Ricer rims? Options

[Brad Smith]

A newbie question:

Are there adapters to put "ricer" rims on the 914? There are literally HUNDREDS of sizes and styles available, but alas, in 4x108 bolt pattern. I realize it would probably be a spacer arrangement with the spacers bolted to the existing hole location and studs or lugs in the spacers... the question is, are those available? I also realize it would probably only work on a car with flares... ok, no big deal. If they aren't available, I can get a friend to make me some, (he has a lathe, mill, etc at home) but wanted to look for commercial products first.

Brad

[Joe Bob]

Yes there are adapters....but if you intend to use those rims...it is safer to redrill and tap the hubs in the rear and rotors up front in that pattern.

[nebreitling]

yup. drill your rotors. much safer than adapters.

[Steve Thacker]

Brad,
If you are determined to use the adapters "I have a set for chevy bolt pattern"
(not used) as of yet. Although from past experience use loctight on the threads, as they have been known to back their little selves out of the hub. Makes for a interesting ride if they back out.

[Mueller]

properly designed and made adapters are fine when going from 4x130 to 4x100 BC...the main problem you'll run into is that the "ricer" rims won't have enough offset to fit under the totally stock fenders..at least in the rear...you can easily fit 7" wide rims up front and the 1" adapter will be just about perfect with a 40mm offset rim....for the rear, 35mm offset is ideal for a 7" wide rim

i did the redrilled hubs/flanges last year, I didn't feel comfortable with the front hubs due to how I had to remove material from the inside of the rotor hub, I also had to turn down the hubcentric ring (both the height and the dia.)

another issue with redrilling the fronts, is that when the rotor wears out, you have to get another set of rotors and redrill them.

for the rear flanges, you actually end up with more material for the studs since the flange is thicker as in tapers towards the middle...so it should be stronger than the stock pattern...however, the smaller BC means that you need to re-drill the rotor and this is what I didn't like about this modification...the large hole in the middle of the rotor is approx. 3.75", the new bolt pattern is 3.93", what happens is that the thru holes for the studs breaks into the 3.75" hole in the middle of the rotor....more than likely it's okay, but I didn't want to deal with it.............so I sold my "ricer" rims and threw the redrilled hubs and flanges in the dumpster

now with the new billet front hubs, a 4x100 BC is no problem on the fronts...except you'd still want to run spacers to move the wheel outboard some due to the offsets options


hope all this rambling makes some sense, LOL

4 to 4 adapters = good
4 to 5 adapters = bad
5 to 5 adapters = good

[Joe Bob]

Nope...even 5 to 5 adapters suck....mine on Frank worked loose. Ended up selling them and doing the longer stud thing.

[Mueller]

not made correctly or some other issue???.....a one or two inch adapter should not come loose any more than your wheel bolted directly to the hub if properly torqued (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif)

[Brad Smith]

properly designed and made adapters are fine when going from 4x130 to 4x100 BC...the main problem you'll run into is that the "ricer" rims won't have enough offset to fit under the totally stock fenders..at least in the rear...you can easily fit 7" wide rims up front and the 1" adapter will be just about perfect with a 40mm offset rim....for the rear, 35mm offset is ideal for a 7" wide rim

Thanks, that is EXTREMELY helpful. BTW 38 or 40 mm offset is easy to find. 35 not so easy. BUT... the easy answer is to buy 40 mm offset rims for all 4, and make adapters that are 5mm thicker for the rear. Or did I misunderstand? In other words, the rears need to be 5mm further OUT than the fronts? (5mm less offset? You said more, but the numbers you posted said less!)

i did the redrilled hubs/flanges last year, I didn't feel comfortable with the front hubs due to how I had to remove material from the inside of the rotor hub, I also had to turn down the hubcentric ring (both the height and the dia.)

hmmmm.... I'd rather have spacers that are hubcentric for the Porsche hubs on one side and for the ricer rims on the other.

another issue with redrilling the fronts, is that when the rotor wears out, you have to get another set of rotors and redrill them.

Actually THIS was the issue that I was thinking about. Machine work every time you want to change rotors? No thanks!
I realize folks are saying "but these can come off," but it's no more likely than a properly torqued wheel coming off. Perhaps some locktite for "insurance" would be in order.

for the rear flanges, you actually end up with more material for the studs since the flange is thicker as in tapers towards the middle...so it should be stronger than the stock pattern...however, the smaller BC means that you need to re-drill the rotor and this is what I didn't like about this modification...the large hole in the middle of the rotor is approx. 3.75", the new bolt pattern is 3.93", what happens is that the thru holes for the studs breaks into the 3.75" hole in the middle of the rotor....more than likely it's okay, but I didn't want to deal with it.............so I sold my "ricer" rims and threw the redrilled hubs and flanges in the dumpster

The redrilled hubs just sounds like a bad idea to me for various reasons... but I can see where it has an advantage too.

now with the new billet front hubs, a 4x100 BC is no problem on the fronts...except you'd still want to run spacers to move the wheel outboard some due to the offsets options

Yeah, they $ound really nice. I $uspect that $ome of u$ may want another option. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

hope all this rambling makes some sense, LOL

4 to 4 adapters = good
4 to 5 adapters = bad
5 to 5 adapters = good

That was my take on it too... UNLESS it is the same bolt circle- then 4 to 5 would be ok. Of course you are then right back to expensive wheels with very limited choices to fit Porsche's "oddball" bolt pattern.

Even if the adapters were $100 each, you would save that much per wheel due to "economies of scale." The manufacturers sell a LOT of the ones for common bolt patterns, so they make more, and it keeps the costs lower.

