New 20 Inch Wheels on my VX Senator Signature. Some Problems but Goooood

[SENATOR_VX]

Here are a couple of pics of the new adition to my Senator.

Rear Wheel
http://i2.ebayimg.com/03/i/06/0b/cc/92_1_sbl.JPG
New 20 Inch Rims
http://i8.ebayimg.com/03/i/06/0a/68/39_1_sbl.JPG
Rear Wheel
http://i2.ebayimg.com/03/i/06/0b/cc/92_1_sbl.JPG
New 20 Inch Rims
http://i8.ebayimg.com/03/i/06/0a/68/39_1_sbl.JPG


I had been looking for a while to restore my HSV factory rims and just got bored with the idea when it was suggested that a set of 20Inch would look schmick on it.

So I thought about it for about a day and next thing I found myself on the phone to the wheel guys and booking it in.

The other aspect of this is that the suspension required replacing at the same time as the Self levelling had slowly been shitting itself and basically screwed.

So I dropped it in first thing in the morning and in the afternoon i see it pull into my office driveway and had to look twice. It has changed the whole look of the car now.:bravo: The world is good and everyone is lovin it.

Then I get in it to drive the owner back to the shop and wholy crap it is scraping out the whole way back. (10KM Trip)

End result in a nutshel to make them fit into the car:

Big Reds on the Back with panel beating to roll the lip of the guards and bottom corners of each guard at Back.
Pedders Grey on the front
Cutting out some plastic from the inside of the rear skirts. Stop rubbing of back wheels.
More rolling of the front guards to stop scraping out.

Finally drove out.
2x Days later back for a bit mor modification to rear gurads and then an acceptable ride down the street.

This time I brought the family with me for a trip to the south side and on the way home after enduring all the waiting around with the kids I hear this squeeling and vibration at 80K.

Pull up and nothing obvious can be seen wrong. As a final thought I checked the wheel nuts and found that 3 of the 5 nuts where not even finger tight on offending wheel. :flamin: :mad: My placid nature has just turned to my alter ego, Aunty Jack! " I want to rip you *&^%() Head off and You know the rest. Fortunatelty the wife calms me down and all is good. I will jighten the bastards up myself and move on with life.

Then I find that now the wheels have changed the Wheel brace supplied in boot does not fit! :bravo: :evil: Now I am Worse than before and about to launch the Wheel Brace into orbit. Then I had a great idea and called the Centurion card conceirge and asked for closest auto accessories and thankfully "SuperCheap" to the rescue. A run of the mill Wheel brace and all is good.

End of the day I am wrapped with the final look. The ride is nice and smooth in a straight line. Handles great in every day driving.

Bad side is that the tyres placed on it where not what I expected and a Chineese piece of shit LingLongs that just can't cut the mustard when under a small amount of pressure. Thank christ for Traction Control or I would be doing a lot of drifting!

Would I change it? NUP I love the final look and they are so much easier to keep clean. Hope you enjoy the pics. they are the only 2 I have right now. If anyone would like more, ask and I will get some tomorrow and post here as well.

[Glenn@Autowerks]

Nice wheels and tyres, that tow bar tongue looks a worry though :werd:

[SENATOR_VX]

Actually the Tow Bar Tongue is normally only on it when I occasionally need to tow a trailer etc. Removes easily and isn't on it at the moment.

Where it bols on is under the rear spoiler so I didn't have the cut into it. Basically you wouldn't know I have a tow bar any other day of the week.

Good pick up though, and glad you like it.

Thanks.

[tlr1000]

Looks good, did you have to put coil-over struts in the front for tyre clearance.

[tlr1000]

Actually the Tow Bar Tongue is normally only on it when I occasionally need to tow a trailer etc.
Thanks.

Should also put on when going to the shopping centre carparks, that will stop em getting too close.

[SENATOR_VX]

Should also put on when going to the shopping centre carparks, that will stop em getting too close.

