Which wheels would you put on your truck if you could???.....
ok, I'm toying with an idea here. I've seen people putting adaptors on wheels and I even did it on my old truck. I have a few companys here in Fresno that deal with adaptors and with drilling wheels out to different offsets. One of the companys even makes custom wheels from scratch, however you want them. Anyways, if we all could use an existing wheel lets say off of a Mustang or maybe even something else, and put in on our lightnings what would they be?? I'd like to see your ideas, post some pics. This is my idea for wheels that I'd like to have on my truck. I may just do it, and get the machine shops here in town involved to make them fit the best way possible, either with custom adaptors that I KNOW wont break, or by redrilling them.
...I welcome any comments, advice, etc, but most of all I want to see some pics. I think this wheel will look awesome on an L, and they offer it in a 20 now.

 

Are they wide enough?

And more importantly, can they handle the stress of a 4,700 lb truck?

 

Tim when I did the math, it should be fine...

Now I wouldn't go to the track with adapters, and I wouldn't go offroad with mustang wheels... But my FR's have been good so far...

First off, I had to call and get the load rating for the 18" mustang wheels. The company I called sells bullits, FR's, Saleen, etc... I found out that they advertise the weight rating at 1500 lbs, but that is under estimated for liability purposes... After calling people, I was told they should handle 1700 lbs on the street. So I did the following math


Load Rating Math


4674 lbs curb weight
57%/43% front/rear weight distribution

2664 lbs on the front
2010 lbs on the rear

So it looks like roughly...

1332 lbs for each front corner
1005 lbs for each rear corner

 

..definitely no racing with an adaptor. I wouldn't even consider it. I also would make sure I have wheels that are strong for racing as well. I'd use the stock ones probably for that anyway, unelss I could find a really strong and light wheel. Most people that use an adaptor would only use them for show and around town driving I would hope. Maybe the occassional freeway trip. For that stuff I'm sure most wheels would work great. What I'm doing is for a 2nd set of wheels for looks. In my case it would be a cheaper route than spending 4 or 500 bucks a wheel. I can get the cobra R wheels for less than 200 a wheel, and the adaptors for less than 200 with lunuts and everything. ..that's if I go that route. I can have them redrilled professionally for about 200 as well. Total cost involved is around a thousand, and that is at least 500 bucks cheaper than a set of Torque thrusts. ..as far as the width of the Cobra R, it's 20x8.5 Good enough for around town.

 

You cannot use less than 1.22" adapters on the front... And you cant have hub centric up front either unless you use more than 1.5" adapters...



http://www.svtperformance.com/forums...d.php?t=231869

 

i think the 03 cobra wheels polished would look nice i had mentioned this idea when 35th did his

 

Tim, When did that happen ???
I dont remember hearing about it, did your Beast get hurt too

 

I don't think those are Tim's wheels Rob, just an example of what could happen...

 

TG

I know Tims Rims are simular, I thought maybe he painted the insides Black
But your right, here's Tim's and they are slightly differant

 

I like the idea of the hub-centrics. Are the rings part of the adaptor or are they seperate. I put adaptors on my 2001 and had to cut the lugs down so they didn't hit the rim. My goal is to have hub-centrics front and rear and run a thick enough adaptor to not have to cut the lug studs. Does anyone make this? I think it has to be like 2" thick damn near. I'll have to measure my studs on my unmolested 2004. Any hints on achieving this would be great. If I have to custom make the adaptor I will have it done. But shoot, if someone makes one thick enough, I'll just buy them.

 

2" adapters will never work with out a wheel with a lot of backspacing... The rings are part of the adapters...

I got my adapters from

www.wheeladapters.com

There are cheaper places though...

 

One oh so minor missing piece to the puzzle/equasion. Weight transfer. During cornering, acceleration, braking, the weight transfers side to side, front to rear, etc. Very easy to exceed that narrow margin. Most light truck/SUV wheels run in the 2200-2700lb range. Offset may also be an issue.

 

I talked with some wheel designer for a long time and he was confident that I would be fine, but you are right, I am taking some chances I guess...

 

It amazes me that there isn't a single good looking aftermarket wheel for the L. Not one!! They all look like they belong in a rap video. Unless of course Jim Fikse made you some. Skelton's are 20's and that broken wheel is an 18".

 

Yeah, example right here ^^^^^ of why I HATE the stupid chrome wagon wheels that are becoming more prevalant. That's gotta be the best way to "spring" all that unsprung weight and additional gyroscopic forces you're adding to your vehicle.