Hopefully one day I can stop posting so many DUMB questions but y'all are all I've got.

I went to 5 tire shops today requesting the following:

1. install my wheel adapters so my C6 wheels will fit nicely on my C5
2. Take out my C5 TPM sensors and put them in my C6 wheels
3. Install my C6 wheels and provide quotes for new tires

Annnnnd...nobody wanted my business. If they were willing to transfer the TPMS, they weren't willing to install my wheel adapters for safety concerns and vice versa. The one place that was wiling to do all wanted to $300 just to put on my wheel adapters. Then he tried to act like it'd be tough to find tires for C6 wheels yada yada so i just left.

Frustrated, I went to Lowes and picked up my very first torque wrench. I'm gonna try and install the wheel adapters myself (have to torque to 95lbs).

Question: do I need a special jack for Vettes? All this talk of hockey pucks worries me. I'd like to just use the little jack that came with my S10.

 

if you're doing one wheel at a time all you need is a floor jack (hydraulic) and a piece of 2x4. Be sure to loosen the lug nuts while the car is still on the ground. Place the piece of wood or hockey puck under the jacking point, and lift away. The rest is as easy as "lefty loosey, righty tighty". Don't forget to apply some anti-seize to the bolts and lug nuts when installing. This is an easy job. Shame you aren't closer, I'd do this for ya for a case of beer.

 

There's no need to worry about anything. A lot of guys run wheel adapters with wide body fenders...no big deal. Just buy a quality adapter made from aircraft grade aluminum. Hub centric adapters with grade 8 or higher studs are the preferred choice and highly recommended if you have to run an adapter. I'm sure there will be some that will chime in and say they would never run them, however, I've seen them run on race cars without any issues at all. Hell, Porsche put them on the early 930 Turbo from the factory to correct the offset needed for the larger rear fenders.
As far as needing a special jack, all you need is a floor jack that will roll under your car at the correct pick up points (there are slots in the frame rails) You can always drive your car up onto a piece of 2x10 lumber to increase the clearance. When you go to lift the car position the jack so it is placed in the slotted area of the frame and use a small piece of a 2x4 if you can't located a hockey puck or lift pucks. Just be careful that you are not lifting the car with any of the lower rocker panel trapped between the frame and jack head or you will crack or damage the rocker panel. You only need to lift the car high enough to get the tire to clear the ground.
I also suggest you back off on the lug nuts of the wheel you work on before you lift the wheels completely off the ground as it makes it easier to remove the lugs once the car is lifted. Trying to loosen the lugs when the wheel/tire are off the ground cause the wheel to spin making things harder. The other options is to have a buddy stand on the brakes to accomplish the same thing.
So, loosen the lugs, lift the car, continue to loosen and remove the lugs and remove the wheel/tire. Install the adapters, have someone hold the brakes and torque adapter to 100 FTLB. Double check your work, then install your new wheels and tires. Then snug up the lug nuts, lower the car, torque the lugs to 100 FTLB, double check your work. Proceed to the next wheel. Once you've done all four and your car is back on the ground, take her for a spin. Re-check the torque on all four wheels after the test drive and again in 100 miles. I check my wheel lugs once a month on all my cars for the safety of myself and my family. I hope this helps. Enjoy the ride!

MAD Matt

 

I have them on Mine with C6 Wheels....I installed my self...No Issues...Funny when I went to install the TPM's the Tire Shop said something about them....I told them I knew about them and no worries...Like was Said just make sure you get good ones...I bought the best that was suggested on here...no Problems at all....

 

Finished. Think I did it right but time will tell shortly. Now I need to get some new tires.

 

Can I ask why you needed an adapter? Would a thick spacer and extended studs not have worked for your setup?

 

My C6 wheels fit just fine...was very close but no Rubbing....I put 3/4 adapters on mine just to bring back out to the edge of the fenders to make up the offset difference...

 

Hockey pucks, the simplest, least expensive thing you can make for your Corvette!!!

I made mine the first week I owned the car. I keep them in one of the rear compartments, just in case.!

Here's the video I found to make mine.

 

Not sure what size adapters you need but I use the brand that I have attached a link to, I hope this helps. http://www.ebay.com/itm/HUBCENTRIC-W...lWOcxN&vxp=mtr

 

Obviously the video you refrenced is a Euro car (Porsche/Audi) no wheel studs, just bolts, and easy to install adapters. With most cars that do have studs you will have to shorten them when installing the adapters because they will protude past the mounting surface for the wheel, and will prevent it from making a flush contact.

Here you see the studs protruding through the adaptor.



With this wheel, notice the dimples on the back of the wheel hub. No need to cut the studs flush.


Here are my adapters for my Explorer that I recently ordered, and will install in the Spring.





Motorsport-tech.com

frank

 

Welcome to my world, ive had to learn to do so many things on my own because shops dont want to touch anything that is even remotely aftermarket anymore

it was so bad here i couldnt even find a shop to remove/install low profile tires at one time

They couldnt install hubcentric rings

They couldnt add negative camber to my car

They couldnt cut my fender lips

They couldnt lower the car

They couldnt swap steering wheels

They couldnt do this, and they couldnt do that

Its a combination of fear and lazyness on their part

They just love the old lady coming in that needs a new set of tires, an oil change and her brakes done

A quick $1500 in their pocket and onto the next one, no one wants to do any work anymore

The right thing to do here is buy a jack, a hex wrench and do it yourself , you will save money and wont be victimized by them the next time you need to do a wheel swap

 

It's not that they don't want to do the work, it's that there is no money to be made on a "custom" job and they can't be liable for aftermarket parts.

Buy a wrench, learn how to do it, it's fun and rewarding, and you save a buck.