Thread: is it possible to weld up & re-drill a differnt bolt pattern on a aluminum rim???

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I bought a set of mint condition of 15X7 aluminum 5 slot rims made by "U.S. Indy" with chevy 4 3/4 bolt pattern. but I didn't check all the rims when I bought them (took the guy's word) but one has the ford 4 1/2" bolt pattern, I want to know if it is possible to weld up the current holes and re-drill them to the chevy 4 3/4" bolt pattern???? has anyone done this, or is there a company that can do it? I can weld up the holes myself, but it seems to me that I would need a jig or something to make sure the hole are put in the exact place ,so the wheel will run true. any helP!!!!! if it can't be done, does anybody have or know someone who has any 15x7 U.S. indy rims with a 43/4 bolt pattern????? have been checking ebay, but now luck!!!

drill the hub to 4 1/2 .....i would not weld the rim

any suggestion on how it do it correctly???, change it from the ford 4 1/2 to the chevy 4 3/4 bolt pattern?????????

Many aftermarket wheel manufacturers drilled their wheels with a dual bolt pattern (10 holes in the wheel) to accomodate different cars. I'm with Pat, I would not weld up anything on the wheels, just re-drill them to the pattern you need (in between the existing holes). This will make them easier to sell when you decide to move on to something else. Check with machine shops in your area and ask if they have a mill or drill press with an index setup to drill 5 holes at 72 degrees at 2.375" radius from center.

If nobody locally can do it, call these guys. Freight back and forth shouldn't be that costly....
http://www.wheelcollision.com/wccsvcs.html

if the rear check with moser they are IN they have cut and redrill axles for me as long as there are no widows in the hub so you can move it and redrill this is the best way to go and it is much safer then welding or a wheel adapter

Moser is in Portland, Indiana.....
http://www.moserengineering.com/Pages/contact.html

Like Pat and Tech said ,drill the axel ,not the rim................or change the axel to the bolt pattern you have ,I am pretty sure re-drilling the axel pattern will be fine as long as you do not have 15 inch wide slicks on it.

There are companys that weld up damaged aluminum rims and guarantee them for life. Of course, it's YOUR life.

I do not see any reason you could not weld the rim, as long as you do not heat it up to much, whats the difference between that and any other structural part?

If you're good with a tig, you can weld a wheel. I've redrilled wheels on a vertical mill, no big deal. As Tech said, they're 72 degrees apart. I had a wheel rep years ago who gave me a bolt pattern template with only about a 1/16" hole where the holes for various bolt patterns go. I don't usually bother with welding the other holes shut, I usually just stick plastic plugs in the holes not used...

There was a guy who was a member here for a while, user name wheelkid, he hasn't been around here for a while, but I see he is still posting on HAMB. You might PM him on there and ask him the question. His Pop owned one of the major wheel companies at one time, and they still are involved to some degree, and he seemed to know his stuff when on here. Maybe he has the indexing machine and some simple UPS shipping might net you a drilled and possibly rewelded rim.

If he doesn't pan out, call some other wheel companies, and see if one of them will help you out. Most of these guys are rodders and will understand what you are trying to do.

Sorry to send you searching on brand X, but it is the only way I know for you to contact wheelkid.

Don

The name of Wheelkid's (dads) company is Rally America. Here is a link to it.

http://www.rallyamerica.com/

...thanks for the link.... ;0

How about slotting the holes?
I have changed the wheel patterns on many wheels by welding up the hubs (change # of holes) then redrill them, same with aluminum wheels( you should heat the aluminum to about 300*-350* before wheling). I have added a second bolt patern, and I have slotted the hole to a bigger or smaller patern, and then you don't have all the holes to show.

Just another way to do it.

Pat

When I encountered this I just sent the axels to Moser and them plugged and redrilled and tapped for long studs.