?


http://store.summitracing.com/partd...100-7702&N=700+400295+300117+115&autoview=sku


Would this be the correct product? The summit site doesn't seem to want to bring this product up....or ANY wheel and tire product, for that matter, when searching under 76 vette, or any vette older than 84.


And last.....by pulling it in with a nut and washers, you mean put a washer in, and just keep tightening the nut in, till I can't anymore, or until there is no longer anything sticking out in back?


Not to ask dumb questions, but this is all very new to me, and I really don't want to crash and die first time I get out and going.

That stud has a .580 knurl. Your going to need to drill your hubs for that. Also, they are 3 inches long, do you really need that much length?

...............................

KevinK said:

OK, dumb question number 2. Figure I'll get em all outa the way quick like, you know?


http://store.summitracing.com/partd...100-7702&N=700+400295+300117+115&autoview=sku


Would this be the correct product? The summit site doesn't seem to want to bring this product up....or ANY wheel and tire product, for that matter, when searching under 76 vette, or any vette older than 84.
The stock knurl is .465" or so , often the hole is worn and the same size don't fit very tight. I once used M12 and used a 15/32 drill (11.9mm) for the new .485" knurl size. These studs were listed for a Honda
7/16" is stock size - I would use 1/2" studs but if you use a spacer/adapter, those threads are very often metric 12mm so you might want to go all metric ... you'll have to find lug nuts in that size that also fit the rim (conical seat is most common)

And last.....by pulling it in with a nut and washers, you mean put a washer in, and just keep tightening the nut in, till I can't anymore, or until there is no longer anything sticking out in back?
Yes, you'll "feel" when the knurl is seated and won't go any further.


Not to ask dumb questions, but this is all very new to me, and I really don't want to crash and die first time I get out and going.

Click to expand...

http://store.summitracing.com/partd...700+400295+300117+4294780227+115&autoview=sku



Here is what I found. Do these seem too short? They have another one, but it's a full inch longer...and seems too long.....If it's 2.8 inches underhead length, that means 2.8 inches of actual, usable thread, right? Which is too much. I mean, I suppose I could cut them, though I would rather just by the proper set to begin with...

nope , these are the ones I used. I had 1" spacers with my 8x15 and 275-60 setup.... I actually had to grind the studs down so they wouldn't stick out further than the adapter is thick. It will interfere with the rim it the stud is longer than the adapter is thick.

here's a pic of a hubcentric spacer/adapter:



here you can see the conical section on the front hub:



.
I have a pic of the spacers installed with the studs ground down but I'll have to find it....

Nah, I don't need a pic, I already have a set of spacers, they are just the wrong size. Anyone interested in buying a set of 4 1.25 inch spacers, lol?





Thanks for all the help. I wanted to make SURE I got the correct stuff this time, because some time by next sunday, give or take, my VBP kit is going to be installed, and I would oh so DEARLY like to drive it then with the new wheels.





Strait to an alignment shop, lol.

Oh, and speaking of alignment shops.....



Has anyone used town fair tire? Where they any good?

KevinK said:

Nah, I don't need a pic, I already have a set of spacers, they are just the wrong size. Anyone interested in buying a set of 4 1.25 inch spacers, lol?





Thanks for all the help. I wanted to make SURE I got the correct stuff this time, because some time by next sunday, give or take, my VBP kit is going to be installed, and I would oh so DEARLY like to drive it then with the new wheels.





Strait to an alignment shop, lol.

Click to expand...

1,25" must have been advertised as 3cm? Don't you love it how the metric and imperial system screw things up for you
What thread are the studs? Most I see are M12 threads, no 7/16 like stock.

Are you getting some correct spacers now?

Twin_Turbo said:

KevinK said:

Nah, I don't need a pic, I already have a set of spacers, they are just the wrong size. Anyone interested in buying a set of 4 1.25 inch spacers, lol?





Thanks for all the help. I wanted to make SURE I got the correct stuff this time, because some time by next sunday, give or take, my VBP kit is going to be installed, and I would oh so DEARLY like to drive it then with the new wheels.





Strait to an alignment shop, lol.

Click to expand...

1,25" must have been advertised as 3cm? Don't you love it how the metric and imperial system screw things up for you
What thread are the studs? Most I see are M12 threads, no 7/16 like stock.

Are you getting some correct spacers now?

Click to expand...

Threads on the spacers are a little thicker than stock...not sure if that means M12. See, I got these WITH the wheels, when I bought them, from a private seller on corvette forums. He said these were the spacers I needed, so I took his word for it. Now, of course, I can't return them, but why would I , they came with the wheels. Maybe it's what HE needed to run them , or something, who knows.

They look brand new, though. No scratches, grease, etc. Just too thin.


And yes, I am working on getting the correct spacers. I have found two 2.5 inchers, now I am looking for two 3 inchers for the rear tires. having some trouble in that dept, though.