So a couple of months ago I decide I'd like to get my Coupe restyled slightly with better alloys and LE skirts. I loved the look of the Dare V2s so started to investigate if they'd fit the Coupe.

I find out that the Dare V2, Excite and Wolfrace Triad all look identical and in fact the Excite are rebadged Triads.

So, I find out that the Coupe has a pcd of 4x98, an offset of ET38 and a bore-size of 58.1mm.

The Excite alloys have a pcd of 4x100 but I find out through the forum that they'll fit using wobbly bolts. It then takes me a while to find out their bore-size but eventually it's revealed to be 72.6mm. They are ET40 so no problems there on fitting.

So my search for the actual alloys begin. After a month or 2 of being outbid on numerous sets on ebay, some Excite 17" wheels are mine (below).

Click for photo of wheels.

They have 2 sets of holes, a 4x100 and 4x108 set. I figure this will make them easier to sell on afterwards as they fit more cars.

I go and collect them, managing to fit all 4 easily into the Coupe after removing the front passenger seat. They look lovely

I now set about getting the spigot rings and wobbly bolts, and after a big fccuk-up with a retarded ebay seller, I eventually get the correct sized rings in his 4th jiffy bag to me (I actually complained to paypal and got my money back and kept the rings!).

So there I am last Sunday. I borrowed a trolly-jack and torque wrench (and set it to 98NM of course), the sun was out, and I get down to jacking up the rear to start with. I made sure I used the correct jacking points so as not to crease the floor!

The old wheel comes off no problem. I grab the new one and find it doesn't go straight on. Hmmm. So I try rotating it to see if it'll only go on lined up a particular way. No such luck!

It appears that the 2 spikes which stick out of the hub prevent fitment of these alloys with 8 holes as there is no recess for them to fit in, and the 4x108pcd holes are too wide for them to slot through

I thought I'd be more annoyed than I am, especially after the hours of research that I did before buying what I thought were the correct sized wheels. So, they'll be on ebay soon for anyone looking for some tasty alloys for their non-Coupe car!

Can't you just remove the spikes?

Those two spikes on the hub are there to keep the disc in place whilst the wheel is off. As far as I know they are not structural to brakeing.

Correct me if i'm wrong but you should be able to run without these, and if you brake disk has been on the car for any length off time it will have stuck itself to the hub due to the heat it develops...

I think (thats only think, not "know") that there only there as a guide, on my passenger side i have one bolt holding the disc, not a spike, and on the drivers side i have 1 spike, so im not sure if they can just be changed to a bolt like mine, or if you can take them out altogether. Im sure someone will come on soon and give you some mre information.

as far as I am aware the spike have two functions:

to attach the disc to the hub

to help locate the wheel easily when putting it back on.

My current brake setup does not use them - the caliper holds a floating disk in place, and the wheelbolts keep everything together. I use the red spike in the fiat toolkit to locate the wheel, so I can't see why you could not run without them as long as you make sure that you have the right wheelbolts.

Why not give a specialist a call and ask them?

Or dont go and buy multifitment wheels, but unfortunately you already done that he he he only joking

That's not very kind Danirv!

I don't have any of the spikes on either of my front wheels - they sheared off in the hubs many years ago

It means the disc can rotate when the wheel is off, which in turn meansftitting the wheel is sometimes a PITA, as the holes in the disc don't line up with the hub holes

However, if you grind off the pins with about 5mm still protruding, they will still sit in the holes in the disc and prevent the disc turning

just take them out, most people have broken off anyway!!
another forum member, paul(lots of numbers)!!, had this recently too

Remove the two spike from each wheel Daniel, you don't need them.
As Suba said above, they are just there to locate the wheel when fitting it and to hold the brake disc in place when the wheel is off.

If you really wanted to, you could counter sink the holes in the brake disc and fit some countersunk screws to hold the disc in place. There is absolutely no need though, I've survived a year without them fitted and it causes no problems at all

Get out there, get em removed and get those wheels fitted

Show us some pictures when they're on.

Im missing the front spikes on mine and have no problems.
And incidentally, I have Cesam Daytona's which look pretty much the same as your ones

They were PCD 100 so have wobbly bolts and spiggot rings.

I hope you can get them fitted as they look on the car

Clicky

Guys this is excellent information!!!

So all is not lost! Right then, it seems removing the spikes doesn't make anything unsafe.

How hard would it be to grind the spikes down to 5mm as per Nigel's suggestion? I don't have many tools so need to know exactly what I'll need so I can get them borrowed and ready

Junior hacksaw / normal hacksaw / angle grinder

Either do that or what Jimbo mentioned and counter sink them, i have 1 bolt on my passengers side so someone must of lost one spike and replaced it with a bolt, thats only 5mm, ish, the head of it sticking out.

Yeah, both the ones on both sides of my fronts broke off when I changed the discs. Wheel bolts hold everything in place, so no need to worry. Like Nigel said though, re-fitting the wheels is a pain.....

Junk the spikes, they are purely to help locate the disc when fitting new ones, they are not integral to the function of the brakes/hub.

Noooooooo!!!!!

Those spikes are absolutely critical to the brakes, you can't touch them! Now put your original 20v wheels back on, and I would take those horrible after market wheels off your hand and fit them to my run about instead!

Some Azevs alloys are a straight swap for the originals and also need these spikes taken out

If you find your wheels are a pain to fit without those then you can get someone to cut up some 12mm dia metal rod about 15cm long and thread it with an M12x1.25mm thread and put a cut on the other end to screw in. I have some of these and it makes even my big fat 18s an easy fit.

my azevs accommodate the spikes, of which i have two still complete on each disc

Guys thanks for all the help, the wheels are now on!! I found that I was able to unscrew the spikes in the end which made things easier Was glad to get rid of the 15" VIS alloys which look too small for a Coupe. Pics below:

New wheels 1

New wheels 2

New wheels 3

They look great, but then I would say that

Maybe needs a bit of lowering now though

Lower it, lower it, lower it

I knew I'd be told to lower it I'm in 2 minds about it though because of a) cost b) I live near speed-bumps c) Privilege already want £113 to add the wheels to my insurance policy

Ive just raised my 20vt Plus after finally cracking as a result of the bone shuddering ride of Eibach 35mm droppers over London speed bumps - my life is now wonderful. I should have done this years ago - Oh the stupidity of youth!

If you lower a car by only using springs then the ride will always be terrible.