mini tubs

[FC 304 wannabe]

Hi guys,
I'm going to try to mini tub my fc/ek to maximize my rim size .
Can I cut out the existing wheel tubs and construct new ones using the rear quarter guards as the outside walls ?
Thoughts?
Thanks,
Shannon.

[FCRB26]

You still need outer guards to stop crap building up  and for strength.
 and you can square your wheel well off on the inner side.
 i am doing mine now the engineer has allowed me to cut the lip off the rail and weld up the seam gaining 15 mm or more and squaring off the outer side you are gaining another 10 to 15mm so you should comfotablly fit 245,s under there.

I have had a metal spinner spin me and a mate some tubbbs so they have a nice radius not just squared off.

Hope that makes sense had a few cans.



Pete

[FC 304 wannabe]

Thanks Pete.
Sometimes a few cans make everything make sense...
I think I know what you mean....
I Spose I need to build the outer guards as close to the bodywork as I can ..

[JB]

Ed bought some trailer guards with the radius edges and adapted them to suit a Datsun Ute. Maybe that would suit your needs?

[john253a]

ive done it 2 different ways before

cut down the middle of the arch and across the bottom, move it out and add a section into the arch as per width extend, so as inside the car it looks stock only 1-2" wider

cut on the edge of inner panel and across the bottom, give it to a shetty and get them to roll some 3/16 steel to the same curve and size but install a straight panel on the end so as its not increasing the width only allowing the tyre to fit inside better

[FC 304 wannabe]

thanks heaps, gives me ideas on where to start.

[john253a]

what size tyres are you trying to fit under the guard as 225/50r15 fit very easily without the guard being rolled
im running the same size tyre and trying to set up a mono leaf airbag set up at the moment and i can lower it over 3" before they scrub

[GM]

Some pics when I did my ute

[FCRB26]

Looks good Glenn

As Glenns done here everyone leaves the outside alone as its a mission to remove all the spot welds
And you don't want to disturb the outside of the car just as Glenn has done here.chop it through the seam in the  centre and attach just the inside section.


Pete

[fcv85l]

i didnt touch the outer tub but spliced 2 sets of std tubs together,a few extra hundred spot welds and 305 50 15s fit ok

[FC 304 wannabe]

Thanks guys.
I'll leave the outers alone and just split the tubs.
I'll go back to the chassis rails and get the 20 or so mm I can.
Was hoping to fit 18x10" rims on the back but after measurements I think it will more realistically be 18x9"s.
I need to do heaps more study on the front rim dimensions.  They will be either 17's or 18's and 7" wide. Offset is the issue...
What does every body else run on the front?? I'm using HR crossmember, Torana front mount rack and VN Commodore brakes that have made the trake 20mm wider overall.

[mcl1959]

Unless you run a narrow dish rim like a Commodore offset then you will have problems with steering lock and the tyres hitting the guards.

Ken

[zulu]

I'm currently running 4.5 inch wide all round, no probs 

Gary

[FC 304 wannabe]

problem solved!

just run custom intro billit wheels .... At great expense!

although I will save about $1000 by buying directly from the states and shipping them back here by boat..

after many meetings with the minister for war and finance ( read my lovely wife) it looks like intro "sphere" will be the  wheel of choice 

[john253a]

a lot of it doesnt come down to rim width but tyre selection,
the only other thing to consider is the radius of the wheel well

under my stock rear (lowered 40mm) i can fit 20x9 with 225/35/20,(of my commodore with adapter plates) but the scrub on the radius not the arch width, but i would susgest 225/30/20, as there 1" smaller (26.1 v's 25.3")
unless you want the fat look,
but with 20+mm extra you should easy fit 245/25/20, (24.8") with clearance to spare

as for front 225 do fit but not to drivable on lowered front end, i run 205 on 60mm lowered (king pin front)
idd recommend 205/35/18 or 205/30/19 (import only very hard to get in aust)

[FC 304 wannabe]

thanks for the info john253a,

I will most probably be running 18x7's on the front with say a 215 width tyre...
and a 18x9 on the rear with as wider tyre as I can fit ,,, hopefully at least 265....

once I get the rims I'll harrass the local tyre shops for the best fit/option to go with..

exciting stuff.. In my opinion wheels will either make or break a good build very easily..

[john253a]

If youve only Widned them out to rails and haven't increased the radius of the arch I don't think you'll fit 265 under there, 265/30/18 are hard to get and may not legal in Aust, and 265/35/18 have a bigger radius and will scrub for sure

As for front I can't speek for 215, but I think you'll have issue idd stick with 205/35/18 or 205/40/18

And 245/30/18 or 240/35/18 rear

And with most of these tyre sizes you'll find there custom order in, and won't be stocked, so trying them to see if they fit may be very costly (speeking from experience there) as you may have to buy them,

If I were you idd stick to standard sizes,
Also you will need to speak to engineer as to what load and speed rating you'll require, as if you have a v8 fitted none of thoes options may be legal

[FC 304 wannabe]

the previous owner of my car that started the project must have done something with the diff position or tub radius because I have had an 18 inch 235/40 wheel and tyre fitted as a test and I have miles of room left..... Made me even consider 20's for a brief moment 
I'll check out with some Commodore mates and see if they can lend me the size rubber I'm after .
then its just a matter of calculating my required offset correctly I hope ......

[john253a]

its not the rim size, you can even fit 22" if you want,
you need to consider the radius of the tyre and the width,
also how low is the car? this will play on the radius,

235/40r18 is 235mm x 645mm,
235/30r20 is 235mm x 649mm
240/25r20 is 240mm x 630mm
255/25r20 is 255mm x 635mm

how a lot of people run 225/50r15 in the rear non tubed (225mm x 606mm)
and 205/55r15 front (205mm x 606mm)

ive ran 225/30r20 on rear non tubed but couldn't turn with them on the front

myself idd get you rims and measure (with car on stands under axles)
the distance from each side and minus 5mm off the smallest side, double it and add rim with and that's the biggest you can fit, then just choice a common sizes profile to suit,

youll find in 18's, 205,215,235,245,265 are the most common
and 20's, 225,245,275,295 are more common