That thought had crossed my mind too.
I always look for a park with concrete stoppers at the back of them.
Then back into it. As I can't drive front in- too many occasions of whacking the front spoiler and popping clips off it.

[SENATOR_VX]

Looks good, did you have to put coil-over struts in the front for tyre clearance.

Yeah I am sure they where, and they where the dark Grey Coils if that helps.

[YCV8]

They look sensational. When I got my 20s I was seriously considering the same ones you've fitted but ended up going different. Your machine looks the goods!

[Krizto]

Very nice .... love 20's :drool:

[SENATOR_VX]

Thanks for the comments.

Hope no one else has the same dillema's as I had. Anyway you can see some tips from my experience if you are changing over to 20" Wheels or considdering it.

[SS346]

The tyre rubbing has me confused, when i purchased my 20's the wheel dude said he guarentee's it will rub, he said that i have to roll the back guards, ive had the wheels on the car for 5000km's and it has not rubbed once, i even went to the track with them, still no rubbing.

[SENATOR_VX]

The tyre rubbing has me confused, when i purchased my 20's the wheel dude said he guarentee's it will rub, he said that i have to roll the back guards, ive had the wheels on the car for 500km's and it has not rubbed once, i even went to the track with them, still no rubbing.

It will depend on what model your ride is. The parts creating the rubbing are the spoiler on the front. (Rolling the guards created plenty of clearence for the top of the wheel.)
The spoiler at the front curves back at the bottom and gives less wheel clearance than standard models.

As mine is the Senator the rear wheel arch looks lower than most commodore models. Combined with the rear spoiler doing the same as the front. The edge of the spoiled lessened the clearance between wheel and guard and of course rubbing occured with the larger wheels.

I will try to get some closer up photo's today and post them back here to show you more clearly.

[SteveK]

Nice, very nice. Only problem is rims that big make the brakes look so small. Actually, in turn they make the rims look bigger. :D

Steve.

[SENATOR_VX]

Nice, very nice. Only problem is rims that big make the brakes look so small. Actually, in turn they make the rims look bigger. :D

Steve.

That is the first thing I remember as well when I saw it turn up. It was the bigger Premium brake package when I bought it and now they look like toy brakes. Could be the next mod after the Heads. Good thing is there is now plenty of ventilation. :)

[ProVK]

What offset are the rims ? and what size tyres are you running, sounds like the rims have too much dish for a commodore.

[Ghosn]

Nice, very nice. Only problem is rims that big make the brakes look so small. Actually, in turn they make the rims look bigger. :D

Steve.

you know what's worse, big brakes will still look small behind those rims :teach:

[HAZRDS]

They look great, wished i had waited for the 20 s for my car

[DTM_UTE]

we ran 20s for our car for about 2 yrs now , never have any problem even it has been droped really low by moving alot of boxes on the back of the tray.

[SENATOR_VX]

I saw the same rims on the Ute at the Wheel shop which fitted them. The look was great and that made me pick them out of all the ones they had on show.

That is a Metalic Blue colour with no mods. The Rims alone made it stand out from the pack and they also had no rubbing issues on standard set up. Amazing how every car has its own personality and quirks.

[cosmo vyss]

Very nice .... love 20's :drool:

Yes very very nice indeed. The bigger brakes will still look small to. :errr:
JB

[NickS]

Yes very very nice indeed. The bigger brakes will still look small to. :errr:
JB
Get some Harrop Ultimates; 381mm front & 356mm rear rotors, should fill out 20's quite nicely I reckon.

Nice rims by the way, IMO they are a tad to big for a VX, but very nice none the less :cheers:

[Bearz]

Nice work on the wheels, they look hot.

Sorry if this sounds stupid, but what does "rolling th guards" actually involve?
I've read it a lot on posts about fitting big wheels. Is it just on the inside of the arch or the outside?

[SENATOR_VX]

Nice work on the wheels, they look hot.

Sorry if this sounds stupid, but what does "rolling th guards" actually involve?
I've read it a lot on posts about fitting big wheels. Is it just on the inside of the arch or the outside?

when they roll the guards the inside of the guard is bent / rolled from the insde to remove the lip which rubs agains the rubber.

