Question to those with widened wheels

[CRUZTAKER]

I am curious if anyone out there in the community has had their wheels widened by a company other than Weldcraft?

I ask not because of any preference, but out lack of knowledge of the process. I alsowould like to avoid extranious shipping costs.

Tomorrow I am going to call a few local wheel refinishers and see if there is a local option.

I also thought that we were not able to deal with Weldcraft directly. It was my understanding that we needed to deal with Lidio and he dealt with Weldcraft.

So what IS the deal here?

I want to send some spare wheels out over the winter and have them widened, and subsequently re-powdercoated for 2009.

[Zack]

You can send them directly to Weldcraft.

[Marauderjack]

You can deal with WeldCraft directly......call them at 734-420-2211......maybe you can send them over on a bus or take them over yourself??:cool:

Marauderjack:beer:

[FordNut]

I had mine done by weldcraft, dealt with them directly.

[magindat]

I had my Konig Unknown 20's widened with James at Weldcraft directly. They came back straighter than they left! I have NO BALANCING WEIGHTS on the rear. I am SUPER IMPRESSED!!!!

Mine are painted black on the inside and I was going to paint over the work (raw aluminum) to match. Screw that! The work is so pretty and the welds so nice I LIKE to see it!!!!

[fastblackmerc]

+5!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chader]

where is weldcraft?I would suspect the biggest expence is the shipping depending on your location?

[jim geary]

Wheels America. Nationwide. 1-888-592-5569

[Mongoose]

Talk directly to James at Weldcraft. Be sure to fill out form before shipping wheels. http://www.weldcraftwheels.com/ModForm.htm

[CRUZTAKER]

Thank you everyone...Weldcraft it is then.

[CRUZTAKER]

No luck locally so I went direct to Weldcraft.

Oddly enough, the price was lower than what I heard around here.
Very reasonable at $200 each.

I am quite excited to see them huge. :P

[magindat]

where is weldcraft?I would suspect the biggest expence is the shipping depending on your location?

It's not bad. As I recall, you get em there, they get em back to you. it was like a little over 100 bucks total to ship em. I did both in one big box and paid the UPS store to pack em.

[SILVERSURFER03]

I had my Konig Unknown 20's widened with James at Weldcraft directly. They came back straighter than they left! I have NO BALANCING WEIGHTS on the rear. I am SUPER IMPRESSED!!!!

Mine are painted black on the inside and I was going to paint over the work (raw aluminum) to match. Screw that! The work is so pretty and the welds so nice I LIKE to see it!!!! you had widened ???? you could'nt get them in size needed ? huuuummmmm thats cool to know i have aftermarket wheels id like bigger.

[magindat]

you had widened ???? you could'nt get them in size needed ? huuuummmmm thats cool to know i have aftermarket wheels id like bigger.

Naw, man. I looked and looked. Couldn't find the right offset WITH the right bolt pattern. For the cost, too it worked out better to widen.

[Mongoose]

Naw, man. I looked and looked. Couldn't find the right offset WITH the right bolt pattern. For the cost, too it worked out better to widen.
For the same price they can also narrow them:D

[CRUZTAKER]

Yesterday I packed my spare set of powdercoated wheels and sent them off to Weldcraft.
The current rate for Marauder wheel widening is $200/wheel.

What a pleasant bunch of folks to deal with on the phone.
I filled out the forms as required, and email confirmed their expected delivery to James.

I was pleasantly surprised that even though I individually packed each rim, using a 23x23x12 box, with 3" thick circuit pack foam on all six sides for extra protection, each box cost me only $11.50 FedEx ground to Michigan.
The beauty part? One day delivery for that rate to Plymouth, Mi.

I am excited to get them back and finally run the big Mickey Thompson Drag Radials offered this year.

[1 Bad Merc]

Cruztaker -PM sent.

Thanks

Brad

[Blk Mamba]

How is it that you can run those widened wheels, my 285's are only a half inch from the shock tube now?

[CRUZTAKER]

Didn't you see the two that were here in June?

Killyoy and M-Pierce had theirs done.

I mean, they aren't the only ones, lots and lots of folks here have done it.

I guess the only difference with you is, you are putting a wide tire on a rim that is technically too narrow, which will make the sidewalls bulge abnormally.

We are putting a tire on a rim the correct width. Therefore the tire sidewalls are as they should be. Very close to the shock towers, but not touching.

[FordNut]

Didn't you see the two that were here in June?

Killyoy and M-Pierce had theirs done.

I mean, they aren't the only ones, lots and lots of folks here have done it.

I guess the only difference with you is, you are putting a wide tire on a rim that is technically too narrow, which will make the sidewalls bulge abnormally.

