4 to 5 stud wheel adaptors

dp2175 · Post by **dp2175** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 11:34 am

I have an L series wagon and wanting to fit some larger rims. I recall reading somewhere that someone was manufacturing adaptors that would enable an easy fitment of later model 5 stud subie rims. Can anyone shed some light on where these can be obtained and some suggestions as to rim type that would best suit?

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 4:31 pm

Ah Hah!

I have been thinking about this myself.

There are two options that i know of...

1. Use the hubs off an XT6, as outlined in this page page from an ultimatesubaru member. http://corkysrocks.net/Conversion%204%20to%205.htm

2. A previous ausubaru member made some adaptors for his brumby and i have a picture but dont know how to display it. The amount of work needed to make these would make the price too high.

I would like to know how easy it is to get xt6 parts here (not sure if xt/ vortex's came with 5 stud)
Or what if we could get somebody to make say.. 40 of these adaptors (10 sets) would it be cheaper to get them made in bulk by a large maching shop

Gannon

Fury · Post by **Fury** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 5:19 pm

Don't we all ? ( L series owners)
XT's didnt come out with 5 studs only XT6 - USA and Alcyone ( R series ?) from Japan and a couple in NZ ... bummer hey

options:
Adaptor plates (illegal)
Libetry 5 stud conversion ( I think someone was doing a tech page on how to do it on old board) and have no idea when the old board info will ( maybe ever) get back up and running. Admin I believe are doing what they can.
Redrilling 6 stud wheels ( only suits 4 X 4 - and not pretty)
Peugot rims
Someone was doing a spectacular conversion job, with new hubs, on the old board, but I don't know what has happened to that project... I think the user name was Breghbar ? , nah something like that, I think from Vic. I'm gonna get shot down in flames here...

shows how bad my memory is :P

anyone?

good luck

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 6:34 pm

are adapter plates illegal? or do you just have to get an engineers certificate?

Could Sunspares (for example, or any other subaru parts importer) get hold of XT6 parts ....... cheaply???

From what i have read on ultimatesubaru, the liberty or impreza are different setup and arent a direct bolt on like the xt6.

how do i post pics?

I like the look of this wagon with the wrx rims
http://www.ultimatesubaru.net/forum/sho ... conversion

LTurbo · Post by **LTurbo** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 9:13 pm

Fury wrote: Someone was doing a spectacular conversion job, with new hubs, on the old board, but I don't know what has happened to that project... I think the user name was Breghbar ? , nah something like that, I think from Vic. I'm gonna get shot down in flames here... shows how bad my memory is :P

anyone?

good luck

Nah, his name was Bratgeebah. It appears no one has heard from him, which is a pity. Anyway I believe he will still be going through with it as he has spent plenty of money on engineers and I think he bought something like 40 lib hubs and other stuff to make complete sets.

http://www.ausubaru.com/main/modules.ph ... opic&t=380

Fury · Post by **Fury** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 9:23 pm

yeh, yea, thats the guy... . got some of the letters in his name right, well maybe the wrong way round, - but hey..

...,

It was a very nice project and seemed to know what he was doing, but I guess we'll wait for the back data to arrive, to get contact details, if he doesn't get back to the board soon...

I have got some redrilled 4 x 114.3's , which I have to get the old stud holes welded and engineered, before I can go further.

5 stud would be nice, but just dont have the time or money

cameron · Post by **cameron** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 9:39 pm

Adapters are completely legal.
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~caunce/gallery.html These are the ones I made.

Fury · Post by **Fury** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 10:12 pm

They look good, But all the info I have relates to any adaptor, unless it becomes an integral part of the hub, is illegal.

There are however a few items that I would like to find out about them, as they look good, like they should do the job...

1 The material used is ...? Some sort of steel alloy?
2 The thickness of the material, particularly where the stud area.
3 The thickness of from inside of the where the stud sits to the outside edge. ( ie the thickness of the stud support )

Did you make them yourself, or someone did them for you? and finally as they are, how much as an estimate?

At one time, the engineer that was looking at my version of the same project, looked at reducing the outer edge of the original hub, and putting a large outer spigot on the adaptor, so the load was taken on the outer edge of the original hub, not the 4 bolts . This in effect formed a "front face hub" - technically not an adaptor, as the load is shared by a mechanical join, not in sheer moment - which then becomes legal - and could be made to mass production specs - as an after market engineered fitment - such as a 2" lift is

Further thoughts anyone?

cameron · Post by **cameron** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 10:21 pm

The material was Bissalloy 80, the thickness was 10mm and the hub is turned and spigoted. The adapter is a locational fit to the hub and no shearing force is taken by the bolts. The bolts are M14 grade 8.8. This does become part of the hub and is legal.
I didn't clock my hours on the job but to have these done in a shop would cost about $1000 as mandrels have to be made. I have all the mandrels and they themselves took some time to make.

