Milling forged aluminum wheels

[mrk5]

I can pick up a nice set of 5 Colorado Custom forged aluminum wheels for FREE, and all they need is a little buffing. They will fit my blazer, 6 lug with 3.5" back spacing.

Except there's one problem. The wheels came off a newer truck so the center hole is not big enough for the front hub assembly.

So do you all think I could get a machine shop to mill out the center hole big enough to clear the hub?
Would that be a good idea?
Any other thoughts?

I'm willing to go to some trouble and expense since the wheels are free, forged aluminum, and they are 10" wide (which I've been looking for). Plus they do look nice! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[RustBuket]

I'm sure they could do that for ya. Thats pretty swank for a free set of wheels. You could probably get them to polish them for you too if you really needed some bling /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

 

[cegusman]

Shouldn't be a problem, people are doing it the the h2 aluminum wheels.

 

[84_Chevy_K10]

If they came off an IFS truck they're likely too much backspacing to be run on a regular truck.

 

[Emmettology 101]

He said at the top that they have 3.5" of BS. So that would be good for a SA truck..

Go get them machined and bolt'em up! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[84_Chevy_K10]

I'd say go for it, but double check the backspacing. 3.5" would be very rough on wheel bearings and balljoints in an IFS truck and the tires would stick out a fair amount.

I woudln't take his word for it, I'd measure them before you are off the the machine shop.

Free is always good though.

 

[mrk5]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd say go for it, but double check the backspacing. 3.5" would be very rough on wheel bearings and balljoints in an IFS truck and the tires would stick out a fair amount.

I woudln't take his word for it, I'd measure them before you are off the the machine shop.

Free is always good though.

[/ QUOTE ]

I just picked them up this evening and I did check the back spacing. I thought the same thing you did about the wheels sticking way out there on an IFS truck.

It was a friend of a friend kinda deal, so I don't know a lot about the original owner or truck. Guess he liked the wheels pokin' way out there.

I found a machine shop that will do the machine work for about $45 a wheel.

 

[84_Chevy_K10]

I just didn't want to see you take his word for it and then be stuck with money poured into something that you couldn't use. As long as the backspacing numbers are right, go for it! Sounds like a great deal.

I wonder why a company would make a set of 6 lug wheels that wouldn't fit a straight axle 4x4. Toyota, Nissan, etc., all share this pattern and nearly all use hubs. Wonder what those idiots were thinking.

I suggest boring your hub to a common center cap size so you can use center caps if you so desire.

 

[sickquad]

$45 a wheel seems a little high. I could do all four in a hour. You should find a local machinist on the board or someone else to do it. Nothing worse than spending your own money.

Sweet rims though.

-Chris

 

[mrk5]

Hadn't thought about the center caps. I could use the ones I have on my wheels now.

Maybe I call around and see if I can get a better price.