Found a machinist who builds adapters per customer requests and told him I would gauge interest on 4x140 to 5x100 or 4x100 adapters.

 

I voiced some concerns; primarily hub centric and width of the adapter increasing torque wear on the wheel bearings.

 

For $300 for a set of 4, he can build them at 25mm thickness to bolt onto our stock hubs and be either 4x100 or 5x100 (new subi), and could probably do 4x 113.4 if you wanted. They would be hub centric to the stock hubs, and could be made wheel centric as well if you know what wheels you plan on running.

 

If you're unaware, hub centric means that the adapter will fit the lip of the hub to center it, and wheel centric means the adapter will have a lip to center a wheel on it.

 

I'm probably going to go this route for aesthetics unless an XT6 falls into my lap. I haven't seen many adapters that are under 1.5", and talking to this guy he understands the proper way to do it, and isn't just building spacers with studs and hoping for the best.

Very interested!

With the price and rarity of XT6 parts being what they are - I'm sure there would be plenty of interest in 5x100 spacers if they are only 25mm thick. That would make a lot of people very happy. Heck I might buy a set for my daily driver '83 hatch. Would be much easier than converting to 5 lug on an EA81.

 

GD

Consider a set sold to me.

Perhaps I'm missing something, but at 25mm thick, how would the 4 lug nuts be able to sit flush or deeper in the adapter and still leave enough material to not rip apart?

 

If that's possible, I would be ready to pay. I've looked into this, and the thinnest I've been told is 1.25", and that's what held me back.

CMill; I've forwarded your question on to the builder. I'll reply back tomorrow with what he says.

I am also interested.

 

There are a couple nice XT6s in the one of the yards here at the moment. I started pulling 5 lug parts from them, but decided not to go that route. With the price of JY parts around here now I would have easily been into it for $300 plus lots of work (ea81).

 

I am also interested in the answer to cmill189s question. Are these going to be made out of something other than aluminum? Or are different fasteners proposed?

I spoke to the guy today and he said that the adapters will be 32mm thick.

 

He will ship them with low profile lugs to lock the adapters to the hubs, and a set of lugs for the new rims (so 16 low profiles and 20 regular lugs)

 

Whoever wants to be a guinea pig gets a nice discount. If you want to test them, send me a PM. You need to be ready to move on them and have some 5 lugs ready to test fitment and all.

I don't think I can PM yet. Has anyone volunteered yet? I'm ready and willing.

I spoke to the guy today and he said that the adapters will be 32mm thick..

 

Do you know what kind of metal he is planning on using?

 

He will ship them with low profile lugs to lock the adapters to the hubs, and a set of lugs for the new rims (so 16 low profiles and 20 regular lugs).

 

Whoever wants to be a guinea pig gets a nice discount. If you want to test them, send me a PM. You need to be ready to move on them and have some 5 lugs ready to test fitment and all.

 

I am very interested, and I am guessing that a photo won't be available until someone pays whatever the discounted price would be.(?) Dimensional drawings would also give a little more information to go on. Could we possibly get a photo of the low-profile lugs? PM sent. Ok got your response while I was typing...I will try to call the guy tomorrow to answer my questions, Thanks

Looks like I spoke too soon. The guy selling me a wheelset sold it to someone else this morning. I'm going to keep looking for the time being.

Just throwing this out there. I've been working on a jig that will allow me to take your 4 lug and drill them to 5 lug and they will be hub and wheel centric. Gonna be somewhere in the neighborhood of $50-$100 per set plus shipping, and I plan on doing a few sets so we can do an exchange program and eliminate your down time. And a correction on someones earlier statement. Wheel centric means the wheels are centered by the lugs, not the hub or a spacer. Hub centric uses the hub and/or spacer. Most rims on the market are hub centric.

Just throwing this out there. I've been working on a jig that will allow me to take your 4 lug and drill them to 5 lug and they will be hub and wheel centric. Gonna be somewhere in the neighborhood of $50-$100 per set plus shipping, and I plan on doing a few sets so we can do an exchange program and eliminate your down time. And a correction on someones earlier statement. Wheel centric means the wheels are centered by the lugs, not the hub or a spacer. Hub centric uses the hub and/or spacer. Most rims on the market are hub centric.

 

Although I tracked the guy down and got the adapters in motion, the cost efficiency of this and using stock goods definitely piques my interest. Do you weld the stock holes closed? And do you mill the lip on the drum/hub down so that rims will sit flush?

Edited October 26, 201114 yr by cal_look_zero

Although I tracked the guy down and got the adapters in motion, the cost efficiency of this and using stock goods definitely piques my interest. Do you weld the stock holes closed? And do you mill the lip on the drum/hub down so that rims will sit flush?

 

SJR lifts offers this service... Very affordable

No need to weld them closed unless you want it that way, and yes, the lip has to be removed.

I talked to the wheel adapter builder today. Sounds like the product would be very high quality (6061 T6 billet aluminum). They only build wheel adapters.

 

Their website:

 

http://www.motorsport-tech.com/

 

The adapters would be convenient, especially if you wanted to swap them to different cars ea81-ea82, but the re-drilled hubs certainly have their advantages.

 

A full set of four hubs at the JY for a core run about $70 here. With new lugs and shipping you can easily add $30 or more. So $100 on top of machining.

 

Skishop69 (5-lug) - $100 + $100 ~ $200

 

SJR (6-lug) - $155 + $100 ~ $255

 

Adapter (5-lug) = $300 + shipping

 

Redrilling is definitely cheaper, but they are close enough to be in the ballpark depending on your wants and needs. I am tending toward the re-drill, but I will have to think about it.

Just throwing this out there. I've been working on a jig that will allow me to take your 4 lug and drill them to 5 lug and they will be hub and wheel centric. Gonna be somewhere in the neighborhood of $50-$100 per set plus shipping, and I plan on doing a few sets so we can do an exchange program and eliminate your down time. And a correction on someones earlier statement. Wheel centric means the wheels are centered by the lugs, not the hub or a spacer. Hub centric uses the hub and/or spacer. Most rims on the market are hub centric.

 

PM sent... very interested in doing this!

Any update on this?

I've been too busy with a uber secret Subie project to have time to finish the jig. Don't know about the adapters....

Thanks, I know all about those secret projects.Iv'e done a few myself.I will be patiently awaiting updates.

any adapters available out there?????

Finally getting close to done. I will be over at my buddies machine shop in the next few weeks to make the final piece of the jig so I can get this rolling. The plan is to raid pick n pull so I have a few sets done and we will do a swap so you're not down. I will take payments through Paypal with a core charge on your hubs. That charge will be whatever PnP charges me so if I don't get yours, I'm not out cash. Once I get your hubs back, the core will be refunded.

Would you be doing rear disc hubs as well?

I'd be interested in that, as I have rear discs.

Is there any safety concern with drilling more holes in the hub, though? It wouldn't weaken it too much?

Not really. Many have done it for years and since Subaru did a pretty good job over-engineering things, I don't see an issue.

So If I wanted to have my hubs re-done to 5x100... I have a zany idea.

I have 14" pugs I use for my winter wheels. So I'd either have to sell those and get new wheels, have the tires changed over, and sell the pugs. PITA. Or...

 

Since the 4x100 holes don't get filled in, they're still there. And a set of 5x100 holes. I can't see why it wouldn't be possible to weld captive nuts on the back of the hub then use wheel bolts like german cars. Besides the fact that they suck to line up, this would mean I could bolt either new suby wheels OR old suby wheels onto my car without having to change all the lug studs around.

 

I'm sure I could make some sort of custom pug nut wheel bolts.

 

 

Am I wacko, or is that a good idea...