4 lug VW rims for my sand rail

michaelaland

michaelaland

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Hi folks, newbie here. I just purchased this sand rail this weekend. My first. So excuse my ignorance. The rear tire has the 4 lug vw rim and paddles which is great but i want to purchase another set of rims and some all terrain tires for hard pack and they have to be narrower in order to fit on my trailer. (16 ft double axle flatbed that is 7.4 ft in-between wheel wells) The front wheels are spindle and need to purchase a spindle to hub conversion and then a set of rims for them as well with the all terrains. I have been looking around on craigslist for used ones and cant find any. I did find some brand new ones that were vw 4 lug steel front rims about 5 inches wide and 15 inch rims for $60. My questions are, about what width do I need for the rears (10inch?) and does the hub for the front just slide right on? I was reading something about King Pin and Link Pin spindles? Thanks in advance for your help. Here's a photo of the buggy and another of the fiasco I went through loading the darn thing on my trailer.

buggy.jpg

buggy on trailer.jpg

 
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J Alper said:
From The Pic the front looks like a link pin, 

not sure if you can take a better picture of the back of the front spindle on the back of the rim, I would run a 8'' on the back and no bigger, 

this will be the easier way for the front with dirt tires 

4235 Spindle Mount Steel Wheel 15 X 4 - fits link pin front end (cbperformance.com)

Spindle Mount Wheel for VW Link Pin Front Beams 15x4 - 1011050 – DuneBuggyWarehouse.com

View attachment 24539

View attachment 24540
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J, ok I will take a close up pic tomorrow. So with these two links you sent, your saying just get another spindle rim and put my all terrain on it instead of throwing the hub conversion?

 
Before you buy wheels pull one of them off & see if the inner & outer wheel bearings are both the same size.  if they are then they are "normal bug spindles".  if the inner is bigger than the outer then its a "combo" spindle.  the wheels will be different. 

on mine I ran a front tire that looked a lot like an old WW2 jeep tire.  I used that same tire in both the sand and the dirt, so I never had to swap front wheels/tires when I went from one to the other. 

Is it me or does that look like an awful lot of paddle for a little 2 seat VeeWee? 

 
Bobalos said:
Before you buy wheels pull one of them off & see if the inner & outer wheel bearings are both the same size.  if they are then they are "normal bug spindles".  if the inner is bigger than the outer then its a "combo" spindle.  the wheels will be different. 

on mine I ran a front tire that looked a lot like an old WW2 jeep tire.  I used that same tire in both the sand and the dirt, so I never had to swap front wheels/tires when I went from one to the other. 

Is it me or does that look like an awful lot of paddle for a little 2 seat VeeWee? 
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Same Padla-trak 1300s everyone ran back then.  The wide wheel makes for less dig/more float and shorter diameter.

@michaelaland I have some Desert Trak 1200s on a 4-lug wheel that fit on my 77" trailer with stock arms back in the day.  Loaned them to a friend, but he should be done with them.  I'll get some pictures, but $200?  Might have some spindle mount wheels lying around somewhere I'll toss in as well.

 
Bobalos said:
Before you buy wheels pull one of them off & see if the inner & outer wheel bearings are both the same size.  if they are then they are "normal bug spindles".  if the inner is bigger than the outer then its a "combo" spindle.  the wheels will be different. 

on mine I ran a front tire that looked a lot like an old WW2 jeep tire.  I used that same tire in both the sand and the dirt, so I never had to swap front wheels/tires when I went from one to the other. 

Is it me or does that look like an awful lot of paddle for a little 2 seat VeeWee? 
Click to expand...
I will check that out and also take a photo of the inside...you dont have a picture of those ww2 jeep tires you ran in the front do you?

 
Rockwood said:
Same Padla-trak 1300s everyone ran back then.  The wide wheel makes for less dig/more float and shorter diameter.

@michaelaland I have some Desert Trak 1200s on a 4-lug wheel that fit on my 77" trailer with stock arms back in the day.  Loaned them to a friend, but he should be done with them.  I'll get some pictures, but $200?  Might have some spindle mount wheels lying around somewhere I'll toss in as well.
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sounds great Rockwood!!! let me know....

 
probably about a gazillion of them.  LOL. I should do a "build" thread on it.  we did a LOT to that buggy.

I just got to thinking............ My buggy was a 5 lug, I have no idea if there is more than one spindle for the 4 lug stuff.  Maybe there is only 1, which would make life easy for you. 

Buggy_1_small.JPG

 
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J Alper said:
From The Pic the front looks like a link pin, 

not sure if you can take a better picture of the back of the front spindle on the back of the rim, I would run a 8'' on the back and no bigger, 

this will be the easier way for the front with dirt tires 

4235 Spindle Mount Steel Wheel 15 X 4 - fits link pin front end (cbperformance.com)

Spindle Mount Wheel for VW Link Pin Front Beams 15x4 - 1011050 – DuneBuggyWarehouse.com

J, here are some pictures of the inside of the wheel, Link Pin, King Pin or Ball Joint Pin?
Click to expand...


20220125_155335.jpg

20220125_155326.jpg

20220125_155350.jpg

 
You might also consider getting some 4-lug brake drums and having someone cut off the actual "drum" part on a brake lathe, and using them with 4-lug front wheels for offroad use. You will have better options in case of a flat that way. I had that setup once with 5-lugs on a linkpin front end.

And if it hasn't already been done, it is a good idea to get a rod machined to press into the speedometer cable hole to add some strength to the driver's side spindle.

 
azyxzer said:
You might also consider getting some 4-lug brake drums and having someone cut off the actual "drum" part on a brake lathe, and using them with 4-lug front wheels for offroad use. You will have better options in case of a flat that way. I had that setup once with 5-lugs on a linkpin front end.

And if it hasn't already been done, it is a good idea to get a rod machined to press into the speedometer cable hole to add some strength to the driver's side spindle.
Click to expand...
Thats an interesting idea..... I might consider that in the future. For now I have decided to just take the smoothies off the front and get a tire thats good for sand and hard pack and just keep the existing rim. I sure appreciate all the help from you all...

 
Yeah that is pretty much the same thing, only not the "junkyard" method!

 
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