Audi/Porsche/VW Wheels on a Sprinter DIY

MillionMileSprinter

Millionmilesprinter.com
Well, my old method I described in the beginning of this thread worked, but the cuts were rough and I luckily found another way...
A router. With a rabbit bit and the appropriate sized bearing on the end. It took me a while to get the right setup , but once I did, each wheel took me less than 5 minutes.
Yes. That's a woodworking router bit. But the alloy metal is soft enough to be cut by the bit. Of course, I won't be using it on any wood.... The blade gets pretty chewed up by the alloy metal.
The finished wheel looks just like it was done at a machine shop. Very clean and precise.
 

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AlkiSprinter

New member
Great idea! I have used carbide router bits on aluminum before.

Please give me more detail on the rabbit bit specifications if available.

Thanks in advance!

Eddie
 

MillionMileSprinter

Millionmilesprinter.com
To be honest, it all depends on the size of the center bore of your particular wheels.
The depth is pretty easy. It just has to clear the height of the lip on the front and rear hubs. IIRC, it was 6.5mm. So you just have to set the depth. One thing I did learn the hard way is to insert the shank of the router bit as deep as it will go into the router itself. The metal wheel can grab the bit blade and bend the shank over if it gets the chance.
The circumference is what I can't tell you because it depends on the circumference of the wheels center bore. That's where the diameter of the bearing comes into play.
My original bearing was too small, so it made the new cut circumference on the wheel way too big. So I ordered a rabbit bit with multiple bearings off if Amazon. Later that night I was at Home Depot and was looking for something else when I noticed that they had a bin for bearings. So I searched through there and found one that worked perfectly. Came home, made another test cut on a piece of wood and Viola! Perfect. So I went to work on the wheels and about 20 minutes later was done. I didn't bolt up the wheels for a few days, but they fit perfectly when I did.
Just be sure to make lots of practice cuts on a block of wood to get the correct depth and diameter. Took me almost a week working here and there in my few spare minutes to get the right combo.
Part of my time was spent drilling and tapping the router for two set screws because the depth kept changing as the one stock set screw wasn't up to the task on such an old router. You can see one of the set screws (bolts) in the photo.
 

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Burza

Member
Having to have done this sort of drill out the center to fit wheels for a car, I can relate to the work you went thru. I used a different method on my steel wheels. I did come across people using the router method when i was reseasching how to make my center bores larger. It was not going to work of my steel wheels. So i went another way.

Back to using a router though. It sounds like you are not using a jig or template to guide the router. If you were, then you would only need one type of bushing collar to guide the cutting head.

Bolt the template to the wheel using the wheels mounting holes with recessed heads so the router can glide over them. Drill out the centers of conical nuts to center the bolts in the holes on the side where you would be normally feeding the bolts in when mounting the wheels. Now you can run the router easily around the hole with cosistancy.

I was going to offer up for those who said you over cut the holes the idea of using hub centric adapter rings to lessen the size of wheel hole to the point it will be back into spec of hub centric. This is very commonly done with after market wheels to get them to fit many of the different hubs brands have. Amazon has about any size combo you can imagine.

Neat ideas. Thank you Type2Teach. Now to build my search profile and find me some wheels.
 
Couple years later I know,

I`m currently using touareg rims on my sprinter and they look and work great. I have 17 inch wheels and 245 70 17 LT tires.

I have 18 inch rims I would like to adapt to a sprinter but Im struggling to find either 245 65 18 LT, 235 65 18 LT or even 245 60 18 LT tires.

May I ask Joel what were you using on your trucks?

Best,
 

lindenengineering

Well-known member
All very well fitting bigger rims & tyres . Just wondering how you deal with using tyres that not load rated for commercial vehicles . In UK using such tyres invalidates your insurance , if you try to claim after an accident & the insurers find out about the incorrctly rated tyres , you have zero chance of getting paid out and most likely prosecuted for operating an unroadworthy vehicle . Make sure rims & tyres are both rated for the vans weight capacity . It's not just your life you gamble with . I have had an alloy rim fracture on my HGV at 60MPH , **** flew everywhere , ripped floor out of trailer , fuel tank & cab back . That was a properly rated rim that failed ( porous casting caused failure ) :yell:
Dingo thanks for posting this comment !!:thumbup::thumbup:

I am astonished and shocked Million Mile Sprinter you would write a description of using an "eefing" hole saw to modify a set of road wheels when for a few more bucks had them AT LEAST properly modified using a expensive machine tool to index the holes so that it would properly fit a Sprinter van.
Of course no mention of using passenger wheels & tyres for cargo style commercial vehicle operation. (Oh No!)
Jesus Christ what is wrong with you????
Obviously you risk not only yourself & occupants but the risk of a lost wheel putting others at risk, all because you love the mash up look !
Only a few years ago here in Littleton a young mother jogging on a cycle path adjacent to our circular C470 ring road with her newborn babe in a push chair like jogging carriage was killed when a flying lost wheel out of nowhere landed in the baby's lap !
Shaking my head in Denver & thinking of responsible professional truck drivers .
:thumbup:
Dennis
 

Oilburner

2004 2500 140"cargo l/r x 2
I hope DOT will investigate every case of altering suspensions parts, wheels, brakes, tires every time there is a serious accident involving innocent people, property and even animals. I am sick of looking at altered vehicles, mostly cars ( thanks God ! ). If anyone is making changes with drivability, emissions must be aware of consequences in case something happens.
 
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tom2turbo

Active member
They called em Hot Rods in my misspent youth. It appears not much has changed in the interim except maybe me.
 
In the case the weight rating for both the wheels and the tires match the load I am putting on the sprinter, what do you guys reckon is the problem? The cutting of a small portion of the rim? I am machining them pretty much like it would be done in a shop.
 

Cheyenne

UK 2004 T1N 313CDi
In the case the weight rating for both the wheels and the tires match the load I am putting on the sprinter...
I believe legally that the wheels and tyres must match the PLATED GVWR and not just the weight you are running at.

You cannot fit lower rated wheels and/or tyres just because you are not running at max allowable weight.

That is my understanding anyway!

Keith.
 

huskyfrk

Member
i have seen alum rims for sale at just about 100 a piece. why F w moding a wheel built for another make and model of car ??
 
Alloy wheels are 400 each at my dealer and have never found a set for sale in my entire life. For 100 Each rim I’ll buy 4 sets please thank you
 

220629

Well-known member
i have seen alum rims for sale at just about 100 a piece. why F w moding a wheel built for another make and model of car ??
I agree that modifying passenger vehicle rims for use on a truck just for looks is a rather dubious choice.

You would be providing a great service if you post the sources for reasonably priced alloy rims that are designed specifically for Sprinter service. Most owners would prefer to buy that product vs modifying some other vehicle alloy wheel.

:cheers: vic
 

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