18" Kazera KZA hub clearance issues

[Geek SHO]

I found a deal I couldn't resist and bought some 18" x 7 (or maybe 7.5") Kazera KZA's already wrapped in Yokohama AVS ES100s.

I went to put them on yesterday to find that they fit very nicely on the front of my '89 SHO, but the rear "axle" cap things do not clear into the center of the wheel. I didn't have my camera with me, but there is a dome shaped cap on the rear "axles" (I'm guessing that's what they are called) that just barely clears the hole in the center of slicers. The hole in the middle of the KZAs is a bit too small.

Is there a way to shave/shorten/remove the cap? Or will I have to get the wheels machined to fit around the axles? If that's the case, I won't be able to fit the small centercaps on the rear wheels.

These wheels look too flippin' amazing to give up on them now. I know the next clearance problem will probably be the fender lip on the Gen I's 3/4 fender design, but I'll just cut or fold it in.

 

[Rubix]

just get a screwdriver and pop the caps out

 

[warmonger]

i assume want you mean is the hub? it comes out through the rotor and into the center or the wheels? you can have the rim machined,you need to know the diameter of the hub though,and make sure there enough meat on the rims to have it done. i've seen it done to is300 wheels on a probe gt,and there's a member on here who has pgt rims on his sho,along with redrilling the lug holes i think he needed the hub hole machined as well. hope that helps

 

[Geek SHO]

I'll take some pictures tonight. It should help be more specific.

 

[Rubix]

sorry, i assumed the cap on your hub was just the rubber one you can pop out.

 

[K-Dawg]

If I'm not mistaken, someone else on the forum had a set of those wheels, but I don't remember who. I don't recall them having any trouble.

 

[JSIL1]

'dust' cap that covers the axle nut would be my guess

 

[AutoSHO]

Not quite just a dust cap in an '89. They have greasable bearings instead of the sealed ones the later (90+) cars had.

Is the diameter on the ID of the wheel that is causing the problem, or is it the height of the cap sticking out that is a problem?

 

[warmonger]

diameter is too big from what he's saying..just take them to a machine shop,and let them know the size of the hub cap

 

[Geek SHO]

Here's a closeup of the trouble spot. A slicer is mounted in the picture, but you can see where the dirt was scuffed off when I was trying to install the Kazera. I tried prying this cap off with a small screwdriver, but it seems pretty much on there.

Is it safe to shave it down, or does it have a bearing and/or grease inside? I don't know what it is other than maybe what attaches the rotor, etc, to the wheel bearings (which I'm not familiar with either).

I'd rather mess with the stock '89 stuff or swap it for later rear knuckles than modify the wheels. I could resell the wheels later in that case.

 

[warmonger]

you could always sell the wheels after you modify them..if the next owner has a smaller hub..he'd just have to buy hubcentric rings..no biggie

 

[SHO2NV]

Modifying wheels=bad idea.

I know this seems to simple to be the problem, but look to see if the wheels have the hub-centric ring in there. If so, take it out and that should take care of the problem.

What were the wheels off of?

 

[Geek SHO]

The previous owner got them for his Volvo. They're aftermarket wheels. Here's a link to the wheels on Kazera's site:
Kazera KZ-A

Anyone know if the clearance is different on later rear knuckles?

 

[NeedAPartsCar]

Those are sweet!

 

[SmoknHondaOwnrs]

You sould be able to just knock that dust cap off. I think there is just a nut underneath of it. As was said before also, see if there is the hub centric ring on the wheels alread. It might be blending in and hard to tell its there. If it isnt, just try taking the dust cap completely off, or you could try using a hammer and make it smaller.

Sweet wheels BTW, you gotta get those on there!!

 

[SHO92]

Someone else a while back had the same problem with these wheels. Try searching for the wheel type on the forum and you might be able to find the post.

As long as you're putting the wheels on a 90+, you can remove the black cap. Behind it is just a large nut that holds the hub/bearing assembly.

Another idea is pull off the cap and head to the parts store. See if they have anything that is the same diameter, but flat instead of domed. I can't remember 100%, but I don't think the axle stub that the nut screws onto protrudes into the domed cap at all.

 

[Geek SHO]

As I mentioned above, this is on an '89, so I'm not sure if it's just a dust cap. Someone said '90+ was different. I could also look at the '91+ that's parked right next to it. Maybe I should dig through the Ford repair manuals that I have (which are '89 specific) to see how these are put together. By the way, are these books known as the Helms manuals?

And yes, I DO need to get them on there. I thought the all-black car looked pretty badass with black slicers, but these blow any slicers away.

 

[93rev2sev]

Maybe the dust cover can be removed, then the wheel installed, then the dust cover reinstalled...because the pic shows a slicer, I am having diffuculty seeing how the problem is affecting fitment.

 

[SHO92]

The 89 rear hub is definitely different then the 90+ ones. I'm fairly certain the 90+ has a sealed bearing and the 89 is not sealed, therefore that dust cap needs to stay on.

Your only bet may be going to the parts store and seeing if you can match something up, or upgrade to the 90-92 rear knuckles. Your calipers and rotors with fit the same, and you'll have an easier time getting replacement rotors too since the hub diameter is different on the 89.

 

[greenbeanmtx]

I had this same problem with a set of kazeras for my rx7 i used to have. Tire rack had me send photos of the problem and they refunded my full purchase price and removed them from the choice list. Its very bad to modify the wheel itself. I actually ruined a brand new wheel by trying to put it on and not knowing there was an issue. I actually cracked the casting on the hub.