an obnoxious wheel question.

[thefirebuilds]

sure you guys are sick of answering this question, but I am struggling with the "safest" way to do this.

here is the wheel i want to use:


the opening is 49.5mm wide

the northern tool trailer I bought came with hubs that are 4x100 but the bore is 65mm. So if I use those I will need to open up the bore on the wheel.

A miata bearing has the appropriate bore but the spindle opening is ~30mm, where the axle that came with my northern tool trailer kit is 25mm.

So, can I find a bearing with a 25mm opening and a 49.5mm bore, or can I cut open the hub on the daisy wheel i posted above. If I widen the bore opening that will remove the ridge around the hub openening, which you can kind of see in this pic:



blah, help!

-Blake

[thefirebuilds]

er, does it make more sense to replace the kit's 25mm spindles with some 30mm ones?

[laoutdoorsman]

id open it up....any half-boned machine shop could open that hole up on a lathe easily....about ten minutes to get the first one set up, then the second one would take like 2 minutes...

my question is...will the cover fit once the wheel is bolted onto the hub?? if you have buddy bearings, im sure it WONT work...old school dust caps, it might... might want to check before you go too far into your thinking..


btw...my logic for modify-ing the rims rather than the axle/spindle is.... late night small town repairs..(side of the road)....easier to find parts for a "common" sized axle/hub/spindle than a frankenstein axle....also, remember you need to be able to fit a spare in case of a flat...

neat rims, tho...

[thefirebuilds]

id open it up....any half-boned machine shop could open that hole up on a lathe easily....about ten minutes to get the first one set up, then the second one would take like 2 minutes...

my question is...will the cover fit once the wheel is bolted onto the hub?? if you have buddy bearings, im sure it WONT work...old school dust caps, it might... might want to check before you go too far into your thinking..


btw...my logic for modify-ing the rims rather than the axle/spindle is.... late night small town repairs..(side of the road)....easier to find parts for a "common" sized axle/hub/spindle than a frankenstein axle....also, remember you need to be able to fit a spare in case of a flat...

neat rims, tho...

my dad and i were talking last night.

If I deal with this from the POV of "set the spindle right" there are a couple of benefits

1. losing the chinese bearing in favor of its Japanese counter part. I would be able to use Miata bearings instead of horrible freight bearings.

2. I always have miata parts so I would have spares, plus then my TV wheels will fit the trailer (Miata) in case of a flat. The likely hood of burning out a spindle < likely hood of burning out a bearing < likely hood of flat tire.

I am also concerned that taking that much out of the wheel will weaken it a lot ??

[aggie79]

Another thing you need to check for is offset. The HF wheels have no offset while those Miata wheels look like they have positive offset. This, plus a wider tire on the Miata wheel most likely cause clearance problems with the frame and/or your sidewalls.

[thefirebuilds]

Another thing you need to check for is offset. The HF wheels have no offset while those Miata wheels look like they have positive offset. This, plus a wider tire on the Miata wheel most likely cause clearance problems with the frame and/or your sidewalls.

Good point, that wheel has a 45mm offset.

[clarkbre]

Are you sure that trailer is 4 on 100?

I would check and recheck the bolt pattern on the trailer again. A typical lug pattern for a Japanese car (like a miata, civic, corolla) is 4 on 100mm. That would equate to 4 on 3.937”. Any trailer hub I’ve ever seen with a 4 bolt is 4 on 4” (tractor supply, redtrailer, harbor freight). It would be off just enough to not sit right on the lug studs.

I’d hate to see you go through all that machining to realize that you’re off by .063”…..and yes, it will make a difference.

[thefirebuilds]

Are you sure that trailer is 4 on 100?

I would check and recheck the bolt pattern on the trailer again. A typical lug pattern for a Japanese car (like a miata, civic, corolla) is 4 on 100mm. That would equate to 4 on 3.937”. Any trailer hub I’ve ever seen with a 4 bolt is 4 on 4” (tractor supply, redtrailer, harbor freight). It would be off just enough to not sit right on the lug studs.

I’d hate to see you go through all that machining to realize that you’re off by .063”…..and yes, it will make a difference.

gotcha, and you are correct.

Can I get torsion axles with a 30mm spindle?

[DezPrado]

Don't forget too, that the Miata wheels are hub centric and not stud centric like a lot of others so plan your project accordingly
As an owner of dual Miatas (Sunburst & Mariner blue) the question has to be asked "why sully the superb handling & characterics of the best sports car by towing a trailer?" The purist would tell you "It's just not done Sir!"
As for me? It matters not. What does matter is that you enjoy what you do. Hope you keep us posted on your progress

[thefirebuilds]

Don't forget too, that the Miata wheels are hub centric and not stud centric like a lot of others so plan your project accordingly
As an owner of dual Miatas (Sunburst & Mariner blue) the question has to be asked "why sully the superb handling & characterics of the best sports car by towing a trailer?" The purist would tell you "It's just not done Sir!"
As for me? It matters not. What does matter is that you enjoy what you do. Hope you keep us posted on your progress

no, for the purist, I ask YOU why sully the superb handling with a full interior

[MidTNJasonF]

Blake, I have bored out two sets of yada wheels to fit larger hubs before. It was no problem and I have had no issues out of either set of wheels. It really was not much material removed in the long run and I would not be terribly concerned with the strength of the resulting wheel. The trailer will not be seeing track/race type side loads and if it is being pulled behind a Miata it will not be carrying a great deal of weight.

I pulled the small harbor freight trailer behind one of my miatas for years loaded down with the race tires, jacks, tools, coolers, and pop ups with no issues on the trailer or TV.

Oh and I just sat the wheels I bored on the bed of my mill and toe clamped it down to hold it. I swept in the existing bore with an indicator and interpolated the new bore size with an endmill. You could just as easily use a boring head. Many a smaller job shop will not have a lathe with enough swing to chuck up the wheel but any bridgeport type knee mill can do it.

[thefirebuilds]

Blake, I have bored out two sets of yada wheels to fit larger hubs before. It was no problem and I have had no issues out of either set of wheels. It really was not much material removed in the long run and I would not be terribly concerned with the strength of the resulting wheel. The trailer will not be seeing track/race type side loads and if it is being pulled behind a Miata it will not be carrying a great deal of weight.

I pulled the small harbor freight trailer behind one of my miatas for years loaded down with the race tires, jacks, tools, coolers, and pop ups with no issues on the trailer or TV.

Oh and I just sat the wheels I bored on the bed of my mill and toe clamped it down to hold it. I swept in the existing bore with an indicator and interpolated the new bore size with an endmill. You could just as easily use a boring head. Many a smaller job shop will not have a lathe with enough swing to chuck up the wheel but any bridgeport type knee mill can do it.

Thanks champ. Nice Killboy shot!

[MidTNJasonF]

Thanks champ. Nice Killboy shot!

This is Jason formally from RC and M.net by the way if you did not catch that.

[DezPrado]

no, for the purist, I ask YOU why sully the superb handling with a full interior

Touche! Nice one And a yellow track car for emphasis to boot.
Umm. A full interior allows one to share the experience. Bit like our teardops & camping.

A couple of nice alternative solutions provided by other posters too. Hope you're not being spoied for choice