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Call me crazy but I think center-locking wheels would look great on our cars. Porsche sells a kit (link below). Cost would probably be prohibitive at the end of the day but do any experts know if this kit could even fit on our cars?
It will fit - but can you find a CL in the right offset that will work?
CL while they look great, they are terrible in practical terms. What will you do if you get a flat and need to change the wheel, AAA guy won't know how to help you..
on my gt3rs it came with CL, first thing I did was convert to a traditional 5-lug set up.
I agree that it's certainly not the most practical application for everyday use and exorbitantly expensive but wanted to explore the idea to see if it were even possible.
You make a good point as there are likely only a few wheels available and I highly doubt they are the correct offset as most of the applications are for much larger wheels. Still.. I think it would look pretty badass. I'll check out the wheel options and report back.
You could probably make a heavy vinyl "sticker" to cover the lug area so it looks like there are no lugnuts...
By this logic does the center locking hardware just thread through the area where the center cap would traditionally go? Are center locking wheels specifically engineered for that type of load distribution? Making phone dials unsuited for the task?
The big threaded "spindle" sticks in where the center cap would normally go.
It's like a wheel bolt-pattern adapter - bolts on to stock hub with stock bolts/nuts/studs and then has the mount for the new wheel further outwards.
Not having seen such a wheel in person, I would guess there is some kind of tapered surface inside the center of the wheel to mate up against the nut for better clamping (like a really big lug nut).
The center of the wheel would have to be designed with that sort of clamping in mind, don't think a cast phone-dial would handle it.
The new Porsche street centerlocks are utterly useless. Both sides are RH threads (dumb idea for right side of car). They must be carefully lubricated upon every change. And torqued with the suspension fully unloaded at all four corners.
Many GT3 guys dump the toy centerlocks for 5-lug. I think VW kids buy them, because they're cool.
Racing centerlocks are far better. The right side uses LH threads to counteract the torque of the axle. And they don't need to be lubricated at a molecular tolerance every change.
BTW - have you ever changed centerlock wheels without an air wrench? It is pretty impractical, hauling around your 4' long torque wrench.
The 90's agreed with you. The hubcaps on a GMC Jimmy were made to appear as a centerlock. Every other wheel in the 90's was designed to appear centerlock.
Knock-offs (centerlock) were developed to decrease time for a wheel change. Porsche's street system takes probably 12 times longer than normal 5-bolt. Porsche being ironic once again.
Originally Posted by Bmuldoon
By this logic does the center locking hardware just thread through the area where the center cap would traditionally go? Are center locking wheels specifically engineered for that type of load distribution? Making phone dials unsuited for the task?
Hole count is multiplied to ensure wheel clocks onto hub faster given picking it up at random.
Studs are chamfered, again to ease the wheel clocking onto the hub.
In the old days, the threaded portion had a hole for a pin that would prevent the nut from backing off.
No, you cannot use a normal wheel on a centerlock setup. However, Porsche did make the Cup2 Speedline in both fitments. The CL version did not get holes drilled, but instead a modified center area.
Last edited by FrenchToast; 01-11-2017 at 09:18 PM.
that does look pretty bitchin'.
Forgeline, among other brands, make 5-lug to center-lock conversion kits for cheaper than Porsche, and also offer their own branded centerlock wheels for less money...but still a LOT of $$ for a little cosmetics.
Ha, this is a nice idea but if I were to go down this route it would be all or nothing. There are a few companies that are willing to machine a custom set of phone dials with a center locking setup... the catch? The lowest estimate was $6K!!
Ha, this is a nice idea but if I were to go down this route it would be all or nothing. There are a few companies that are willing to machine a custom set of phone dials with a center locking setup... the catch? The lowest estimate was $6K!!
You told 'em it was for a Porsche didn't you?
See, if you had said Miata or Mazda, price coulda been no more than half that.
01-11-2017, 02:16 PM
'86 951 Center-Lock Conversion
