[rfrey]

Ok, I had to get new centers put in for the Volvo Portals. I searched high and low to find a guy. Finally I found Taylor Made Wheels in LA. (I can get you the number if you want).

After seeing all the pictures of wheels that have been done like mine, I asked him to just weld in a flat piec of 1/4" steal with the new lug patter. I wanted 5" of back spacing...So I told him to leave the original lug pattern in (I told him I would cut it out to save money!)

Long story short, they man knows what he is doing. He build most of the wheels used on Hollywood sets, and builds the wheels for the land speed records...bla, bla, bla...

He told me he would machine the old pattern out, press in a new one, build a hub for my new lug pattern and get them done in a week. (It took him almost two, but the wait was worth it!)

This guy machined everything....let's start with a picture...

Notice he did NOT use a flat piece of steel...they warp!!! He pressed this lip in it, then cut circles out of the back to alow me to remove and replace the bolts holding on the run flat. Also notice, he raised the lip on the bolt holes to alow me to use a nut with a 30 degree pitch (Standard pitch)...Who else has done that?

 

[rfrey]

Nice blue picture!

Ok, Here is one showing the detail of the raised lip, and contor of the replacement part.

 

[spencurai]

dead sexy hummer rims if you ask me!!

 

[oldjeep]

Looks really nice - now for the big question - what's work like that cost?

 

[rfrey]

Last picture. Yea, I know you guys can weld, but do they look like this????

He built this machine himself...it slowly rotates the wheel, while a mig gun hooked to a steel arm welds the inside bead.

***Very Important*** Also notice how the mounting surface has been machined! There is three layers there. The outside step (the one closest to the tire) is higher than the other three. The center step is very low, then the inner step (closest to the wheel center) has been machined just a touch lower than the outside step. What this does is alow you to really crank down on your lug nuts...it creates somewhat of a spring on the mounting surface, which will keep you lug nuts from wiggling loose!

What do you guys think???

 

[rfrey]

Cost??? Most guys do the "flat" stuff for about $85, right???

Well, this cost me $100 each.

My pattern was hard to do because of the limited space betweent the lug pattern and wheel. So it was more expensive. Anyway, I feels he undercharged me...I do too. He said if I had a rim to give him in exchage for these he would do the same deal again for somebody else... Did that make sense???

 

[road1will]

those look fawking insanely awesome

 

[Independent4x]

 

[sweden]

I love it! :smokin:

 

[GirlfriendYJ]

He said if I had a rim to give him in exchage for these he would do the same deal again for somebody else... Did that make sense???

that didnt really make sense to me? but i wanna do it...

can you shoot me his number at [email protected]

i will just need to standard 8X6.5 bolt pattern so that might be easier for him?

 

[PJTPW]

Those are really impressive. Very cool.

If you could post his name and contact info that would be great.

Ryan

 

[Tony Sobrito]

Looks great Ryan, what tires are you going to run??

 

[CA_YJ]

31 10.50's:flipoff2:

 

[SeaBass44]

WOW ! Those look fantasktic! That step thing is way sweet, and the weld..........WOW Yup Please post up his info for everyone.

 

[Krylon..]

Man, those are sweet!!! Post his info!!!!!!! So can he get the wheels or do you have to supply him with them?

 

[evilfij]

What made you decide to use Hummer wheels as a base as opposed to stock 303 or something else? I am curious. Also how much of the portal box is vunerable to hits with hummer rims and a 5in offset.

Ron

Still looking for a spare stock 303 wheel

 

[rfrey]

Ok, I have his number....Make sure you tell him Ryan Frey sent you. You will probibly have to discribe my rims to him.


As far as the exchange thing...I don't know WHY he does it, but if he build rims for you, he likes to take rims in on exchange...they don't have to be like rims... An example of this is when I went to get my drive line done, I dropped off 5 other drive lines I didn't need. They guy gave me a credit towards my new drive line of $125 for the exchange. ....Hope that cleared things up.

 

[rfrey]

I used hummer wheels because they have the bead lock on both sides. I could pick up the hummer wheels for $75 each, then pay $100 for the back spacing. I am into each wheel $175...locked. There is a company that is going to make rims for this axle and they will be $295 each, with 7 inches of back spacing. #1 reason...I am too cheap to spend $295. #2 reason...I wanted less back spacing...yes, I am hanging the portal out there a little more, but how often do you hit that part of your axle housing? And I wanted to clean the drag link mount I built before I thought about all of this. I could have just changed my drag link mount to accept the 7 inches of backspacing, but I didn't want to...I wanted to be wider. I have not put on my 38.5x14.5 SX's yet, so I don't know how wide I will be but I am guessing about 82"

Here is my drag link. you can also see how far out the hub hangs...

 

[rfrey]

I didn't use the stock rims because of the 16" rim size (I wanted SX's) and because the lugs stick out too far...they would have been torn up on the rocks. However they do protect the axle quite a bit. I would also say that the stock rims make the axles very close to a stock land cruiser width...because of all the back spacing.

 

[BJ On Roids]

nice 1!