my C5 wheels wont fit ?
02-26-2007, 12:30 AM
#1
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my C5 wheels wont fit ? i have some c5 wagon wheel for the ol z28 and they wont fit, so do i need to grind the inside of the wheel down or the lip on the hub or whatever?
02-26-2007, 07:39 AM
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WHY WON'T MY NEW WHEELS FIT OVER THE REAR HUBS ON MY 4TH GEN?
The 1993 to "late" 1996 4th Gen F-Bodies have a larger hub on the rear axle than on the front spindles. The rear axle hubs are about 0.03" larger in diameter than the front hubs. This problem was corrected in late 1996 model year or possibly in early 1997.
As a result, if you buy C4 or C5 wheels, or if you buy 1997 or newer F-Body wheels, they may not fit on the rear hubs of your 1993-1996 F-Body.
The solution is very simple. First, DO NOT FORCE THEM ON WITH THE LUGS! Very dangerous, and you may not be able to get them off. You need to lightly sand or grind (e.g. - Dremel) the inside diameter of the hub hole in the back of the wheel. Don't go nuts.... just remove enough metal so the wheel cleanly fits over the rear hubs, with no interference.
Think about doing this to all 4 wheels, so you can "rotate" the tires in the future.
This will not harm the wheels.... you are taking off the thickness of a sheet of paper. Just be sure you do a neat, smooth job. This will also NOT affect the centering of the wheels on the hubs. The 4th Gen wheels are "lug-centric" - they are centered by the conical lugs, not by the hubs.
The 1993 to "late" 1996 4th Gen F-Bodies have a larger hub on the rear axle than on the front spindles. The rear axle hubs are about 0.03" larger in diameter than the front hubs. This problem was corrected in late 1996 model year or possibly in early 1997.
As a result, if you buy C4 or C5 wheels, or if you buy 1997 or newer F-Body wheels, they may not fit on the rear hubs of your 1993-1996 F-Body.
The solution is very simple. First, DO NOT FORCE THEM ON WITH THE LUGS! Very dangerous, and you may not be able to get them off. You need to lightly sand or grind (e.g. - Dremel) the inside diameter of the hub hole in the back of the wheel. Don't go nuts.... just remove enough metal so the wheel cleanly fits over the rear hubs, with no interference.
Think about doing this to all 4 wheels, so you can "rotate" the tires in the future.
This will not harm the wheels.... you are taking off the thickness of a sheet of paper. Just be sure you do a neat, smooth job. This will also NOT affect the centering of the wheels on the hubs. The 4th Gen wheels are "lug-centric" - they are centered by the conical lugs, not by the hubs.
02-26-2007, 11:45 AM
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Originally Posted by always faster
WHY WON'T MY NEW WHEELS FIT OVER THE REAR HUBS ON MY 4TH GEN?
The 1993 to "late" 1996 4th Gen F-Bodies have a larger hub on the rear axle than on the front spindles. The rear axle hubs are about 0.03" larger in diameter than the front hubs. This problem was corrected in late 1996 model year or possibly in early 1997.
As a result, if you buy C4 or C5 wheels, or if you buy 1997 or newer F-Body wheels, they may not fit on the rear hubs of your 1993-1996 F-Body.
The solution is very simple. First, DO NOT FORCE THEM ON WITH THE LUGS! Very dangerous, and you may not be able to get them off. You need to lightly sand or grind (e.g. - Dremel) the inside diameter of the hub hole in the back of the wheel. Don't go nuts.... just remove enough metal so the wheel cleanly fits over the rear hubs, with no interference.
Think about doing this to all 4 wheels, so you can "rotate" the tires in the future.
This will not harm the wheels.... you are taking off the thickness of a sheet of paper. Just be sure you do a neat, smooth job. This will also NOT affect the centering of the wheels on the hubs. The 4th Gen wheels are "lug-centric" - they are centered by the conical lugs, not by the hubs.
The 1993 to "late" 1996 4th Gen F-Bodies have a larger hub on the rear axle than on the front spindles. The rear axle hubs are about 0.03" larger in diameter than the front hubs. This problem was corrected in late 1996 model year or possibly in early 1997.
