72 beetle wheel studs

bugpower · 20-12-2009, 09:23 PM

hi i have got a 1972 bug on 4 stud wheels but i wont to convert it to 5 stud due to a lot larger range of alloy wheels,this is were i need some help can i just fit 5 studs hubs ? or do i need a stud converter ? thanks bugpower

kyle · 20-12-2009, 11:36 PM

see machine 7 there r supposed 2 b the best quality aswell. there havin a clearout and the x-drilled disks r £55 each which r better than the solid ones which are £62.50 each. free delivery too! actually do u hav disks on the front? well anyway they do drums and disks. thing is, if u use wheel adapers there 25mm (1 inch) thick so it will seem like u'll hav an inch spacer so its a matter of measuring up what 'et' (offset) u will need, or like my situation, pan out nicely. but cus its like a spacer it supposed to make ur wheel bearings wear faster, but fingers crossed no probs yet! another problem is some wheel adapters may not have long enough studs on them n need taking out n longer ones putting in. now if u go for some expensive ones removing them will be a pain, but i bought cheap ones came out easy (they had pressed studs) n when i put the longer bolts in i welded them in. if u end up using new type alloys u will hav to do this. with the new drilled drums there will be no offset but do get new bearings for the front.

if i was u i wud go for the new drums and disks (if u hav them. if not u can get a disk coversion kit for the front) my reason is because on the 4 stud adapters u hav a offset lug which if u need longer studs it wud b very hard to lengthen it but if ur gonna use air cooled wheels it wud b ok. also hav a look on the street style and power site and it explains wheel sizes, offsets etc so u can work out what wud b best

stud pattern. they do 5x112= t2, t4 (van), audi, merc, passat...alot of people use this one
5x100= 5stud golf, new bug, scoobys (et55 tho),
4x100= 4stud golf polo lupo carrado, 4stud bmw (eg minis)
5x130= porsche
jag or chevy= 5x120.6= bmw are 5x120 and fit ok cus i got them as 17/8.5j/et45 on my 65 bug which is wide 5. if i didnt hav the adapers they wudnt fit rite cus they need the 25mm spacing. but as ur car is the 4 stud it may b different

the other advice i wud give u is to try n get the smallest width for the front as my wheels on full lock rub on my front beam and i lose just ova a quarter of a turn which takes a lot of time if u need 2 turn round in a cul-de-sac!

Mr Self Destruct · 21-12-2009, 07:30 AM

Its easy if you have drums at the front, just buy a set of pre-67 drums and bearings (although I think the outer bearings are the same). I had a '72 Baja with the early drums and that what the guy selling it told me.

As for the rears, all you need again are the early drums (maybe bearings - he didn't mention them) and a spacer to go between the outside of the drum and the 36mm nut.

If you have discs at the front, its a bit more complicated. I think you'll need a machine7 or csp kit.