5-pin wheel issues?

kgs365 · #1 (**permalink**) 09-05-2012, 08:17 AM

Kevin....ask Peter...hes a straight shooter....sometimes the advice from forums will result in budget creep...everybody has honest intentions ...and everyone loves control of your wallet....yes my car was built at ERA...and yes I heard it was a pain for doug and the guys as there is some machining needed...but for 4 extra pins i could not justify the $$

kevins2 · #2 (**permalink**) 09-05-2012, 08:30 AM

Hi Kevin,

Actually it was Peter who brought the issue to my attention and had me speak with Doug. I agree about the extra cost but I'll be pretty uphappy if I can't get the wheels to mount. They're great guys at ERA and I'm sure I'll get to the bottom of this. I know Doug hates messing with these wheels and I'm sure I will too! That said, I decided to check around out here on the forum and so far haven't received any feedback from guys that assembled their own that matches what Doug indicates he deals with on virtually every car. You said some additional machining was required. Do you know the details? Do you have to be careful to mount your wheels on the same side/same position each time? I don't believe it always gets to that point, but if he had to index the wheels, then they'd only be centered if mounted in that same exact position.

Regards,

Kevin

DanEC · #3 (**permalink**) 09-05-2012, 08:55 AM

I have the standard brakes and Jag rear suspension on mine so maybe the additional machining has something to do with upgraded brakes. I can't think of anything on my car that looks like it might need, or received, special machining for the adaptors.

Bob, at Vintage Wheels is pretty tecnically savy and provides wheels for lots of ERA cars. Maybe he takes care of it from his end.

Kevin - if you're using FIA wheels are you getting them from Trigo? Maybe it's something specific to them??

kevins2 · #4 (**permalink**) 09-05-2012, 09:20 AM

Hi Dan,

No, I'm getting the standard Jag rear and standard front-end as well. I'll ask Doug for more details but the fitment has to do with all the parts that must work together to turn a lug nut set-up into the pin drive set-up. I clearly don't understand it yet and, since I don't have the car, haven't had the chance to examine the parts. If I was receiving lots of feedback that fitting the 5-pin wheels is problematic it would be easy to make the decision to spend $$ for the 6-pin setup, but not seeing that so far. Apparently Kevin (KGS365) got some feedback from ERA that they had some issues, but haven't heard that from anyone else yet.

Maybe I should consider putting that money toward having ERA assemble the front suspension

Regards,

Kevin

patrickt · #5 (**permalink**) 09-05-2012, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevins2

If I was receiving lots of feedback that fitting the 5-pin wheels is problematic it would be easy to make the decision to spend $$ for the 6-pin setup, but not seeing that so far. Apparently Kevin (KGS365) got some feedback from ERA that they had some issues, but haven't heard that from anyone else yet.

Kevin, I don't know much at all about ERA's five pin wheel system (I don't have it). That said, over the years there have been quite a few threads about five pin problems with other Cobra cars. I remember when Priobe was having his pin problems Pin drive bolts splitting Help Please and that was a pretty lengthy thread. I don't know whether ERA's system is the same, or different, from other manufacturers. Bob P. did chime in on the thread, though, as well as some other members here who are pretty bright.

EDIT -- I forgot to include a link to this thread: Trigo wheels binding... I believe it was referenced in Priobe's thread as well.

kevins2 · #6 (**permalink**) 09-05-2012, 11:47 AM

Thanks Patrick, can't believe I somehow missed that thread when I searched for various iterations of 5-pin problems - it only contains 239 posts, after all

. That thread effectively ended in 2009 and references a couple of other threads (one from 2002 and in the last post one from 2010). Lots of good information in there that does indicate that the 6 pin system is superior, but $2,800 better? I'm confident that Peter and Doug will steer me in the right direction, which so far is that the 6 pin set-up is a worthy investment. Once I digest all the facts and get the answers to a few more questions and the most current information, I'll simply have to decide for myself...

Thanks, and still looking to hear from anyone that had issues assembling their 5-pin set-ups on ERA front-ends.

Regards,

Kevin

patrickt · #7 (**permalink**) 09-05-2012, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevins2

Lots of good information in there that does indicate that the 6 pin system is superior, but $2,800 better? I'm confident that Peter and Doug will steer me in the right direction, which so far is that the 6 pin set-up is a worthy investment.

Kevin, I can usually remember every conversation I had with Peter, Doug, Bob, Jack, etc. verbatim. But, I have absolutely no recollection whatsoever of talking with them about the pin drives... which tells me I probably never did. I think when I sat down with Peter I had already penciled in 6-pin drives and the matter was just never discussed. I can only guess that, at the time, I had dismissed the 5-pins as potentially causing more than $2,500 worth of trouble. On the other hand, there are loads of 5-pin cars running around out there without a lick of trouble. I think if you get the pins straight, and use the high quality, strong material, then 5-pins will be just as good as 6-pins. But, on this one, take a cue from ERA Chas, and don't listen to me... because I honestly don't know.

ERA Chas · #8 (**permalink**) 09-05-2012, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevins2

Lots of good information in there that does indicate that the 6 pin system is superior, but $2,800 better? I'm confident that Peter and Doug will steer me in the right direction, which so far is that the 6 pin set-up is a worthy investment.

First off-I've only had the 6's. Reason is, my wheels only came that way. But the car was originally built with bolt-on's and I bought the 6 pin hubs and spindles from Peter in about '92.
Like Rick, I'm not a fan of hanging adapters on suspension points-for weight, machining, offset or anything. Yes the money is a notable difference but I figure you can also piss that much away on heaters, tops, curtains, Smiths or similar fru-fru. I rather have a non-goofy wheel attachment. No knock on the other guys who have had 5's trouble free.
I notice in your posts that you seem very concerned about 'wheel indexing'. Fear not-it's no big deal and you should do it no matter which you get. Here's how I did it and it's cake:
Using 'White Out', make a simple dot or straight line on the edge of the hub. Then when lifting the wheel on, orient the tire stem with the mark you made. The WO stays a long time and you always put the wheel on the same way:

Further, mark each wheel back with a label or dot(s) to ID R/F, L/F or D-river, P-assenger, etc. Same wheel goes on the same corner every time in the same relation to the hub. I did that because the mag transferred metal and I wanted to keep them 'mated'. Worked perfectly for two decades.
See the label 'P'? Label the K/O's too-can't hurt.