As a result, if you buy C4 or C5 wheels, or if you buy 1997 or newer F-Body wheels, they may not fit on the rear hubs of your 1993-1996 F-Body.
The solution is very simple. First, DO NOT FORCE THEM ON WITH THE LUGS! Very dangerous, and you may not be able to get them off. You need to lightly sand or grind (e.g. - Dremel) the inside diameter of the hub hole in the back of the wheel. Don't go nuts.... just remove enough metal so the wheel cleanly fits over the rear hubs, with no interference.
Think about doing this to all 4 wheels, so you can "rotate" the tires in the future.
This will not harm the wheels.... you are taking off the thickness of a sheet of paper. Just be sure you do a neat, smooth job. This will also NOT affect the centering of the wheels on the hubs. The 4th Gen wheels are "lug-centric" - they are centered by the conical lugs, not by the hubs.
05-27-2021, 06:34 PM
#4
Staging Lane
Holy f!#k! I’m not happy. So I just got a set of Z06 18x9.5s and got a call from Discount tire about this issue. WTF GM?
The wheels look amazing, on the front.
Since my 96 SS has 183k miles I’m wondering if I should just grind the wheels or get new axles. Will 98-02 axles fit the 10 bolt Torsen rear on my 96?
The wheels look amazing, on the front.
Since my 96 SS has 183k miles I’m wondering if I should just grind the wheels or get new axles. Will 98-02 axles fit the 10 bolt Torsen rear on my 96?
05-27-2021, 09:46 PM
#5
TECH Veteran
It's not GMs fault. Design changes from year to year are commonplace and you are installing non-stock wheels.. Just relieve the inside of the hub of the wheel like post #3 says and all will be fine. Obviously from the date of the thread, this has been known for a long time.
05-27-2021, 10:11 PM
#6
Staging Lane
I beg to differ. It is GMs fault and I’m installing GM OEM wheels. I can put modern Mustang wheels on a 65 Mustang because the hubs and bolt patterns are the same. And name 1 other car with different sized hubs front and rear...... 1.
05-28-2021, 06:20 AM
#7
TECH Veteran
You are installing non-stock wheels for the car. They weren't made to fit it. Just because they are GM wheels is no guarantee they fit everything. Who really cares about hub size when it is not used to center the wheel? Your Mustang example just happens to work. It's not because Ford made sure it would. Most modern wheels won't fit on older cars because the offset/spacing is way different and the wheel would contact the suspension.
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05-28-2021, 11:37 AM
#8
Staging Lane
@shbox, I really like your website, but I still am not going to agree with you on this issue. It’s stupid. If it wasn’t stupid, GM wouldn’t have bothered to fix on later 4th gens like they did. Also, you still can’t name any other car with different hub sizes front and rear. Show me another example.
Yes the lugs carry the load okay, but it’s still far better to have a hub if for nothing else, perfect centering.
I’ve worked as an automotive design engineer and this is a mistake. My guess is someone didn’t properly QA a huge order of axles and said ehhh. GM used a 70.3mm hub long before this car was made and still does.
Yes the lugs carry the load okay, but it’s still far better to have a hub if for nothing else, perfect centering.
I’ve worked as an automotive design engineer and this is a mistake. My guess is someone didn’t properly QA a huge order of axles and said ehhh. GM used a 70.3mm hub long before this car was made and still does.
05-28-2021, 02:20 PM
#9
TECH Veteran
I guess you can call up GM and ask for clarification. All I know is people have been using the suggested work-around for many years. I did it when I put SS rims on my car. It wasn't a big deal to me.
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AnthonyS (05-29-2021)
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AnthonyS (05-29-2021)
06-02-2021, 10:56 AM
#12
Staging Lane
I did some measuring and it was about 0.006" (0.012" diameter) that needed to be removed from the diameter of the wheel hub. It sucks, but a dremel with a sanding drum did it pretty quick. One drum per wheel and they are on. The hub is think enough to do it with a spacer would require something about 1/2" thick which would push these wheels out too far. New axles would be about $300 to do US made axles new seals and bearings etc. Since the bearings seemed okay still the sanding drum won out.
