Tips for attaching aftermarket wheels

[atomicholiday]

It seems aftermarket wheels come in an almost unlimited range of styles these days, and so are their attachment methods.  But unfortunately it’s not normally as straightforward as using the kit supplied method.

I don’t have a specific set in mind for this thread, but rather, I’d like to hear your tips and advice on how you’ve accomplished this task in the past.  

Let’s hear it then.  How have you made aftermarket wheels work for you?  Any style welcome.  What modifications did you make to the axles/wheels?  Glue you used?  Anything else that could be helpful to someone on the board who might be facing the same problem.

[stitchdup]

i find it varies from kit to kit and for some different styles. if its a solid wheel i'm very likely to not worry about brakes since they are hidden but on kits like the revell audi r8s it means ditching the brakes for aftermarket parts and making aoshima  or tamiya style mounts. if its a wire axle kit the aoshima mount works best as you can drill some sprue to fit the wire and then glue that to the mounts. I would say the easiest way to work it out is from bakes though. tamiya mounts are the easiest though as it just a case of filling the stock wheel mount/brake to fit the tamiya mounts. There are free files for the mounts on cults or if you pm your email to me a i can send you the files my friend drew up for me. I know they fit most wheel styles

[espo]

Over time I have purchased several different size Wire Nails or Brads at Home Depot to use for mounting wheels on a model. From the most used size, #15x1 1/2, #16x1 1/4 and #17x3/4 length. I even have some #18x3/4 but haven't had to use them that often.  They come in small plastic containers and are usually sold based on weight, so they are really inexpensive. You will need a large wire cutter type of plyers to cut to length. 

[slusher]

On 8/13/2024 at 11:53 AM, stitchdup said:

i find it varies from kit to kit and for some different styles. if its a solid wheel i'm very likely to not worry about brakes since they are hidden but on kits like the revell audi r8s it means ditching the brakes for aftermarket parts and making aoshima  or tamiya style mounts. if its a wire axle kit the aoshima mount works best as you can drill some sprue to fit the wire and then glue that to the mounts. I would say the easiest way to work it out is from bakes though. tamiya mounts are the easiest though as it just a case of filling the stock wheel mount/brake to fit the tamiya mounts. There are free files for the mounts on cults or if you pm your email to me a i can send you the files my friend drew up for me. I know they fit most wheel styles

Your a good guy, Les!

[bobss396]

I have struggled with time now and then. I hoard up old kit wheel backs, so most register on the tires and not the wheels. I have to sand some parts down so they have no interference. When I had lathe access at work, I made my own adapters/wheel backs.

I find that if 3D printed wheels do have a locating feature, they are often not concentric with the wheel and are an odd size. So there is little chance of taking some plastic or metal stock to mount them.

My best chances are with using the kit wheel backs, or sifting through my wheel back stash.

[atomicholiday]

Thanks for all the responses guys!  
This is a topic I’ve been thinking about quite a bit lately.  Since I started printing my own wheels, it’s become more important to figure out how to actually use them.  

[stinkybritches]

If Jeremy doesn't mind, I would like to piggyback on this topic. How do you make sure that your attachment method is centered on the wheel?

[stitchdup]

17 minutes ago, stinkybritches said:

If Jeremy doesn't mind, I would like to piggyback on this topic. How do you make sure that your attachment method is centered on the wheel?

i tend to assemble the brakes then use them to centre the wheels. most of the time it just takes 3 spacers around the edge of the disc/drum to get them centred.

[stinkybritches]

4 hours ago, stitchdup said:

i tend to assemble the brakes then use them to centre the wheels. most of the time it just takes 3 spacers around the edge of the disc/drum to get them centred.

That makes sense. Thanks Les.

[bobss396]

22 hours ago, atomicholiday said:

Thanks for all the responses guys!  
This is a topic I’ve been thinking about quite a bit lately.  Since I started printing my own wheels, it’s become more important to figure out how to actually use them.  

This is why I think some parts-makers do not actually use their products. If you are going to add a feature, as in a center hole, make it something that is actually useful, a standard size.

[NOBLNG]

23 hours ago, stinkybritches said:

If Jeremy doesn't mind, I would like to piggyback on this topic. How do you make sure that your attachment method is centered on the wheel?

Here’s a couple of ways to find the center of a wheel. 1) A center finder attachment for a combination square. 2) Find something close to half the diameter and mark the wheel four times to get double crosshairs straddling the exact center. Both can be done with or without the tire mounted.

