garage wheels - LotusTalk

Less Moore · 11-07-2005, 05:57 PM

Does anyone have a suggestion for some really cheap wheels that could be used for rolling the Elise around in the garage when it's not on blocks this winter? I'd like something I could mount a set of narrow tires, pumped up to about 50 psi. I wouldn't think the center would be important as long as it was as large or larger than the Elise's hubs, since the tapered bolts should be sufficient to center the wheels for such use. I mostly need to know of any stock wheels that are 4 x 100 mm with sufficient clearance for the calipers.

lotuscar · 11-07-2005, 07:17 PM

Why don't you purchase casters to place under the tires. You can roll the car latterly as well.

Dave · 11-07-2005, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lotuscar

Why don't you purchase casters to place under the tires. You can roll the car latterly as well.

I could see that being handy. Where can you pick up a set?

Troy_Audio · 11-07-2005, 08:06 PM

I beleave you can find them here
http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/
Peace Troy

Dave · 11-08-2005, 06:10 AM

Here's a selection...some other nice garage stuff too:
http://www.mygaragestore.com/parkingproducts.aspx

adlitns · 11-08-2005, 06:31 AM

Cheap versions here www.harborfreighttools.com

waydui · 11-08-2005, 07:16 AM

Here's another source:

http://www.autosportcatalog.com/index.cfm?fa=p&pid=1176

Wayne

TimMullen · 11-08-2005, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adlitns

Cheap versions here www.harborfreighttools.com

Wrong URL... Try: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=38959 You can usually catch then on sale for around $80 for the set of four. For full price, I'd get one of the ones posted above...

Dave · 11-08-2005, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimMullen

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=38959 You can usually catch then on sale for around $80 for the set of four. For full price, I'd get one of the ones posted above...

Guessing you must jack the car to use these vs drive-on?

TimMullen · 11-08-2005, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave

Guessing you must jack the car to use these vs drive-on?

Yep, the ones that you pointed to above are much better, but the price for the cheaper one is twice the not on sale price of the "set the car down on" dollies. The hydraulic one is even more

. Buy the GoJak 500 (http://www.mygaragestore.com/detail.aspx?ID=932) are really nice for the $310... Now if I could talk my wife into them...

OppositeLock · 11-08-2005, 02:30 PM

The GoJaks are nice if you are looking for something to very quickly move a car around in the garage without using a floor jack. The one draw back of the GoJaks that I have found is that they will leave 'flat' spots in the tires at the point where it picks up the tire especially if the car is left on them for a couple of months. I recommend and use the harbor freight dollies in my garage. They might be a bit crude but they are very nice to use on a vehicle going into winter storage. They have curved surfaces that do not flat spot the tires (especially when the tires are inflated to the max sidewall pressure) and after removing the casting clag from the iron caster wheels roll easily in any direction (even better by replacing with nylon industrial casters). The steel support rod makes for a great place to push and/or pull the car from so that you do not need to actually push on the vehicle to move it. It takes less than 5 minutes with a floor jack to get the Elise on all four dollies.

PsychoRallye · 11-08-2005, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OppositeLock

The GoJaks are nice if you are looking for something to very quickly move a car around in the garage without using a floor jack. The one draw back of the GoJaks that I have found is that they will leave 'flat' spots in the tires at the point where it picks up the tire especially if the car is left on them for a couple of months. I recommend and use the harbor freight dollies in my garage. They might be a bit crude but they are very nice to use on a vehicle going into winter storage. They have curved surfaces that do not flat spot the tires (especially when the tires are inflated to the max sidewall pressure) and after removing the casting clag from the iron caster wheels roll easily in any direction (even better by replacing with nylon industrial casters). The steel support rod makes for a great place to push and/or pull the car from so that you do not need to actually push on the vehicle to move it. It takes less than 5 minutes with a floor jack to get the Elise on all four dollies.

Is that what is recommended for winter storage? Leaving the tires on and inflating to max sidewall pressure (more or less)?

