My 15 x 6.5 MB alloys were 1/2 the price of Vanagon Carat wheels.

On my other van I'm running late model Mercedes steel wheels in 16 x 7 x
37ET

Cheap like borscht and they use the stock hardware...

On Sun, Sep 13, 2009 at 2:10 PM, Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com> wrote:

>  Dunno what kinda money everyone is talking when they describe making other
> brand wheels fit and work properly on a Vanagon, but some of the
> modifications (drilling, different studs, spacers, machine work) sounds
> pretty pricey.  We might even be up into the custom wheel price range by
> the
> time all is done, eh?
>  Might be worthwhile to consider real custom wheels, like HRE, Knessis,
> etc.  These can be made to any specs you want or need.  The ones I've used
> (I had two sets of Knessis and a set of HRE for my racecar) were 3-peice
> wheels with forged centers.  The off-set, width and diameter can be
> configured to your specs by choosing different rim configurations. You can
> just tell them what you want and choose the centers you like.  I built my
> own when I modified my car to accept 12.5" wide tires at all four corners.
> I
> had spare parts for when a rim might be damaged running over a 911 or a
> Viper(grin).
>  Might be a good way to go if you have a syncro and insist on using alloy
> wheels off road or have problems with potholes in your locale.  You can
> send
> a damaged wheel back and have the bent rim replaced at a reasonable cost.
>  Just an idea, if indeed buying and adapting other wheels is as expensive
> as it sounds.
>   Don Hanson
> On Sun, Sep 13, 2009 at 12:31 PM, David Kao <dtkao0205@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > In the archive there was a trip report to Baja California with
> > 15" Audi 5000 rims fitted to a Vanagon. The author said the
> > Audi rims were able to survive his journey but not the OEM VW
> > alloy wheels. The VW OEM alloy wheels not only look thin and weak
> > they will not take the beating if you tend to travel into forests,
> > canyon roads and mountain peaks where the roads are often unpaved.
> > The Audi 5000 rims apparently stood out much better. Those VW
> > OEM 14" alloy wheels are for city driving.
> >
> > By grinding the center bore of the Audi rims it does make the bore
> > larger. But VW OEM rims have that large bore in the first place.
> > If that makes Audi rims unsafe the OEM alloy rims are unsafe too.
> >
> > David
> >
> >
> >
> > > But, removing
> > > metal from wheels that were designed for a sedan in order
> > > to make them
> > > fit ............... .  Hmmmm.  Just wondering.
> > >
> > > Dave Mc
> >
>

--
Beverley Anne de Villiers   April 20, 1930 - July 4, 2009

Jake

1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"

Crescent Beach, BC

www.thebassspa.com
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27