Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: gideon on Saturday,August 21, 2021, 08:30:36 PM
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I am contemplating getting a set of Caterham Apollo wheels in 6x13 (that would be four of the front wheels).
https://caterhamparts.co.uk/92-lightweight-13-apollo
These are the lightest 13" wheels that I can find at 4.16kg each. And the price is, almost, reasonable. Caterham tell me that the ET is 24mm and the PCD is 4-1/4 inch or 108mm. I know I can get alumin(i)um front hubs drilled for the 108mm PCD, but what about the rear hubs. Would an adapter be necessary? I've not seen any pictures of another Europa wearing these, so is there a reason why they won't work?
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picture of Caterham Apollo wheel
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When I had my rear hubs drilled for larger PCD by Banks Europa, he told me they were extremely hard to drill and he had to use a different tool (a reamer I think) to drill the new holes.
I think my rear hubs were non-standard, but just be aware they may be very hard to drill.
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Neither cheap nor fast, but a wire EDM would do them easily.
Even a sinker EDM would work.
I do miss my CNC machines.
More likely, drill them on a milling machine rather than a pillar drill.
The extra rigidity and using end-mills rather than a drill bit should make this much easier.
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The standard rear hubs are not wide enough to take a 108mm PCD. Alex, did Banks supply the hubs or did you find them somewhere else?
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I just recalled the PA Motorsport stub axles, and sure enough they make hubs too. So, that might be an option
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If you just want a larger option of wheels. There is enough room to offset mill the front hubs pattern to 4x100mm. A friend did mine on a cnc and I used a larger shank Dodge stud to cover the old hole and went to 12x1.5 wheel lug. The 4x100 is what most front wheel drive and Miata's use. Gives a lot of options. I don't know about the rear, I have MR2 hubs.
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The standard rear hubs are not wide enough to take a 108mm PCD. Alex, did Banks supply the hubs or did you find them somewhere else?
The rear hubs came with 4129R, but they did not look standard. I fitted front ventilated discs with a larger PCD, so I added rear discs and got the rear hubs drilled for a PCD to match the front, Ford dimensions, so I could put Minilites on the car.
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Check these wheels out, very nice and lightweight. Price isn't too bad either.
http://www.force-racing.co.uk/wheels/force-racing-13-wheels/
I was initially getting these wheels, but ended up getting revolution classic race wheels.