Anyone else get rubbing on their VTO rims?

[Gundy]

Where do the wheel weights go now? On the inside rim? Anyone have a picture, as I get my wheels tomorrow!.
Scott in CA

On some of the the tighter fitments, 13" on Spridgets and 14" on MGB come to mind, you need to move the tape on weight a bit more to the inboard side for clearence, this is prety common with any alloy wheel on these cars, with the stock wheel folks just uese rim edge hammer on weight, so not issue, but on alloy wheels folks tend to hide the weight and use tape on weight on the inside. Yes as mentioned always a good idea to test fit a wheel before mounting tires, even those most alloy wheels go on most cars without issue, you may need to tweak a bit to get everything sorted out, of course one way to avoid all this is get the new 14x5.5 Retro 4 for the Spridgets, like Gundy and Trevor , same deal for the MGBs, outer tie rod clearence with 14" alloy wheels is such a concern, they even make a compact outer tie rod end referred to as the "alloy wheel" tie rod end, and the weight has to be shifted inboard on them as well, but not a issue on a 15" on a MGB. I had to do the same thing you guys are doing 20 years ago to get a 13x5.5 Minilites to clear my steering arms.

I can't wait to mount my 14x5.5 Retros.
They have been in the garage it seems like forever waiting
on Mimi's return.
On the wife's MGB w/ 14x5.5 Classic 8s the tie rods
are fine. The wife really likes the wheels.
I always hint to Bubba on where and how to put the weights
on alloys.
I really like to supervise the tire install. Bubbas can sometimes be a little heavy handed.

 

[tdskip]

How much off the tie-rod ends did you guys have to take to avoid rubbing?

 

[scoutll]

On my car, I had to do the same thing, switch to nylock and ground about 1/4 inch off the threaded part. It is level with the top of the nylock nut now.

 

[tdskip]

Did the same Bryan, once the suspension is loaded I'm getting running from the tie-rod.

 

[scoutll]

It must depend on the particular maker of the tie rod end or wheel. My car has the aftermarket Minators on it. The clearance is now very close, but it did clear after I ground off the excess threads on the bolt. When I got the car, the original tie rod ends were still on it and the PO had actually ground one side of the castle nut down at an angle along with the threaded part of the end.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Would installing 14" wheels on a bugeye solve this problem? I haven't ordered my wheels yet and if 14s will fit ok I'll get an extra 1/2"? My existing tierod ends are ground down and still rub every now and then.
Thanks, Rut

Yes, the correct tire size for RWA arch car like your Bugeye would be 185/60/14, which is the smae basic rolling diameter as the stock wheel and tire, and there are really nice performance tire choices in that size, for the SWA car going with 14x5.5 I recommend 175/65/14, this is popualr size as Ford escort used them, so again you have tire choices. I have black and silver VTO Retro 4 in the 14x5.5 for the Spridgets in both black and silver.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

The easiest solution to all this is to just run a wheel sapcer, 1/8" should be plenty, but one should test fit forst, because it not a issue on all cars. MG casting sizes varied alot, for example a wheel going on a MGB needs to have a 3" center bore, where Spridget wheels are 2.5" center bore, not mind you a 2.5" center bore might very well fit most MGB, but the ledges on the MGB hubs can vary .200" of inch, so a 3" center bore is needed to make sure the center bore aon all MGBs, it appears if the factory didn't think it was a critical tolerence, not much was done to regulate it.

 

[Rut]

Hap, thanks for the reply and the Classic 8 in gray or silver would be my choice. I currently have a retro 4 spoke style BWA magnesium wheel on the car that I'll sell when the time comes.
Thanks again, Rut

 

[tdskip]

OK - more fiddling today and I removed the washer under the lock nut and that did the trick. The nyloc nut I have on there has pretty good coverage of the surface area, so think running without the flat washer is OK?

 

[Hap Waldrop]

running without the flat washer is OK?

Yes, that will be fine.

 

[tdskip]

Thanks Hap - love the rims, really nicely made.

 

[scoutll]

Oh yea, I guess it would have helped you to say I didn't put lock or flat washers on mine either (sorry). You get a additional 1/8 inch or so and the nylocks eliminate the need..

Bryan