We are putting a tire on a rim the correct width. Therefore the tire sidewalls are as they should be. Very close to the shock towers, but not touching.
It's actually the shock body, and sometimes you will find that they touch when the car is jacked up but not when it is on the ground. Also, changing to the aftermarket QA1 rear shocks will solve the problem right away. I've been running the widened rims for years. Wore out a set of Goodyear Eagle F1-GS tires then switched to Nittos. The 295's are street tread, the 305's are drag radials.

[Blk Mamba]

I've seen M-Pierce's, but didn't pay any attention till to late. BTW mine don't seem to bulge at the sides more than normal.

[Marauderjack]

I run Nitto 555's in the 295 size and both of mine rub the shocks a little!!:cool:

[Blk Mamba]

Well then I'm glad that I went with the 285s, I'm not that worried about touching now and then, in the corners, but rubbing can have ill effects.

[FordNut]

I run Nitto 555's in the 295 size and both of mine rub the shocks a little!!:cool:

I believe the part they touch is only a plastic dust cover.

[Joe Walsh]

I run Nitto 555's in the 295 size and both of mine rub the shocks a little!!:cool:

I guess that there is a fair amount of variation between individual Marauders...

My Nitto 555 P295s on 9.5" widened rims clear with room to spare, the Nitto 555Rs P305 DR rub just a little on the shocks dust cover.

[FordNut]

Yesterday I packed my spare set of powdercoated wheels and sent them off to Weldcraft.
The current rate for Marauder wheel widening is $200/wheel.

What a pleasant bunch of folks to deal with on the phone.
I filled out the forms as required, and email confirmed their expected delivery to James.

I was pleasantly surprised that even though I individually packed each rim, using a 23x23x12 box, with 3" thick circuit pack foam on all six sides for extra protection, each box cost me only $11.50 FedEx ground to Michigan.
The beauty part? One day delivery for that rate to Plymouth, Mi.

I am excited to get them back and finally run the big Mickey Thompson Drag Radials offered this year.

I'm surprised they can do the powdercoated wheels. I expected the heat from welding to damage the powdercoating. Maybe the damage will be limited to a small area where the welding is done, so it can be corrected with caliper paint instead of having the powdercoating totally redone?

[Marauderjack]

I believe the part they touch is only a plastic dust cover.

Actually mine are rubbing at the top of the shock....shiny metal but only every once in awhile...the tire is a little smoother where it contacts!!:cool:

What shocks can I use to stop this as I don't really care for spacers!!:shake:

[CRUZTAKER]

I'm surprised they can do the powdercoated wheels. I expected the heat from welding to damage the powdercoating. Maybe the damage will be limited to a small area where the welding is done, so it can be corrected with caliper paint instead of having the powdercoating totally redone?

I did not elaborate with them, so I expect I may receive a phone call.

I really don't mind what happens on the inside, and was thinking of sending them back to my local powdercoater and have them resurfaced.

I mean, I did those nearly 5 years ago, and they sure do not look as good as they once did.

[FordNut]

Actually mine are rubbing at the top of the shock....shiny metal but only every once in awhile...the tire is a little smoother where it contacts!!:cool:

What shocks can I use to stop this as I don't really care for spacers!!:shake:

Naake QA1's.

[mpearce]

Good choice with the Mickey Thompson's Barry. I'm getting my Mickey Thompsons in the spring. I figure I'll just head down to Summit Racing, and pick them up there to avoid any shipping costs. I've seen Rick-n-Miami's Mickey's...and they look pretty badass.

-Mat

[MidnightStalker]

I was thinking about widening my rims (or just buying a wider set) but i found out that excessive widening of the tires can put HUGE stress on the outer wheel bearings and cause them to fail prematurely. Just as an FYI to everyone, be careful how much you widen your rims by, unless you adjust the camber angles to compensate accordingly. To those of you that have widened, it would be interesting to know if you had this problem after a certain amount of time (4-5 years?) because I'm not sure how much this affects the MM, I've just heard it as a general rule and figures id share to save someone a few bucks on wheel bearings.

[larryo340]

I was thinking about widening my rims (or just buying a wider set) but i found out that excessive widening of the tires can put HUGE stress on the outer wheel bearings and cause them to fail prematurely. Just as an FYI to everyone, be careful how much you widen your rims by, unless you adjust the camber angles to compensate accordingly. To those of you that have widened, it would be interesting to know if you had this problem after a certain amount of time (4-5 years?) because I'm not sure how much this affects the MM, I've just heard it as a general rule and figures id share to save someone a few bucks on wheel bearings.

Widened wheels usually go on the rear, and there are no adjustments for rear camber. Now if you put the widened wheels on the front then you need an alignment.

[MidnightStalker]

Widened wheels usually go on the rear, and there are no adjustments for rear camber. Now if you put the widened wheels on the front then you need an alignment.


Well, that makes a lot of sense, I figured some people would widen all 4 for autocrossing, though dragging seems to be the poison for the majority of the MM community :P