Feeler GB: Easy and Cheap 5 Lug swap!!

[X2theZ3]

why in the world would anyone ever put that junk on their car?

[E30_pilot]

why in the world would anyone ever put that junk on their car?

in this world...we call them ricers...thats why...lol

[blueapplesoda]

my wheels are offset et40 and im running 20mm spacers....17 X 7.5......a couple of extra millimeters wouldnt hurt....

[nmlss2006]

why in the world would anyone ever put that junk on their car?

The first reason that comes to mind is that they are functionally equivalent to putting in the E30 M3 parts. You see, if you want to run E36 wheels on an E30, you need a spacer. If the spacer happens to also convert the hub pattern, there is no functional difference between that and doing an E30 M3 swap, unless you need the brakes. But if you do need the brakes, it's nice to go to an E36 setup. And at that point, with E30 M3 parts, you need 12mm spacers between the hub and the rotor PLUS a little spacing outside (ideally - evo III 7.5Jx16s are ET27, E36 M3 fronts are ET43 -> 16mm total, 12 inboard and 4 outboard) in the front and a 16mm spacer in the rear. And as long as the 'created' ET is correct, you're fine. Yes, you have added a little unsprung mass to your car, but has anyone here actually weighed the E36 rotor + rim as compared to the E30 one? The difference is greater by orders of magnitude, not coefficients.

[X2theZ3]

The first reason that comes to mind is that they are functionally equivalent to putting in the E30 M3 parts. You see, if you want to run E36 wheels on an E30, you need a spacer. If the spacer happens to also convert the hub pattern, there is no functional difference between that and doing an E30 M3 swap, unless you need the brakes. But if you do need the brakes, it's nice to go to an E36 setup. And at that point, with E30 M3 parts, you need 12mm spacers between the hub and the rotor PLUS a little spacing outside (ideally - evo III 7.5Jx16s are ET27, E36 M3 fronts are ET43 -> 16mm total, 12 inboard and 4 outboard) in the front and a 16mm spacer in the rear. And as long as the 'created' ET is correct, you're fine. Yes, you have added a little unsprung mass to your car, but has anyone here actually weighed the E36 rotor + rim as compared to the E30 one? The difference is greater by orders of magnitude, not coefficients.

Good for you. You have no idea what you're talking about but good for you. Try these on your car and tell us how it works out.

[325tbr]

Good for you. You have no idea what you're talking about but good for you. Try these on your car and tell us how it works out.

how is he wrong?

[2002maniac]

The first reason that comes to mind is that they are functionally equivalent to putting in the E30 M3 parts.

What about bigger brakes and beefier wheel bearings?

[MR 325]

What about bigger brakes and beefier wheel bearings?

Exactly.

[erik325i]

my wheels are offset et40 and im running 20mm spacers....17 X 7.5......a couple of extra millimeters wouldnt hurt....

Are you trying to say that you could use another 20mm in your spacers?!

Most people aren't realizing that these spacers are 40mm thick. They will not work properly with pretty much any wheel you find for your e30.

I think the concept can work. It's no worse than running normal spacers. The problem is these are two peice spacers, and they are just super thick.

-Erik

[golde30]

i have run 40mm adapters on my datsun, and had 0 problems. BUT the stock offset was et.0, so running a 40mm put me to regular wheels offset...

[nmlss2006]

What about bigger brakes and beefier wheel bearings?

Well, as I was trying to communicate, perhaps poorly, the idea would be to put them between the hub and the rotor, thus enabling you to use E36 M3 brakes or whatever you fancy in 5x120 - exactly like you would have to do with the E30 M3 setup, incidentally, if you wanted to run E36 brakes (no, you can't just shove on the rotors). As far as 'beefier wheel bearings', I don't recall seeing very many E30s with premature bearing wear problems, even among those that get tracked regularly, so I would tend to consider that a nonissue.
The only real problem I see is making these thin enough: with ETs from 41 to 43 for the E36 wheels, if you wanted to duplicate the E30 Evo III's ET26, you'd need a 16mm spacer, which is... well, challenging. If these are, indeed, 40mm thick, then there is a severe problem, but I don't see why they'd have to be - CAD drawing available, for those curious.
As to the gentleman who says I have no idea what I am talking about, I'd be very glad to learn what I am missing, if he were to explain. Especially if he were to explain how it would be correct to fit an ET43 wheel on a car designed for ET26 or below, without spacers. I am sure I am missing something, because I have no idea what I am talking about.

[RobertK]

If you're going to go for a 5 lug swap.. do it right the first time.

[asubimmer]

this thread should be locked lol

it keeps comin back

[nefarious7907]

Not everyone has a grand laying around to correctly swap to 5 lug, I like a lot more of the 5 lug wheels than I do 4 lug wheels, and I have just done my brakes and I dont feel like spending that money again. The work the guy does in the second link looks pretty good. I might go this route.