All this is just my opinion though.

Brad

[Mark Henry]

This is just my opinion, but I was all set to go for the ricer rims then I saw a few teens with 17" rims and they just looked odd.

I like most of the 15" rims, bigger than that I only like the 16" fuchs.

Take a good hard look (i.e. put in place, at the proper ride height, have a beer, etc.) before you commit to rice rims.

[Joe Bob]

not made correctly or some other issue???.....a one or two inch adapter should not come loose any more than your wheel bolted directly to the hub if properly torqued  :smash:

Made in Germany hub centric 3 inch models....cranked down like a MOFO....two on each side came loose, even lost one nut....yanked them off and dug into Mikey's parts drawer and installed the longers studs that I ordered but never got around to installing.....

[SirAndy]

Nope...even 5 to 5 adapters suck....mine on Frank worked loose. Ended up selling them and doing the longer stud thing.

i am running 5 to 5 adapters for over 2 years now.
i have done 10 or so AX events with them. no problem at all so far ...

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) Andy

[machina]

somebody here done that ready

[Dad Roberts]

Mikey.....sorry if I missed the thread about price. Can you give me a general pricing for the billet hubs w/5 hole? Also, are you familiar with the type III VW front spindle as far as interchange? Thanks.....Dad (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[Joe Bob]

Nope...even 5 to 5 adapters suck....mine on Frank worked loose.  Ended up selling them and doing the longer stud thing.

i am running 5 to 5 adapters for over 2 years now.
i have done 10 or so AX events with them. no problem at all so far ...

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) Andy

In zone 8 ya woulda been banned....rules state only spacers are allowed..... :finger2:

[SirAndy]

In zone 8 ya woulda been banned....rules state only spacers are allowed..... :finger2:

no one has ever checked ...

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Andy

[Joe Bob]

Die rice boy die...... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

[Mueller]

Brad (smith),

I'm running 17x7 Revolution rims (or will be, currently they are collecting dust (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) ) 4x130 rims with a 35mm offset....205mm tires

on the rear, they fit perfect, on the front, they are close to the front strut, but do not hit it....the 914 is an oddball, direct from the factory, the front track is an inch narrower than the rear, also if you look at pictures of stock 914's you'll notice the front wheels stick too far inboard in the front...(see picture on the front page of this site)..

I'm going to run a spacer of at least 12mm on the front of my car, it is just for astetics (having the track wider in the front can help with handleing as well)

with a 1" adapter in the rear and a 40mm 7" wide rim you'll have a rim with an effective offset of 15mm which is too small, you will have to pull the rear fenders out to prevent rubbing

Mark,

not all "ricer" rims are 17" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) many are available in 15" at dirt cheap prices and very light weight (spec Miata rims)

and finally.....

to me, 4 to 4 and a 5 to 5 is a spacer (and H&R spring company agrees with TUV approved parts which follow the same design)....I got my 4 to 4 "spacers" approved by the head tech dude up in our area and he is highly respected dude (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) .....

and one more (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Hey Pop Roberts (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

no idea on that at all (cost and fit), however I can send you a few drawings with some dimensions that you could use to check on with your spindles?????

[Mark Henry]

Mark,

not all "ricer" rims are 17" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) many are available in 15" at dirt cheap prices and very light weight (spec Miata rims)

I realize that...maybe it's just the 17" rims, they look too much like wheels off of a 10-speed bike for my taste. On some cars the big wheels look real cool, to me the 914 isn't one of them.

BTW I'm no CW guy, my teen has 15" EMPI sprint stars. I was real hot to do the bling thing too, as cool rims for Hon-duhs are quite cheap hear as well.

Also 15" tires are very cheap.

[Brad Smith]

Brad (smith),

I'm running 17x7 Revolution rims (or will be, currently they are collecting dust (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) ) 4x130 rims with a 35mm offset....205mm tires

on the rear, they fit perfect, on the front, they are close to the front strut, but do not hit it....the 914 is an oddball, direct from the factory, the front track is an inch narrower than the rear, also if you look at pictures of stock 914's you'll notice the front wheels stick too far inboard in the front...(see picture on the front page of this site)..

I'm going to run a spacer of at least 12mm on the front of my car, it is just for astetics (having the track wider in the front can help with handleing as well)

with a 1" adapter in the rear and a 40mm 7" wide rim you'll have a rim with an effective offset of 15mm which is too small, you will have to pull the rear fenders out to prevent rubbing

Mark,

not all "ricer" rims are 17" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) many are available in 15" at dirt cheap prices and very light weight (spec Miata rims)

and finally.....

to me, 4 to 4 and a 5 to 5 is a spacer (and H&R spring company agrees with TUV approved parts which follow the same design)....I got my 4 to 4 "spacers" approved by the head tech dude up in our area and he is highly respected dude (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) .....

and one more (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Hey Pop Roberts (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

no idea on that at all (cost and fit), however I can send you a few drawings with some dimensions that you could use to check on with your spindles?????

Thanks. I was reading that backwards. I think 45mm is also available, however, if you are running flares it really doesn't matter that much, right?

This isn't for me- I'd build one with stock type flares and keep it stealthy if it was. (With about 400 hp worth of turbo rotary... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif) I guess I'm not a "purist," huh?) My daughter likes the "bling" factor though.

Brad

[Dad Roberts]

Works for me, Mike. I'm currently running 5 3/4 inch offset ( not sure what that is in MM ) with a Ford bolt pattern ( 5 on 4 1/2 inch ). These are front wheel drive wheels from American Racing. My rear hubs, rotors, and calipers are 914. Looking forward to the drawings. Thanks.....Dad (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)