MazdaMiester

iTrader: (1)

Ok so, browsing craigslist as i do every morning, i run across an ad for a set of ARE 15X7 wheels for sale. I read the add, states the lug pattern is 5X4.5, perfect for my mx6 as these were very similar looking to the FC vert wheels the car currently has, yet half an inch wider which i need for my 235's. So, i drove the 40 miles to go take a closer look. These were beautiful. MINT, never mounted on a car, dated 1996. These are real 2 piece wheels, 30mm offset, 7" wide... they were as new as new could be. However Upon closer inspection, the wheels are 5X120, not 5X114.3. So no go on them fitting. I was quite sad, as these were so perfect. But then, the fellow that owned these had an amazing thought. the wheel mating surface of these wheels is nearly an INCH thick, solid aluminum. I didnt want to wallow the holes out, thats shaky business, but to drill new holes, yes...thats a possibility... THEN IT HIT ME. If i have new holes drilled, i can use these on my Rx-7! i can have it drilled for 4x110 and Forget having to buy the same 13" tire over and over again! There are many local machine shops that can easily do this, as this is a practice thats been done many times in the past, why I never though of it...Who knows. the metal on the mating surface is more than strong enough, there are no steel inserts, so ARE thought the strength to be sufficient without them. Anyway, heres a bunch of pics/test fitting to see how they would look. I prefer no center caps, also one was missing. Enjoy the pics!





They're about 16lbs each, not exactly light, but not overly heavy. Im sure there are many MANY other wheels that can be redrilled...which shouldnt cost more than $100-125 for a set.
Oh yeah, i paid $50 for the wheels

-Eric

Booyah

Holy custom wheels batman! I like them, I also have a set of wheels near me for 50 bucks that are already the 4 lug pattern, need to go pick them up.

dbragg

iTrader: (7)

i had a set of VERY VERY nice work ewings that were 5x112. i tried for months to try to find a shop thatd drill them to 5x114. i couldnt get a shop to even touch them.

jgrewe

iTrader: (1)

Try to map out where the holes would be, I don't think you can make it work going to a four lug pattern. I think you'll end up with holes that are within about an 1/4" of existing holes, not good. It would be easier to convert to a 5lug on the car where you are working with steel.

Oh, good find, sweet rims.

antiSUV

iTrader: (10)

Eric, I think you need to get them re-drilled for the Mx-6 or flip them on Ebay. See attached evidence. I doubt you will find a machine shop that would drill them to 4-lugs, due to liability worries and such.

antiSUV

iTrader: (10)

If you were doing a 5x4.5" and a 4x4.5" on the same wheel it would work OK since one whole from each pattern could be shared between them. but since you are trying to do 2 different bolt circles, you can't share holes so it ends up being a mess as shown above. Sorry buddy.

MazdaMiester

iTrader: (1)

yep, not enough room. Crap. just when i thought i had it all figured out.

jgrewe

iTrader: (1)

Wanna sell them?

vipernicus42

iTrader: (4)

One thing that's also a bit of a pain when it comes to wheels is offset. I always find it a pain trying to figure out what the offset of a set of rims should be to sit in the place where my stock ones sit.

It's one of the big headaches people run into when they install things like the ReSpeed big brake kit, then have a 5x114 pattern and have to find rims to match not only the bolt pattern (easy) but the offset (not so easy)

Jon

Hades12

Have the other holes welded closed.

rotor vs. piston

SAVE... FTW...

Ephiphany

looks, good. Btw, Ephiphany is mine. haha

MazdaMiester

iTrader: (1)

well what i'm thinking, is having an aluminum spacer made in the 4X110 lug pattern, and welded to the back of the wheel, which will make it have a smaller offset(only a 6-8mm). then, the existing holes can be filled, and new holes drilled. As far as i can tell, it shouldnt cause any issues as long as who ever does the work is precise as can be. Though...this is a lot of work for a set of wheels. curse this lug pattern.

jgrewe

iTrader: (1)

Just sell them to jgrewe.


...Forum attempt at subliminal message

jarath

At least you got your shelves up...

antiSUV

iTrader: (10)

Welding a spacer on the back would be too traumatic for the AL. It could distort and basically make the wheel worthless unless the guy really know's what he's doing. And you haven't even gone to get a quote for a job like that, much less found somone who would actually take on the job.

If they were my wheels and I really wanted them on my 4x110mm pattern car, here's what I would do:

Tap the existing bolt holes and thread aluminum threaded rod into the holes. Make the rods long enough to stick out each side. Weld the rod into the bolt hole on the front side, using the counter-sink as your chamfer. Mill off the rod on each side to be flush with the surface of the wheel, then re-drill and counter-sink the new pattern as if it was a blank wheel.

MazdaMiester

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, i think i'm going to look elsewhere. I'm pretty confident i can find some sort of wheel in a 4 lug pattern that can be redrilled, i've found them before but never thought of it. The wheels are beautiful, but thats a lot of work and cash into a set of wheels that may or may not be strong enough for such a thing to be done.

Jg, what do you want them for? and what will you give me for em?

What a bummer, at least i have some enkei 13" meshies on the car now, so its not like i have nothing.

-Eric

OnlyOnThurs

is that safe?!?!? somethin gtells me that i would be uncertain to have that as an option.