what is up with these wheels??

[mikec4193]

Hi Morris Minor folks...

The former owner of my old heap sold me this car with 4 aluminum wheels on it...the car was cheap enough I didn't question them at all...

He told me he drove with these wheels on the car and used it as daily driver...back in I think he said 2010 or so...



It is scary enough to be bolting these wheels onto fine threaded lug nut studs...I am just waiting for the day when I strip one of them...

So what is up with these wheels??...the lug nut holes on the wheels as you guys can see are not round...they are oblong...



When I spin these wheels around on the car...they appear to be not be all wonky...so will I be ok with this set-up?

Any insight would be awesome...

MikeC

[don58van]

It appears that someone has found some wheels with nearly the correct PDC (Pitch Circle Diameter -- the positioning of the studs) and filed out the holes to get them to fit the Minor. The Minor has a PCD (4X4" or 4x101.6mm) shared by very few other cars.

Don

[philthehill]

I would consider those wheels to be unserviceable and I personally would not use them.
If you want to save them I would suggest that the holes are sleeved centred on a 4" PCD.
I have similar wheel fixings on my Minor which is fitted with Revolution 6 J alloy wheels and the fixing holes are round and the sleeve nut is a snug fit in the stud hole of the wheel.

[mikec4193]

Hi Phil

When I get the wheels mounted up on the car...everything appears to be rolling along ok...I have not driven it and that will be the true test for sure...

I will try and touch base with the former...I could sworn he told me he drove the car with no problems with those wheels on it...

hmm...

more chin scratching again....

Thanks for the insight.

MikeC

[kingsley]

Hi Mike
I agree with Phil, I would not use those wheels as they are, they are dangerous.
There is a widespread lack of knowledge about wheels.
I am appalled when I look back at how I knew nothing and was unaware I knew nothing
Aftermarket wheels need to have the correct PCD, Lug Nut Profile, Centre Bore and ET / Offset to suit the vehicle they are being used on.
Also, the width of the wheel needs to be appropriate for the width of tyre and vice versa.
There is loads of info on Google and Youtube if you want to learn why.
Good Luck.

[geoberni]

Well Don58van told us that the PCD for the Minor wheels is 4", or 101.6mm, for the Minor Wheels and practically every other wheel out there these days is either greater or lesser than that.
So in fitting these wheels, someone has got a set of wheels with the holes further in to, or further out from, the centre than required and they've resolved the problem by doing a reasonably careful job of elongating the holes evenly to suit the Minor Wheel Studs.
They likely felt mighty proud of their ingenuity in doing so... but your wheels are your only connection to the road.

Let's try this simple analogy.

Aircraft wings are bolted on, but they can be taken off and replaced if necessary, perhaps after accidental damage, as can the tail fin.
Would you want to fly in an aircraft where the bolt holes had been elongated to make them fit??
So why do it with a car?

https://youtu.be/XkCI_fhpRqw

[jagnut66]

A safety issue here, both for you and the next owner, it may cost you less in the long run to replace them with a standard set like these:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224640014252 ... SwvgFhYGHY
The main suppliers also do alloys that fit the hubs correctly, you may be able to source these in the US easier than an original set? Possibly cheaper than in the UK too?
https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead ... RBN&adurl=
Best wishes,
Mike.