Aircooled VW South Africa

My '73 Beetle is fitted with chrome Smith Wheels rims. Great was my surprise when I removed the front wheels to find 7mm spacer washers silicone to the brake drums, and newspaper stuffed in the centre caps. Took the washers of, and tried to fit the wheels without the spacers. The rims doesn't go over the centre part of the brake drum, hence the spacers, and the newspaper to prevent the caps from rattling. I have now fitted new brake drums, the ones made by ALFA, and the wheels still don't fit. It is the first time I have experienced this, and after having spoken to other people about it, nobody else has ever come across this. My initial thought was to hole the hole in the centre of the rim enlarged so it would fit over the hub, but that would mean that the centre cap would now be floating around inside the rim. My next idea is to have the hubs machined down slightly. Any help on this would be much appreciated. PS: the old brake drums were original VW.

I have to add that this was a pretty botched job by the PO, as the are about four different wheel bolts on the car, some of which have been cut shoter with a hacksaw, so as not to catch onto the brake internals. Hence I will be on the lookout for original Smith Wheels bolts. If anybody has, please let me know.

The center caps are made in different sizes,

Have a look for the next size up and machine the rim to fit the new cap size.

Smiths made for different models and so there will be a cap that works for VW beetles

Herman

I had the same issue on one of my bugs awhile ago and I had the front hubs machined down (only took off about 1mm) solved the issue of the cloth stuffed into the wheel cap

I would just get a proper spacer made up to replace those siliconed on washers

retrovan wrote: ↑Mon Feb 03, 2020 11:27 am The center caps are made in different sizes,

Have a look for the next size up and machine the rim to fit the new cap size.

Smiths made for different models and so there will be a cap that works for VW beetles

Herman

Herman, where can those caps be found, as I don't think Smith Wheels are in business anymore?

jacquesbotha wrote: ↑Mon Feb 03, 2020 12:50 pm

retrovan wrote: ↑Mon Feb 03, 2020 11:27 am The center caps are made in different sizes,

Have a look for the next size up and machine the rim to fit the new cap size.

Smiths made for different models and so there will be a cap that works for VW beetles

Herman

Herman, where can those caps be found, as I don't think Smith Wheels are in business anymore?

I know someone who has just started making those caps again. Will pm you his details

I have seen it done and have had it done. We had the size of the drums reduced at a machine shop to fit smaller wheels like the 13inch rally mags. It was common practice