LegendsRacer - Legends & Bandolero Racing Forum

Street Legal Legends => Drive Train => Topic started by: El Gringo on June 29, 2017, 06:33:12 pm

Title: 15" Wheels
Post by: El Gringo on June 29, 2017, 06:33:12 pm
Keep in mind that I'm driving this on the street and don't have to comply with rulebooks. I would sure like to go with taller, narrower wheels for several reasons. Raise the car up a bit and the stock tires are not available if you tear up a tire. Any wheel and tire guys out there?
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: justfreaky on June 30, 2017, 01:09:42 am
Dennis,

You can use whatever 13" tire you would like. We did have some engineering students that put 15" wheels on their auto cross project a couple years ago. As I recall, they had to make adapters to fit the new wheels. Check this thread; I believe it is on page 3: http://www.legendsracer.com/index.php?topic=2850.0.

Steve
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: El Gringo on June 30, 2017, 06:49:23 am
Yep, I don't remember seeing a 4 lug 15" wheel but I was hoping that someone else had. There are front wheel adapters for sale on e-bay but I did not see any for the rear.
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: RPM on June 30, 2017, 12:01:16 pm
The bolt pattern is 4x114.3 or 4x4.5".

You should be able find a bunch of wheel options at your local tire shop.

Heck, there are more than 90 wheel listed on Summit Racing by the search of 15", 7 or 8" wide with 4x4.5" bolt pattern.

Plus, they are not going to have the vast selection of a tire shop.

Randy - RPM
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: justfreaky on June 30, 2017, 01:26:42 pm
I don't know what stock Toyota wheels the college kids found to convert to the 15" wheels. They did, eventually, make it work.
I don't remember the bolt pattern (off the top of my head); But my 2000 Hyundai, Sonata, had options for both 14" and 15" wheels. Long story; But tried to find a 15" wheel for it while on a 3,500 mile trip. All I could find at the wrecking yards were 14" wheels. Bought 2 14" wheels and tires and put those on the back (front wheel drive car). Interesting, to say the least! But I managed to complete my trip until I got back home.

As Randy mentioned; There are options for new wheels out there. Going to blow up your budget; But I am sure there is something out there that will work for you.

Steve
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: El Gringo on June 30, 2017, 02:12:00 pm
I saw some of the pictures they posted, they used a five lug wheel and that's why they had to make the adapters. If I knew what to ask for when I went to a salvage yard I'm sure they have something that will work. I really need the ground clearance or I'd just use up the two sets of tires and wheels that I have and be happy. Randy gave me the hole pattern so I guess I'll go measure the backspace and go hunting.
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: El Gringo on June 30, 2017, 04:06:10 pm
Well that bombed out, if you don't know which exact car you need a part from, you ain't gonna get it.
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: justfreaky on July 01, 2017, 12:44:18 am
1974-79     Corolla     SR5 w/5 speed
1984-87     Corolla     GT-S
1971-85     Celica       ST,GT
1971-73     Carina     
1970-71     Corona     4 door
1972          Corona
1973-74     Corona     HT Sedan
1975-82     Corona     
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: El Gringo on July 01, 2017, 06:34:58 am
Steve, do those cars have 15" wheels? The backspace is also critical as the stock wheel does not clear the ball joints by much. The stock wheels have 3-1/4" and I don't think even 3-1/2 will clear. Less backspace would probably work but would also be rare. One of my friends had an old Honda Accord that had 4 lug wheels so I'll add that to my search.
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: justfreaky on July 01, 2017, 02:10:45 pm
No. That is a list of cars that legends and dwarf cars derive some of their parts from (rear ends, front hubs, etc...).

Just for informational purposes; This is the rule on legends car wheels:
"77. WHEELS: Any type of automotive steel wheel that has a 13” diameter, a 7” width and the offset of 3” to 3 1/4” from back rim edge to back of wheel center is permitted."
There is also some information on minimum weight of wheel and tire; But these would not apply for street use. My reason for posting this is so that people know what wheels will likely be on a legends race car.

