I started making my own wheel rim adapters - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

strelnik · #1 11-19-2013, 09:50 AM

This may not interest most of you, but I have cars which have a very particular problem.

400mm tires

Put another way, earlier classic cars from Europe, like Lotus, Alfa, Citroen Panhard used 400 mm rims.

Ya can't go to a tire store and buy the skins, because the rims are 15-3/4" in diameter.

I have often seen such tires in Euro stores for up to 320 Euros each. Since I would need 15, that's a lot of cash.

Instead, I did calculating and discovered that I could make an adapter that would fit the Citroen Traction Avant rims and enable the right sized 15" VW rim to fit.

The tire would be 165 R80-15 and use a specific type of VW rim.

I built one set of protoype adapters and they work great! Had to use Porsche racing studs and lug nuts for stability but they are hidden.

The offset between the Citroen rims and these VW rims is within 5mm without modification, so I'm leaving it as is.

I can also use Citroen hubcaps and the effect is overall pretty good.

Bottom line: it's easier to do than you think and definitely worth it.

Simpler=Better · #2 12-16-2013, 09:27 AM

Looks good to me!

I used to run modified Toyota wheels on my Ford so you're not alone in the swapping.

panZZer · #3 12-16-2013, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strelnik

This may not interest most of you, but I have cars which have a very particular problem.

400mm tires

Put another way, earlier classic cars from Europe, like Lotus, Alfa, Citroen Panhard used 400 mm rims.

Ya can't go to a tire store and buy the skins, because the rims are 15-3/4" in diameter.

I have often seen such tires in Euro stores for up to 320 Euros each. Since I would need 15, that's a lot of cash.

Instead, I did calculating and discovered that I could make an adapter that would fit the Citroen Traction Avant rims and enable the right sized 15" VW rim to fit.

The tire would be 165 R80-15 and use a specific type of VW rim.

I built one set of protoype adapters and they work great! Had to use Porsche racing studs and lug nuts for stability but they are hidden.

The offset between the Citroen rims and these VW rims is within 5mm without modification, so I'm leaving it as is.

I can also use Citroen hubcaps and the effect is overall pretty good.

Bottom line: it's easier to do than you think and definitely worth it.

I wonder what my cd would look like with the vintage set of torque thrusts.

doorjam13 · #4 05-05-2015, 01:08 AM

How did you go about making the wheel adapters?

strelnik · #5 05-05-2015, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doorjam13

How did you go about making the wheel adapters?

I took some basic measurements first:

- the max tire diameter and width that would fit front and rear

- the spacing of the lug nut holes, which in the case of a Traction are 5 x 170mm.

- The ET (aka offset) and entire width of the wheel

I then matched wheels and discocvered that a VW 5 x 205mm Beetle wheel would fit the Traction, ET wise as well. and Originally Tractions used a 165 mm tire so any 165 75/80 - 15 radial would get me within the boundary

On the advice of the machinist who did these, we used 8620 steel. Better than stainless, which flexes.

Then he made an adapter which fit on the flat plate of the Traction brake drums (Tractions were built 1934-1957), where the adapter bolted to the 5 x 170mm lug bolts with recessed lug nuts. The combination then bolted to the 5 x 205 wheels, which used a different 15" Citroen hubcap from a DS21.

One caveat is to make sure that your lug bolts are no0t too long. You can cut them, too.

Stretch · #6 05-06-2015, 01:16 PM

Have you also got a hub cap solution so it looks original?

strelnik · #7 05-07-2015, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stretch

Have you also got a hub cap solution so it looks original?

Yes, because the old style DS21 hub caps from the mid 1960s are a perfect fit. So are the 19780 SM hubcaps.

Plus I can install the Traction wheel covers if I screwed them onto a set of hub cap beauty ringds, but that's more trouble than it's worth.

Stretch · #8 05-07-2015, 12:38 PM

Excellent - perhaps this could be a nice little ebay sideline?

ScooterABC · #9 08-05-2015, 01:54 PM

My recollection is that some cars came both ways - BMW E23 for example came with metric rims on the 745 and SAE rims on the other cars. I think that the wheels are interchangeable without making adapters but I'm not sure. I don't think the hubs were different.

strelnik · #10 08-06-2015, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScooterABC

My recollection is that some cars came both ways - BMW E23 for example came with metric rims on the 745 and SAE rims on the other cars. I think that the wheels are interchangeable without making adapters but I'm not sure. I don't think the hubs were different.

hat may be true for the BMW cars but not for Citroen

Mimzer · #11 08-21-2015, 01:20 PM

Could you post larger photos? Hard to see the thumbnails.

acb70 · #12 06-16-2023, 01:37 PM

Strelnik- do you have the dimensions for the adapter? I’m looking at having more of these made.

Also, how did this work with the VW wheels? Any issues?