Widening Factory Wheels

[F6Mauz]

I'm considering having my factory wheels widened. I'm told it can be done and engineered to be legal. If so, i have three questions. Who is able to do this? Is it really that safe? And how much more than original can it go?

Thanks

[lee ls1]

I have wanted this done for along time but could never find anyone that would do alloy wheels, steel wheels yes but not alloy!
seedyrom could you shed some light on this if you have had it done?

[seedyrom]

Gee, talk about myself? It's not really like me :rofl:, but here it goes:

Its totally illegal, after much searching and phonecalls, I came to realise that no one in Australia would do it.
Every shop I called would say the same thing. If it fell apart, I could be killed (expecially if hurtling along at 120+MPH).

A performance shop in Sydney was able to orchestrate the work for me though. I had to go through them, and from there I now know the wheels were shipped to Labrador, Queensland to be done.
(You might be able to work out who might have done it, as I since have, but am not going to name the place publicly).

I specified that I wanted to extend the 8" wheel to 9".
I could have gone as large as I wanted. I was thinking about 9.5" but didn't want to have clearance issues.

As the process only affects the inside of the wheel, not the hub placement, you will need some spacers. I had custom spacers machined up.
As my inner edge was now 25.4mm closer to the strut, I had 15mm spacers made, and then had to subsequently machine the right hand side in to be a 12.5mm spacer to stop rubbing.
Guards were rolled aswell.

As stated elsewhere, it was about $700 for the widening and shipment of two wheels. (this included the costs of two 17" wheels being cut up aswell - remember you need 4 wheels to make 2 wider ones).
About $700 for two Mickey Thompson 17" 275's and I think $80 for custom spacers. Plus associated fitment of rubber costs aswell.
Not exactly a cheap process. You could probably get two second hand 17" 3-piece simmons and then have appropriate offset in the width youu want made for the same money.

I however wanted to be stealth, so chose the same alloy rims that I drive around with everyday.

The alloy rims are precision welded on both sides of the rim, and in reality should be bloody strong.
I only got them for drag racing, so figured that in a straight line, they would be reasonably safe. I definitely wouldn't do circuit work on them - but I am a bit of a worrier :)

The performance shop reckoned they would be fine to use as a daily driver, but the roads in sydney are so bad, i'd never chance it.
I do however (on my two trips to the drags) put them on at home, and don't need to worry about changing tyres.

Please click the pictures below for larger versions

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/DSCN3298.thumb.jpg (http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/DSCN3298.sized.jpg)

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/DSCN3300_001.thumb.jpg (http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/DSCN3300_001.sized.jpg)

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/DSCN3301.thumb.jpg (http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/DSCN3301.sized.jpg)

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/DSCN3302.thumb.jpg (http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/DSCN3302.sized.jpg)

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/DSCN3303_1.thumb.jpg (http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/DSCN3303_1.sized.jpg)

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/DSCN3305.thumb.jpg (http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/DSCN3305.sized.jpg)

http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/DSCN3306.thumb.jpg (http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/DSCN3306.sized.jpg)

Click for huge picture!!!
http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/DSCN3298.sized.jpg (http://www.oz8.org/gallery/albums/Seedyrom/DSCN3298.jpg)

[Blue]

APS in frankston widened the wheels on the VZ maloo in the project they completed "VZ maloo 15 years of thunder" photos are gone now.

http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=47291&highlight=vz+maloo&page=2

http://www.apsservicecentre.com.au/customercars.aspx?id=42

:eyes:

[F6Mauz]

Thanks guys.