I knew the wheel would not fit:-)

[ARWadsworth]

One of the brain dead apprentices has bought some second hand alloy wheels for his car.

I pointed out that they would not fit his car and he said he would flare out the wheel arches to make them fit. I pointed out again that they would still not fit.

He has just phoned me and told me that they will not fit his car.

The reason they do not fit is because his car has 4 studs per wheel and the alloys have 5 studs. I could have told him that last week but I could not be bothered.

Please feel free to fill in the missing word. And remember that he has spent

3 weeks wages on new tyres for the alloys:-)

He is a thick "PLACE WORD HERE".

[Andy Cap]

but presumably not the reason ! Not EXACTLY being helpful then.

Andy C

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Even with the correct number of studs, the centres of those vary. As does the size of the centre of the wheel which locates it. That's before the more basics of diameter width and offset. It is sometimes possible to fit wheels from another make - but it's pretty rare.

[Tim Streater]

Will he try and bodge it? You can drill the alloy can't you?

[js.b1]

# of studs... PCD diameter... hub centric preferably achieved via machining rather than rings... ET offset...

It used to be so easy to go to an alloy wheel seller, lookup the car and get the details like 5 stud, 114.3, 67.1, ET42 etc and then ask whether it needs hub rings (without which it will vibrate even if balanced) and whether it needs spacers (which need to be within OEM limits although more common on RWD like porsche & bmw).

Anything above 16" on UK roads is a bit of a joke as it bends (or cracks) like silly re pot holes and missing grid covers. You have to go very wide to keep some height profile (aspect ratio) to absorb the bumps, and even kick pressure up a bit. Many OEM do not make the situation better by only supplying 4 wheels and pricing a replacement at insane levels (=A31250 for some, even japan-euro-box =A3400). So worth getting some shaped wood blocks, scissor jack & tape measure ready to straighten them! Spoke side buckles are a trip to the aluminium recycler... or they come to you if locks are omitted. Courtesy of your local pikey...

[Steve Firth]

[snip]

Just wait until he buys another set with the wrong PCD. And then another set with the wrong offset. Then another set with the wrong width.

"apprentice"

Will he come back and ask for a wage advance to see him through the month? Prace bets now!

[Brian Gaff]

And of course if he eventually gets some wide alloys to fit, the cops will be on him as soon as you can say ello ello...

Brian

[mogga]

Is this one of the ones that went home without gritting the yard?

[ARWadsworth]

[Tim Watts]

Not really running on a full tank then...

[fred]

Oh dear, I bet he wont tell the insurance company either, voiding his insurance. Still, maybe an intrepid plod will spot them before he smashes into someone, check for declared mods on the insurance and take it off him for no insurance.

[ARWadsworth]

It's not his insurance policy. His mother is fronting the policy.

[Onetap]

I'd have told him about the different number of studs if I'd noticed it. I'm bemused as to why you wouldn't.

So now he's wasted 3 weeks wages, is humiliated and may be stewing up a great mound of resentment towards you. And he works for you. Interesting.

[Tim]

To be fair, I rather suspect he'd bought the wheels before Adam's involvement. I can't see why the apprentice would blame Adam for any of his woes.

Tim

[dennis]

You have read ARWs posts before?

[Onetap]

If Adam knew, didn't tell him and has told him he had known and hadn't told him, then he probably would, if you see what I mean.

[ARWadsworth]

The main driver named on the certificate or the main driver in real life?

Do you really need to ask?

[ARWadsworth]

I have read your posts

I still not have not managed to read a constructive post that you have made to the group or indeed a post where you were correct.

[Dave Liquorice]

So Mummy is the "main driver" on the paperwork but rarely drives the car.

[Lieutenant Scott]

I got new (2nd hand) wheels for my Golf (as one was leaking as it was cracked and welding wasn't lasting), and after searching for 3 months all I could find were ones with different sized inner hole locator whatsits, and they were 17" not 19" wheels.

Seems to work, although I remove the top of speedbumps if I go over 1mph. Sometimes I just scrape them and alarm pedestrians, sometimes I go 1mph and really piss off the guy behind me - I have a towbar, so it's his radiator that'll get damaged if he doesn't slow aswell). It's the council's fault for putting obstacles on the road as far as I'm concerned, so I don't care. Sometimes I take great delight in hooting the horn every time I go over the bump

- "must be a faulty connection".

As for the inner bits, it seems the new wheels are actually correct, but the existing ones actually had some sort of PLASTIC washer to make the holes smaller. What the hell?!?!?!