WombatRacing · Post by **WombatRacing** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 11:33 pm

So I will ask the question. How much for you to make another set or two.
Also does the brumby in your photos still run drum rears?

Cheers Wombat

cameron · Post by **cameron** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 9:11 pm

My Brumby still has rear drums. To make another set would cost alot. material alone is $200 but if you were serious i could do an estimate. Problem is you would need to supply a set of hubs and drums as these get machined and matched as a full set. I could source these locally but that adds to cost. I did this because I could, and I had a set of hubs and drums spare. Any enquiries can be forwarded to [email protected]
I will machine up a disc this week if I get time and do an accurate costing.

WombatRacing · Post by **WombatRacing** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 5:57 pm

How are you going with with the costing of a set of hubs? Im still interested.

subanator · Post by **subanator** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:47 am

dp2175 wrote:I have an L series wagon and wanting to fit some larger rims. I recall reading somewhere that someone was manufacturing adaptors that would enable an easy fitment of later model 5 stud subie rims. Can anyone shed some light on where these can be obtained and some suggestions as to rim type that would best suit?

It appears that you only want new rims to suit, not the whole box and dice for brake mods etc. This would keep costa down.

My mate had new blank rims drilled to suit his Escort stud pattern, a far easier option if rims is only what you want. He got the larger rim size and offset correct for an additional fee. Have a look around in your state who does this. Might be a bit harder to find off road styles, but its worth a look.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:48 am

Breghbar here, (hee hee)

I'm still making the conversions, should be available within the next few months have a look at the thread and there is a link to the pics.

cameron · Post by **cameron** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:06 pm

I have egg on my face........I was told by someone "in the know" that what i made was legal. Under the guidelines of modifications to vehicals, adapters are illegal. I am applying to Queensland Transport to get a mod plate for what I have made. Stay tuned.

Fury · Post by **Fury** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:00 pm

I was told by an engineer, that a change to a hub, so it remains legal, must have :
1 A mechanical fastening to hold the new - singular - componant together
2 Must not rely on the sheer moment of bolts / studs
3 The overall load is distributed on the original hub , not via any bolt / stud configuration - but by the introduction of new distribution surfaces - to the old hub area, so the overall weight is distributed evenly , from the new surface to the old surface.

If that doesnt mean much to you, basically it is:

If you add to the old hub, a new bit, it must be a mechanical fit. So even if the bolts were loose that hold it together, the same load that the original hub could hold, be safely taken via the tranfer to the new part.

I was told that if there was an entire outer hub plate, with horizontal surfaces on the original spigot points + on the outer edge of the original hub, Then with a backing ring, to completely enclose the original hub, that it would be classed as parts to a single hub. ( but the plate / addition must not extend out by more than 9.9mm - to allow for the 1cm each side maximum track addition provided for in the law)

But the whole thing sounds like WAY much overkill to me.

I rang and talked with a NSW tech guy in the RTA head office. He is one of the honchos that make the laws. 8O

His defination of an adaptor plate - a disk that is similar to a spacer plate, (also illegal) but which holds new studs, changing the original stud specifications.
This disk , in some cases may rest on load bearing surfaces such as a spigot, but relies on bolts or studs to adhere to the old hub. If the bolts were to loosten or sheer, the disk would become detatched from the hub.

Not my words - so don't shoot the messenger

He did say however, that he was familiar to the Subaru "odd " PCD and was quite happy for the original hub to be "added to" with 'modified' adaptor plates - so that the load was not taken on the bolts .

... and with a good luck, he was gone...

Gee I wonder what would happen if the wheel nuts fell off the wheel instead...

cameron · Post by **cameron** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:31 pm

My adapters fill all those requirements. So they are legal in NSW by what you say. I will see if it holds water in QLD.

Fury · Post by **Fury** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:46 pm

If they do fit that criteria, They would still need to be engineered to "certify" they meet that criteria.

I had a Mazda rotary, that was legal in New South, but wasn't in Qld. As I allready had the car engineered in NSW, the QLD Dept Transport gave me a dispensation, as it meet the technical specifications required and had a NSW certificate , - but they didn't encourage such modifications in QLD.

But that was 20+ years ago. ( I had a Ported 13b rotary Amaroo race engine in a street car)
soooo... I guess that if a QLD engineer didn't pass it, look at NSW, get one there - then shove it under the nose of a different QLD engineer and re apply. Its a long winded process though... have fun

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