However; Thunder Roadsters run a Hoosier 26.5/8.0-15 Roadster Edition tire. Their wheel rule only says it has to be "stock delivered new by U.S. Legends Car International".
Perhaps Randy (RPM) can enlighten us on what wheel they use for the Thunder Roadsters.
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: RPM on July 01, 2017, 02:35:58 pm
I'm confused. When you go from a 13" to 15" wheel ball joint and steering arm clearance is not an issue due to the larger diameter wheel.

We run 15" wheel on the thunder roadsters and there is much more clearance.

Your choices are going to be based on what you want.

Steel or aluminum.

If you want a steel wheel, I have some old 15" chrome roadster wheels I can sell you.

Randy - RPM 
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: justfreaky on July 01, 2017, 02:44:10 pm
Thank You Randy!

What Dennis wants to do is raise the car up. I do not think he has taken the added wheel diameter into consideration.

Steve
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: El Gringo on July 01, 2017, 03:13:57 pm
I'm sorry Randy, you are right it would have more clearance. I think I spent to many years playing in Rock-N-Roll bands and it fried my mind.
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: El Gringo on July 06, 2017, 05:27:22 pm
Randy, do you still have the wheels?
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: RPM on July 06, 2017, 08:46:08 pm
Randy, do you still have the wheels?

Sorry, I was at work. Email sent

Randy - RPM
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: canuckmark on July 12, 2017, 08:21:19 am
I put "1987 Corolla GTS" into Tire Rack and the only wheels returned were 15" (3 varieties), pretty nice ones too. I did that because I could have sworn my neighbour (back when I was a kid) had an '86 with 15" wheels on it.

Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: El Gringo on July 12, 2017, 10:12:31 am
Hi Mark,  I found a lot of wheels that would fit but not any that I liked. I want a set of Smoothie type chrome wheels and Randy has a set that he is selling me. At 72 I guess you could call me old school. I'm talking about back when the world was still flat kind of old.
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: canuckmark on July 17, 2017, 11:37:16 am
Ha ha no worries...yes, wheels is a very personal preference. Glad to hear you found a set.
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: El Gringo on July 22, 2017, 01:31:14 pm
I got the wheels and they cleaned up really nice. I stopped at several tire stores last week and found the size 215/70/15 in a tread design and price that suited me, I took the wheels this morning and they had sold out of the tires I wanted and I'll have to wait until Tuesday. So I get to wait some more.

 I found some open/un-welded 3.90 gears and the guy said he shipped them last Monday. If I had them I could get that part done, but I'll wait some more.

 What really upsets me is I can remember when I was capable of planning things out. Now days I do one job then look to see what's next. If you guess that I do a lot of waiting, you are right.
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: El Gringo on August 14, 2017, 01:09:52 pm
Update= the 15" wheels and tires are on, the shocks raised up, and the un-welded rear gears installed. It looks a little bit different, from the ground to the bottom of the frame at center of the door is 9-1/2"
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: justfreaky on August 14, 2017, 02:58:40 pm
LOOKING GOOD!
Does the added height help with you getting in and out of the car?
How has the larger tires affected the RPM?
Is the open rear end gear helping with the street ability of the car?
I think you mentioned that the headlights had to be at a certain height to meet requirements. They just seem to be floating in space. lol! Can you pull them in and down a bit when you make your Permanent brackets? I think some aluminum brackets with cool looking holes (3 or 4 of different sizes. Smaller to larger) would give it a real awesome hot rod look. JMHO.
The car is looking awesome! Can't wait to hear how the front end alignment works out!

Steve
Title: Re: 15" Wheels
Post by: El Gringo on August 14, 2017, 07:23:46 pm
The headlights are mounted to the old fender supports with aluminum angle bolted to it to stiffen it. When I went to the bigger tires I had to raise the angle of the supports to clear, now they look a little strange. I'll check the minimum height again and figure out a different mount.

 The RPM's have dropped a little, I still don't have a speedometer or tach but it is noticeable.

 It is easier to get out. Getting in was never much of a problem. I don't miss the running boards, I was going to have to stiffen them if I kept them.

 I don't know when I'll get the alignment, when I have time it is raining. The Patriot Guard went to a little town Saturday about 40 miles away. It rained both going and coming back. I had on my rain suit so I was not getting wet but I had trouble seeing through the windshield on my Goldwing.