I'm worried about 2 things...

a. Flat spots
b. My tires rubber compound degrading slightly since they are not rated for anything below 17 degrees. (I understand they become slightly crystalline) -- I have A048s

Comments/suggestions?

OppositeLock · 11-08-2005, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsychoRallye

Is that what is recommended for winter storage? Leaving the tires on and inflating to max sidewall pressure (more or less)?

I'm worried about 2 things...

a. Flat spots
b. My tires rubber compound degrading slightly since they are not rated for anything below 17 degrees. (I understand they become slightly crystalline) -- I have A048s

Comments/suggestions?

The Harbor Freight dollies will help prevent flat spots with their curved tire area but they are really not necessary if you are storing your car for only a couple of months. I usually inflate the tires to the max sidewall pressure for some extra insurance against flat spots whenever the car is going to sit for an extended period of time. IIRC, the 048's max pressure is 51 psi.

Regarding the temperatures that your tires will see is dependant upon your garage and/or storage situation and the tire's condition. This situation/condition will determine your options. For example, this year I am not too concerned with exposing my 048s to low temps as I have heat cycled the heck out of them and am ready for replacement ones come spring. I plan to keep this 'old' set on the Elise throughout winter storage in my garage. To ensure that the replacement 048s don't ever see damaging cold temps, the plan is to keep this old set to remount as required or mount on a second set of rims.

Newhouse · 11-09-2005, 03:24 PM

here's a set from Griot's garage
http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog....3030&SKU=77730

We have a similar set. I primarily use them for positioning our cars in the garage for the winter. I do not leave the car on the dollies.

Surferjer · 11-09-2005, 03:32 PM

I have a suggestion:

DRIVE THE CAR!!!

milcher · 11-09-2005, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PsychoRallye

a. Flat spots
b. My tires rubber compound degrading slightly since they are not rated for anything below 17 degrees. (I understand they become slightly crystalline) -- I have A048s

Comments/suggestions?

To eliminate flat spots?
http://www.tirecradle.com/tcradle.htm

As far as cold temps go, it sounds like you need a cheap set of wheels and tires.

ready4-1 · 11-09-2005, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milcher

As far as cold temps go, it sounds like you need a cheap set of wheels and tires.

keep us updated if you find some...

kibbles · 11-10-2005, 02:13 PM

couldn't agree with you more Jer - I'm still driving mine everyday. I only wish the drive to/from work were longer . . .

Keeper · 11-10-2005, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milcher

To eliminate flat spots?
http://www.tirecradle.com/tcradle.htm

How could those possibly work?

Less Moore · 11-10-2005, 08:11 PM

I would drive it year round, but the roads get pretty nasty by late December (or earlier) with salt that I'm not crazy about subjecting the belly pan to. So, I'm still looking for cheap wheels. The dollies are nice, but with wheels & tires, I can back it out of one garage stall to put it on my lift in the other stall or turn it around so the front or back is where my work bench is handy. Most of the storage time, I intend to have it on jack stands so the springs get some rest. Anyone know what the cheapest wheels are that will fit?

11-07-2005, 05:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
Less Moore Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 177	garage wheels Does anyone have a suggestion for some really cheap wheels that could be used for rolling the Elise around in the garage when it's not on blocks this winter? I'd like something I could mount a set of narrow tires, pumped up to about 50 psi. I wouldn't think the center would be important as long as it was as large or larger than the Elise's hubs, since the tapered bolts should be sufficient to center the wheels for such use. I mostly need to know of any stock wheels that are 4 x 100 mm with sufficient clearance for the calipers.

