DAW Posted June 29, 2001 Share Posted June 29, 2001 I'm wondering about that 5-lug front conversion and if there may be a more suitable source for hybrid hubs/rotors that more closely approximates the original Z front geometry (15mm offset). I'd like to know if setting the hub flange more outboard then running higher offset wheels preserves the geometry (roll center,etc) or not; engineers? I know that using higher offset rims than stock, without a hub change, makes the car have a mind of its own and it tracks off at random along any crease in the pavement it sees. DAW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAW Posted June 30, 2001 Share Posted June 30, 2001 Wheel bearings/spindle-sizing is one of the largest overlap areas of commonality between different makes of cars that there is. There's really only a few different wheel bearings and there are only a few manufacturers. I'm exagurating some. Use the grease seal on the donor hub, the inner diameter is shared and (common) bearing size dependent. If it has 12mm x 1.5 thread wheel studs (instead of Nissan's 12mm x 1.25), then use the donor's lug nuts. Theoretically, if you want to replicate the initial geometry, then a 5-lug hub would need to be from a vehicle with similar OEM offset wheel geometry. Considerations for the Zcar would be: Crown Victoria, Conquest/Starion, Mercury Marquis, SVO Mustang, Tbird Super Coupe, etc. All are 5 x 4 1/2" bolt circle. Go for the one with the best/lightest OEM alloys. It takes a trip to the junkyard, measuring with calipers, rulers, etc. The best junkyard is a large one with some of every kind of car so that you can pull a hub/rotor off one type of car, and carry it over to a Zcar where you install & measure for clearance/interference and caliper position. DAW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted June 30, 2001 Share Posted June 30, 2001 Couple of things... I believe the SVO Mustang hubs were from a Lincoln, I know some of the other suspension parts were so you might find those cheaper None of the hubs you mentioned were trucks - guess what those wheels fit? (sigh) I spoke to my Lightning pal today, not only are those some funky truck pattern apparently but they also will NOT fit an older Lightning like his! Doh! sorry man, I'm not sure how this is going to work out but I'm pullin' for ya! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAW Posted July 1, 2001 Share Posted July 1, 2001 By the way, I listed a few 5 lug, 5x4 1/2" bolt circle wheels/hubs with low to no offset set-ups which may do well on an early Zcar, but I left out one source: Jeep. I didn't mention it because the hubs don't apply due to the 4WD situation. However, the wheels might be useful. Grand Cherokee and Wrangler have low-offset 5 x 4 1/2" bolt wheels so aftermarket wheels for these applications could be good. DAW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAW Posted July 20, 2001 Share Posted July 20, 2001 I may be wrong about Jeep as a source of 5-lug wheels/hubs. I noticed the other day that Cherokees and Comanchee (pickups) come in 2WD and that '89 Comanchee spindle/inner bearing race diameters match 240/280Z. DAW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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