Wide on the rear, skinny on the front?

[mich]

Hello Chaps, this is my first post on this forum. I'm very glad I found this site because it's amazing how much info you guys have on modifying the old transit vans.

I bought myself a 1997 SWB tranny a few weeks ago and I'm in the process of replacing some panels that are a bit rust. You know, the usual stuff like wheel arches and so. Already fitted some new rear doors of FleeBay.

I did want to ask you guys for some advice on alloy wheels though. I've read the thread on alloy wheels with great interest and I'd like to go down the route of the Weller wheels. I'm not finding any Transit specific ones so I'd like to buy some Landy ones and get them re-drilled to fit.

Question is, from your experience what's the maximum diameter and width that I can run on the rear? And what's the maximum I can run on the front without giving myself troubles with scrapping tyres and all that?

Ideally I'd like to run a big and wide one on the back, bit like a dragster, and a smaller one on the front. I'd like them as wide as possible, just for extra bling effect! I'm not normally into bling but wide wheels *DO* look good on vans!

Many many thanks for your time and expertise and thanks for having me on the forum!


Cheers,

Mich

[mich]

BTW: This:


and this has very much inspired me to go for the Weller's. They look fantastic! What size rims and tyres are these?



Cheers,

Mich

[rover]

Dont know what size tyres are on those ones in the pics but on a Mk5 you wont get away with much on the front before the tyres stick out too far, 195's is about it. On the rear it depends on what offset you go for, I'm pretty sure you could fit a 225 tyre under there if you had a fairly central offset, but be aware..... the side loading door will foul on the tyres even at 185 with standard weller's So you may need to do some modification to the door slide to bring it out a little.

Rover.

[mich]

Hi Rover, many thanks for the reply.

I'm not too bothered about loosing the side-door functionality. Do you reckon I could run a 16x7 on the front and a 16x8 on the rear? I know the 8" would stick out a bit.

Many thanks,


Mich

[Guy88]

iirc the 15" transit alloys as fitted to MK5's have 225 15 tyres on

Most wellers are 14" unless you redrill land rover ones

[rover]

iirc the 15" transit alloys as fitted to MK5's have 225 15 tyres on

Most wellers are 14" unless you redrill land rover ones

Yes Guy but it aint the tyre width you have to worry about its the offset And he already said he was looking to redrill Landy ones

I doubt you will get 8 inch on there without having to mod the arches....which is not beyond possibility

Rover.

[Luke]

what width can you get landy wellers in

[mich]

To be honest, pretty much any size. 7x16, 8x16, 8x15 and so on. It's going to be a bit of a trial and error thing, but I'm planning to take the dive anyways and just try it. If I can get them to work it'll end up being significantly cheaper than buying alloys off ebay. I don't really want to spend £550 for a set of alloys and tyres. Can't afford it. I do have a lot of time and ingenuity though, and it's good to learn something new, ay?!

Have a look here: http://www.johncraddockltd.co.uk/produc ... page=wheel

[Luke]

It's going to be a bit of a trial and error thing, but I'm planning to take the dive anyways and just try it

like your style

ive got transit (14")wellers on my mk4 they pritty much fill the arches bang on and the door opens but just scrapes when i have the 195's on

i can measure the ET if you want, should give you a starting point - i'd do it now, it's usually parked outside but tonight ive got my sisters car which im taking for the MOT

[Luke]

Have a look here: http://www.johncraddockltd.co.uk/produc ... page=wheel

am i reading that right a brand new 16" weller is from £22

[mich]

i can measure the ET if you want, should give you a starting point - i'd do it now, it's usually parked outside but tonight ive got my sisters car which im taking for the MOT

Hi Luke, many thanks for that, it'll really help me. If you could tell me the rim size and width and the tyres you fitted that would be absolutely smashing and would save me a lot of mistakes and money! BTW, I'm not bothered by the side door issue. I only use the van for 'pleasure'....

BTW, and YES those rims do indeed retails for next to nothing new. Makes the whole experiment all the more worthwile...

I'm working on some paint options at the moment on my computer. Just trying to figure out what colour scheme to go for. Here's one option: Metallic Brownish kind of colour with go faster stripes and alloys (or Wellers).



I also found some smoked front indicators on the German eBay. Anyone know where I can get some rear ones in clear or smoked?

TA!


Mich

[Luke]

i'll measure em up - but if i forget nudge me as ive got a terrible memory

they are 14" tyres are 185 R14C or 195 R14C depending on what i have available mostly its 185s on front and 195s on back and i'll get the rest of the measurements later

have you considered drilling the hubs to make them 165pcd rather than the wheels

[mich]

have you considered drilling the hubs to make them 165pcd rather than the wheels

Now that you mention it, I was looking at that thread earlier. Do you reckon that's easier?

[Luke]

have you considered drilling the hubs to make them 165pcd rather than the wheels

Now that you mention it, I was looking at that thread earlier. Do you reckon that's easier?

not easier but i doubt it would be much more expensive but the bonus is you can fit any landrover wheel also if you bend one you only need a standard replacement

also you wont have the other 5 holes in between

you need to weigh it all up as to how much you want to do and what end result your after, the bonus of the landrover one is its not much deviation so you wont have the problems with the rear, if you put the landrover 14mm studs in you might even be able to drill out the existing holes

[mich]

Guys, I just found this brilliant tyre calculator. It lets you enter your old tyre and rim size, which it displays, and then you can enter your new tyre and rim size and see how much the difference is in diameter and all that. EXACTLY what I was looking for!!!

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html