11-07-2005, 08:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
Troy_Audio Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Dewey,Az(Prescott) Posts: 779	I beleave you can find them here http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/ Peace Troy __________________ Nothing Can Replace Skill http://turnfast.com

11-08-2005, 06:10 AM	#5 (permalink)
Dave Mods are good for you Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,961	Here's a selection...some other nice garage stuff too: http://www.mygaragestore.com/parkingproducts.aspx __________________ 2008 Solar S240 Exige 2005 Saffron Elise - BOE TVS Supercharger 291WHP w/ EFI Engine Mgmt

11-08-2005, 06:31 AM	#6 (permalink)
adlitns Obsessed Lurker Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Central Florida Posts: 49	Cheap versions here www.harborfreighttools.com __________________ Chris

11-08-2005, 07:16 AM	#7 (permalink)
waydui GR8 SCAPE Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Kirtland, Ohio Posts: 1,182	Here's another source: http://www.autosportcatalog.com/index.cfm?fa=p&pid=1176 Wayne Attached Images __________________ _______________________ '05 Elise Magnetic Blue, Black, Touring, Hard Top, Star Shield, Stage II Exhaust, Arqray decat pipe, S2 Front Splitter (UK), Sector 111 Rear Tow Hook, Driving Lights, De-Snorkled, K&N Air Filter, Shift-I System, LSS Dampers & Springs, Sector 111 V-Bar, Schroth Profi II 5 point harness, Exige S Probax seats, 1/4 turn undertray screws, Stealth bulbs, BWR SC with PES tune, Innovative engine mounts, SS brake lines.

11-07-2005, 07:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
lotuscar Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Boston Posts: 462	Why don't you purchase casters to place under the tires. You can roll the car latterly as well.

11-08-2005, 02:30 PM	#11 (permalink)
OppositeLock One turn from sanity Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Out finding the next twisty back road Posts: 186	The GoJaks are nice if you are looking for something to very quickly move a car around in the garage without using a floor jack. The one draw back of the GoJaks that I have found is that they will leave 'flat' spots in the tires at the point where it picks up the tire especially if the car is left on them for a couple of months. I recommend and use the harbor freight dollies in my garage. They might be a bit crude but they are very nice to use on a vehicle going into winter storage. They have curved surfaces that do not flat spot the tires (especially when the tires are inflated to the max sidewall pressure) and after removing the casting clag from the iron caster wheels roll easily in any direction (even better by replacing with nylon industrial casters). The steel support rod makes for a great place to push and/or pull the car from so that you do not need to actually push on the vehicle to move it. It takes less than 5 minutes with a floor jack to get the Elise on all four dollies. __________________ 2005 Elise - Chrome Orange / Black / Touring Pack / Sport Pack / Hard Top / StarShield

11-09-2005, 03:24 PM	#14 (permalink)
Newhouse Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Richfield, Ohio Posts: 190	here's a set from Griot's garage http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog....3030&SKU=77730 We have a similar set. I primarily use them for positioning our cars in the garage for the winter. I do not leave the car on the dollies. __________________ ------------------------------------------------- 05 Elise, Storm Ti, Black Int, Hardtop, Starshield, LSS

11-09-2005, 03:32 PM	#15 (permalink)
Surferjer No more cone damage! Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Exton, PA Posts: 8,885	I have a suggestion: DRIVE THE CAR!!! __________________ Jer-2005 Elise (retired from autox) 1993 MR2 autox car 2002 Ford Excursion DIESEL 4 X 4 1993 Miata (throwout bearing or clutch failure) 1987 Toyota Corolla FX16 Lemons car (needs new head) 1984 Chevy Citation Lemons car (needs a motor)

11-10-2005, 02:13 PM	#18 (permalink)
kibbles -1 Indy, +1 CT Elise Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Glastonbury, CT Posts: 58	couldn't agree with you more Jer - I'm still driving mine everyday. I only wish the drive to/from work were longer . . . __________________ Starlight Black, Starshield, Touring, Red Interior

11-10-2005, 08:11 PM	#20 (permalink)
Less Moore Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 177	driving it I would drive it year round, but the roads get pretty nasty by late December (or earlier) with salt that I'm not crazy about subjecting the belly pan to. So, I'm still looking for cheap wheels. The dollies are nice, but with wheels & tires, I can back it out of one garage stall to put it on my lift in the other stall or turn it around so the front or back is where my work bench is handy. Most of the storage time, I intend to have it on jack stands so the springs get some rest. Anyone know what the cheapest wheels are that will fit?

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