[TRY-300]

Looks Gr8, nice and clean, however just be aware that chrome rims MUST be clean of brake. If left on the rim(s) for a couple of days will corode the chrome and no way will that come off. Overall looking good.

[SENATOR_VX]

Looks Gr8, nice and clean, however just be aware that chrome rims MUST be clean of brake. If left on the rim(s) for a couple of days will corode the chrome and no way will that come off. Overall looking good.

Thanks for the tip. I usually clean it within 3 days but the originals where a painted gold finish so I didn't have that problem. I will make sure to keep on top of that so I keep them looking good.

[The Brock]

That looks damn nice, Senator on 20's, can't go wrong !!!

[SENATOR_VX]

As at today nearly everything has settled down now with the rubbing.

Just picked it up from Power Torque after latest installment of mod's. Heads now complete. I will post another thread to give the update and Dyno results.

Everyone that has seen the old rims and now the new ones on it have been all for it. Must have been a good choice after all. :)

[lowhsv]

well if you ask me wheels make a car... i tried 4 sets on my old car bbs rx's, senator sigs, ame 20's, vy gts and still never found the rim i like.
i like the choice you have made they do look good but its all up to whether you like them and not what everyone else thinks.
my 2 c's

LOWHSV

[AID-222]

:cool: damn that looks nice

[SENATOR_VX]

well if you ask me wheels make a car... i tried 4 sets on my old car bbs rx's, senator sigs, ame 20's, vy gts and still never found the rim i like.
i like the choice you have made they do look good but its all up to whether you like them and not what everyone else thinks.
my 2 c's

LOWHSV

You are dead right on that. It is a big part of what makes the car. I do like what I have put on and I guess as far as what other people like, it will always be many different views. Which is good.

I am happy though that the feedback I have had from the street and on the forum has been good and it definately makes me feel better about forking out the hard earned for them as well. :)

[SENATOR_VX]

Some new pics for a better view of the wheels and without the bar on. Had it detailed up last week as I was doing the leather treatment as well.

It has all settled down now with the rubbing. I had the car laoded last night and just the occasional rubbing over bumps now.

Enjoy
http://i2.ebayimg.com/03/i/06/46/1d/db_1_sbol.JPG
http://i11.ebayimg.com/02/i/06/3d/8a/ff_1_sbol.JPG
http://i10.ebayimg.com/03/i/06/43/a2/0d_1_bo.JPG

[vx_clubby]

Looks very very nice, good work :bow: Just need 5 locks nuts on each wheel now to make sure they stay safe haha :)

[Mozz]

They definitely look the goods - congrats - but I am intrigued that the tyre place sold you a set of wheels and tyres + a new suspension kit which would have been a bill in many thousands of dollars and then you drive away with the car obviously not even properly drivable - you are a more patient person with this business than I would have been in your situation.

[SENATOR_VX]

They definitely look the goods - congrats - but I am intrigued that the tyre place sold you a set of wheels and tyres + a new suspension kit which would have been a bill in many thousands of dollars and then you drive away with the car obviously not even properly drivable - you are a more patient person with this business than I would have been in your situation.


You are right and I was frustrated as I left the shop and was fairly straight onto the freeway. then when I left the freeway was when I started cornering and found the rubbing unbearable first time around.
Too late and too far to go back so next morning I came back and that was when they rolled the guards and seemed to fix the rubbing "Mostly". However then same problem as when I was down the freeway I had a different squeeling and went over it on the side of the road. nothing apparent. Limped it home and figured to check the wheel nuts then found 3 of 5 where lose enough to undo with my fingers.

I won't be recommending them to anyone I know that is for sure! :flamin: And they did test my patients to the max.

[Ganzer]

How wide is the tyre, as i about to order a set of 20's for my statesman.
i ask all the normal questions, they said it would be the same over all size. but the width of the tyre is 245 instead of 235's and they shouldnt rub at all.

