Widening Wheels
 

My car is equipped with set of American Racing Torq-Thrust D wheels, p/n VN1055865, 15"×8.5", BS 3.77”, offset -25mm. They're all the same width, and I'd like wider wheels on the rear so I can go to 295/50R15 tires, vs the 275/50R15 currently on there.

While I've been looking at either getting a set of wider wheels for the rear axle or a full set, it's been brought to my attention there are some firms out there that will widen wheels. Customer feedback I've seen has been pretty good so far, and there's an excellent wheel shop in town that does this work.

Widening my wheels would be on the inside, so the increased width (1.5"-2") would all go into backspace. There's plenty of room between the sidewalls and inner fender, so I can add the additional width without creating any clearance issues.

I'm curious as to whether any CC members have had wheels widened and, if so, their experience.

p.s. Yes, I know 295/50R15 wheels are taller and my speedometer will need to be recalibrated. It's an electronic VDO speedo, so no problem doing that.

Brian - they are cast aluminium alloy wheels, I'm assuming? How do they widen them? Is the inner 'flange' machined off and a new wider flange attached? If so, how is this attached, and is this legal?

Are new, wider wheels to suit your requirements available?

Cheers,
Glen

I believe those wheels are 100% cast. I do not think there is any way to widen cast wheels. A/R makes a wheel with the center cast and the barrel portion that is billet. You can technically widen those if the offset allows it.

Brian,

I came across this on the Pro-touring site.
https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...aluminum-wheel

https://weldcraftwheels.com/
Their gallery shows several one piece cast wheels along a set of Torque Thrust Ds on a 55 Cheby.

Brian,

spdbrake's link to Weldcraft shows several pics of how the widening process is achieved. In general they choose a spot on the backside (usually) of the wheel to cut the casting and preserve the original rim lip.

If the wheel is being narrowed the 'extra' material is cut out and the remaining two pieces welded back together. If it is being widened tha additional material is inserted and the three pieces welded back together.

The weld together process used to bother me because of the potential for misalignment and then out of balance etc problems. Shops like WeldCraft use a good fixturing technique to maintain proper positioning prior to welding and when they do weld it is a work of art. The finished wheel is both strong and in balance.

With a weld that it is facing the inside of the chassis I would just leave it's outer surface as welded — don't try to polish or machine it down. It is stronger as welded and no one can see it until you take the wheel off and then they are impressed with your creativity. Your approach to widening will put your welds on the side of the wheel facing the chassis, which is optimum.

Call the WeldCraft guys spdbrake dug up for you. Talk to them. I think you will be pleased with what you hear. They look like they know what they are doing. BTW decades ago before we could order wheels in the widths we can today it was very common to widen the rear wheels this way for big slicks. They worked, they were easy to balance, and I never saw one break even behind supercharged engines in race only applications.

From what I understand they put the wheel in a lathe and make a cut, separating the wheel into two parts. They then insert an aluminum band the width of the desired expansion and TIG weld it on the inside and outside of the wheel barrel. Finally, they weld on the removed portion of the wheel with the inner bead flange. It's all done in a fixture to ensure proper concentricity and alignment.

While AR makes the Torq-Thrust D (TTD) in a wider version, they don't make them in the offset I would need. I will be talking with my wheel shop to see if AR offers a 'custom' option so I can have the same TTD wheels built to fit.

You nailed it, Brian and here we thought you didn't understand :cool:

I understand that it's achievable, but I would check the legality of the mod and also check how your insurance company regards it.

Cheers,
Glen

FWIW, in the "Pro Touring" link Spdbrk posted, a couple of folks spoke in January 2017 of encountering difficulties finding tire shops that would install tires on widened wheels. Just something else to take into consideration.

I have a bent rim from a three piece wheel which came on my VSE. I had a devil of a time finding any one who would weld it. Finally I found a one man shop who was willing to weld it. Unfortunately it warped in the process and is not usable. l recommend buying a new wheel.

Unfortunately it being a 16" rim it pushed the PO to buy four 17" rims so they all match.

Actually it was bent before the welding but we did not notice it, I believe.

Brian, when I first saw your post, I thought of my friend's 'Beast' a 65 Mustang fastback, supercharged 347, 5-speed, 4-wheel Wilwood's disc, etc. While the car was in Cal. having final touches done, it had 17" wheels, which wasn't what Terry wanted, 16" looked far better, for the wide & taller tires that it was going to wear, more of a vintage look. 16"X8" would fit with the right offsets. He went to 'Vintage Wheel' told them the correct offsets and 3-weeks later they were on the car, now the bad part, they came out to $500 each (2017 prices). But they can make them. And these are American Racing Torque Thrust D's, not the Series II, with the pointed spokes. Hope this helps. Cheers Tom.

I don't see custom backspaced wheels on the Vintage Wheels site, so I suspect it's one of those things that needs more of a 'personal touch'.

I've contact my local wheel shop and, contrary to previous information, they say they don't widen wheels. They're checking to see if they can get the custom backspacing that Vintage Wheels can get. I can't see any reason why they can't if Vintage Wheels can. I know a few years ago American Racing listed custom backspacing on their website, but I can't find it listed.

I've also looked at a complete set of Halibrand-style knock-offs from Vintage, and frankly I'd buy them before buying bolt-on Halibrand-style wheels.

Ok Brian, just spoke with Terry, this is where he brought his wheels, 'Vintage Wheel Works' So not actual Torque Thrust but these look the same and will custom build what you need. Now I just looked them up on another car site and they may be out of business. (Phone# 714 278 1600) Hope This one Helps :):):) https://www.facebook.com/Vintage-Whe...3305114681265/

I'll check it out but, so far, it does look like they're out of business. Going to check with my wheel guy (Jason at https://completewheelshop.com/) next week.

Thanks.

Brian, I also ordered a custom set of Torq thrusts a few years ago but it was only available in the Torq thrust II (cast center welded at various BS to a rolled rim)

ET wheels does offer custom offsets on the Classic V wheels. Pricey compared to American racing. https://www.etmags.com/classic_v.html
And also re-rims and widening.
https://www.etmags.com/wheel_repair.html

From a welding point of view, yes: possible. If they know what they are doing. Any good fitter and turner with welding skills can do this, if she has a big enough lathe to cut the rim and line up the three pieces.

You might find that a wider wheel, assuming you can source it, costs the same as the modifications. Or similar.

And you get to keep the two wheels when you buy two more :-)

Brian,

Try clicking on one of the Vintage Wheels ads on the front CC page or click on this => vintagewheelsus.com. It will take you directly to their website.

BTW they also have a lot of the Stuff that Finishline used to sell. Just click on their Cobra Parts link in the left column. They are definitely not out of business.

We here at ET Mags have been making wheels since 1960, so i hope we know what we are doing.
We rebuild wheels also 1, 2 and 3 piece wheels. on 2 piece we can remove the weld and move the center forward and re weld to change the offset, or just remove the center and install in a new outer rim to change width and/or offset.
On a 1 piece cast or forged wheel the wheel inner or outer lip is removed, the a forged new lip is installed first by shrink fitting then welding in place. This produces a wheel that will pass current SAE J2530 testing. 3 piece wheels are just a select the correct fitting rim half's and the assemble and seal.

Yet in most cases just purchasing new wheels is a more cost effective way to go on standard commodity wheels.

If we can help let us know ETmags.com
IG @etwheels
scott

wheels
 

I would like to post a question on this forum but I fail to find a way to do it. How do you post a message? You've done it with the wheels question so perhaps you can help me post my inquiry. Thanks.

Example: Tires and Wheels/ "New Thread" at the top of the displayed threads.