 

Edited August 17, 2024 by NOBLNG

[NOBLNG]

I also cast a couple sizes of disc brake rotors that I can drill to slide over the evergreen stub that I mount to the wheels.

[stavanzer]

O.T.

Man, I like the Looks of that Pencil!

Is it as Good as it looks?

 

[NOBLNG]

46 minutes ago, stavanzer said:

O.T.

Man, I like the Looks of that Pencil!

Is it as Good as it looks?

 

Yes, I get them at Staples. They are available in many different grades too.

• Very soft pencils for drawing (12B–3B) 
• Pencils in classic hardness grades for writing and sketching (2B, B, HB, H, 2H) 
• Very hard pencils for technical drawing and cartography (3H - 10H)

Much better than a standard HB (soft) pencil. A good quality sharpener is also a worthwhile investment.

https://www.staedtler.com/ca/en/products/pencils-and-accessories/graphite-pencils/

Edited August 17, 2024 by NOBLNG

[stinkybritches]

6 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

Here’s a couple of ways to find the center of a wheel. 1) A center finder attachment for a combination square. 2) Find something close to half the diameter and mark the wheel four times to get double crosshairs straddling the exact center. Both can be done with or without the tire mounted.

 

Thank you very much. 

[stavanzer]

5 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

Yes, I get them at Staples. They are available in many different grades too.

 

• Very soft pencils for drawing (12B–3B) 
• Pencils in classic hardness grades for writing and sketching (2B, B, HB, H, 2H) 
• Very hard pencils for technical drawing and cartography (3H - 10H)

Much better than a standard HB (soft) pencil. A good quality sharpener is also a worthwhile investment.

https://www.staedtler.com/ca/en/products/pencils-and-accessories/graphite-pencils/

Thanks!

I'll be getting some later.

[Radretireddad]

Tip number One.

If you’re like me and don’t like the wimpy little OEM tires many current muscle car kits come with, here’s how I fit a bigger set of meats on the existing kit wheel backs.

Wrap the existing kit wheel backs in whatever width and thickness of evergreen strip stock necessary to make the fit.

Test fit various widths and thicknesses of strip to find a good match. Cut a piece of strip to match the ID circumference of the tire you’re upgrading to and tuck it inside. Apply a few drops of your preferred cement to the outer edge of the wheel back, insert it and presto, instant wheel to tire adapter!

These are for the Revell 1966 GTO. The one on the right has been wrapped. You can also layer the strips one inside the other if you can’t find any stock thickness that works.

Edited August 20, 2024 by Radretireddad

[Radretireddad]

Tip number 2.

When narrowing a set of wheels or fabricating widening rings, I've found it difficult to get a precise cut using my drill as a lathe. It’s also difficult trying to find ways to securely chuck various types of wheels into my drill so I came up with this method instead.

I place various thicknesses of evergreen square or rectangular rod under my razor saw and clamp them to the edge of my workbench. I then drag the wheel along the edge of the blade while rotating it.

This gives me a precise cut that always ends where it started and cuts exactly the same width on all 4 wheels.

You can cut chrome plated wheels if you cover the face with masking tape to protect the finish. You can also use strip stock under the saw for very narrow cuts. You can also cut various diameter’s and wall thicknesses of PVC tubing if you like.

The only caveat is that it’s hard on the old fingertips.

Edited August 20, 2024 by Radretireddad

[Radretireddad]

Tip number 3.

Many of the current round 2 offerings use an inner retainer cap that fits into the wheel back which requires the use of only the wheels and tires that came in the kit to capture the inner retainer with no excess slop between the inner and outer wheel. Since I’d like to use other wheels and tires that may not maintain the proper fit, I came up with this.

I first file the head of the inner retainer cap down so it’s thinner than the cavity in the wheel back. I then rough cut 4 pieces of evergreen sheet stock into discs, clamp them in a stack and drill a small hole through the center of all four at once.

I then screw the stack of all four into my Dremel arbor, spin ‘em up and file all four down to just fit inside the inner wheel back.

Place the retaining cap into the wheel back and carefully glue each disc you’ve just made into the wheel back around the outer edge. Now the inner retaining cap is captured with no side to side slop and your free to use any wheel and tire you want.

These are off of The AMT 1970 Monte Carlo.

I hope you’ll find these useful.

Edited August 20, 2024 by Radretireddad

[R. Thorne]

Great tips, Brian.  Thank you.

[Radretireddad]

On 8/20/2024 at 4:54 PM, R. Thorne said:

Great tips, Brian.  Thank you.

My pleasure!