[SENATOR_VX]

How wide is the tyre, as i about to order a set of 20's for my statesman.
i ask all the normal questions, they said it would be the same over all size. but the width of the tyre is 245 instead of 235's and they shouldnt rub at all.


The set up is:
245 / 35Z R20

When mine where fitted they said "No Problems we have fitted a couple of these with 20's and no problem." Unfortunately I have found there where a couple of problems though each car will be different in some way. You are right that it shouldn't be a drama. Hope you haven't lowered it though! That was the first problem for mine.

Actually sits higher now though looks lower than before due to the profile. :)

[BigJim]

The set up is:
245 / 35Z R20

When mine where fitted they said "No Problems we have fitted a couple of these with 20's and no problem." Unfortunately I have found there where a couple of problems though each car will be different in some way. You are right that it shouldn't be a drama. Hope you haven't lowered it though! That was the first problem for mine.

Actually sits higher now though looks lower than before due to the profile. :)

Iam upgrading to 20s on mine and one shop said 245x35x20 will fit on the front without coil overs or strut change which i dont think is correct but his pricing on the wheel package was the best. I dont want to go there then get a call to say sorry they really dont fit.

Did you change front suspension. Can you PM me to let me know who you went through as i want to make sure who iam thinking of using is not them. Hopefully the main thing is they sorted it out but i dont have the time to be going back and forth. It would only piss me off and get me angry.

Your wheels look good though. I love 20s in the 5 spoke type designs.

[SENATOR_VX]

Iam upgrading to 20s on mine and one shop said 245x35x20 will fit on the front without coil overs or strut change which i dont think is correct but his pricing on the wheel package was the best. I dont want to go there then get a call to say sorry they really dont fit.

Did you change front suspension. Can you PM me to let me know who you went through as i want to make sure who iam thinking of using is not them. Hopefully the main thing is they sorted it out but i dont have the time to be going back and forth. It would only piss me off and get me angry.

Your wheels look good though. I love 20s in the 5 spoke type designs.

PM Sent: And I would say that it has all been sorted out as much as can be done. Can't really excuse them for not tightening the wheel nuts though. That was the icing on the cake. Oh well we learn lessons every day.

[HRT 8]

How wide is the tyre, as i about to order a set of 20's for my statesman.
i ask all the normal questions, they said it would be the same over all size. but the width of the tyre is 245 instead of 235's and they shouldnt rub at all.
The tyre width is only one factor in relation to the wheels fitting correctly.
Make sure you get the correct offset. If you dont, then the tyre width will not matter. They will hit whatever is on.

[NickS]

Is there an echo in this thread :stick:

[s 8 3]

VX senator -

A bit off topic but worth a read -

watch those bsa wheels you just bought, i have 19inches on my vt. Before christmas last year i had to get 2 replaced due to peeling. They covered it under the 12 months warranty but it was hard to get the wheels out of them. My suggestion dont use anything besides water and maybe a bit of car soap. Dont try to shine them to much. Just use your chamoe to wipe them. If you do a search in yahoo or google there are numerous stories about bsa wheels.

scott

[SENATOR_VX]

VX senator -

A bit off topic but worth a read -

watch those bsa wheels you just bought, i have 19inches on my vt. Before christmas last year i had to get 2 replaced due to peeling. They covered it under the 12 months warranty but it was hard to get the wheels out of them. My suggestion dont use anything besides water and maybe a bit of car soap. Dont try to shine them to much. Just use your chamoe to wipe them. If you do a search in yahoo or google there are numerous stories about bsa wheels.

scott


Holy Sheeeeeet. What a pain in the Ass. Thanks for the tip. I was told by someone else over the last week also to keep the brake dust off them within 3 Days or that will also eat into the rim.

Also off topic a little. My original genuine senator signature 18"s had peeling which really shitted me. That was part of the reason I decided to go to new wheels and not repair them.

I will make sure I keep an eye on them.

Cheers,