hubcentric wheel adapters

[VTStang66]

I asked this in another thread but I think it got buried.

I'm trying to get a set of wheel adapters for my car, and I'm looking at these.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=42614&item=7939724635&rd=1

Somebody said I should try to get hubcentric wheel adapters, so my question is, what makes them hubcentric? Do I need to get some with the center hole the diameter of the hub, or what? What size is that for granada spindles/discs?

 

[66P51GT]

H&R wheel spacers are made in Germany. http://www.livermoreperformance.com/mustang_wheel_spacers.html#hr

 

[allcarfan]

The adapters that you have mentioned on Ebay are exactly what you need.

5 x 4.5" bolt pattern. Thickness will depend on the BS of your wheels. I have these on my car right now.

 

[red65]

FWIW guys -- I was considering using adapters like these since plentiful, cheap and good-looking late model Mustang wheels appears to be a pretty attractive option. I asked around and found two friends who had used similar adapters on their cars and who had them fail - neither on a Mustang, but I don't think that matters.

By fail, I mean one of them watched his own rear wheel pass by him on the highway! Like a scene out of a cartoon, or something... Turns out the adapter had sheared through the aluminum and let go of the wheel altogether. Neither friend reported any noise, vibration, etc, just a sudden departure of one wheel. Neither was hurt, but the potential for some serious handling problems (understatement) is there if one cracks off.

My.02. Choose carefully!

 

[allcarfan]

so your friend was going down the highway and then all of a sudden his wheel fell off and he watched it roll by him? Did I read that correctly? What other damage was done to the car?

The ONLY way that the adapter Could fail (less cracking in half) is if the lugs pulled through 1" thick pieces of aluminum. Even if the piece cracked in half, its still bolted to the axle and the wheel, and the wheel would stay in place.

 

[66 BLAKE 96]

I've never heard first-hand testimonials of adapters failing. Given that there are so many using adapters these days, you'd think that if there were a fundamental problem with them, we'd hear about it all the time. I realize that they are just chunks of aluminum, but then again, what are most wheels made of?

 

[VTStang66]

Yeah if those adapters were made right and torqued right, there should be no way anything could shear through anything. Unless there was a defect in the metal.

 

[latamud]

The wheel adapters are bolted to the studs on the axle. But then the wheel bolts to different studs installed in the spacer. The adapter has recessed holes for the nuts holding the adapter to the axle. The holes recessed so that the nuts don't interfere with the flush mounting of the wheel to the adapter. I'm guessing there is only 1/2 in of aluminum betweem the nut and brake drum(or rotor) because of the recess. That would probably be the weakest points. If the adapter split, half would be bolted to the axle, the other half would still be bolted to the wheel rolling down the street.

 

[66P51GT]

I guess I should have been more specific. H&R are the ONLY spacers to use. Especially if you are running large offsets. I used 25mm on my '99 Cobra and Autocrossed the hell out of it. Never any problems or worries.

 

[red65]

Not making this up, guys, so don't discount it quite so quickly... It was only a funny story (the wheel passing the guy on the highway) because nobody got hurt. It was a mid-80's Buick Regal with some unusual wheel / tire combo, and it failed by breaking the aluminum ring. I don't know if the studs pulled through or if it sheared through the ring, but why's it matter?

Not trying to scare anyone, just sharing a story that might save someone some grief. The advice is worth $.02 - take it for what it's worth.

 

[66 BLAKE 96]

I don't know if the studs pulled through or if it sheared through the ring, but why's it matter?

Don't get me wrong, because I'm not trying to belittle your story or anything, but it is a second hand story, we don't know the cause or nature of the failure, and we don't know the manufacturer. On the other hand, we have dozens (if not hundreds) of people in this world running latemodel wheels with adapters on their classic Mustang and have not heard any stories like this. I'm just comparing the facts that we have, that's all.