Hi people,

I've got a 90 Sidekick that I would like to have lifted (body AND suspension) by spring hopefully.

I'd really like to use factory Ford aluminum wheels. They look decent, can be bought cheap, and are lighter then steel counterparts.

I know the hub size is too small, I was just curious if anyone has SUCCESSFULLY machined out the hole to fit over the Zuki hub. I thought die grinder, but that seems tedious and not percise. I thought about my brake lathe at work, but can't figure out how I would mount the rim on the machine.

Any ideas?....I'm trying to stay low budget as I already have a yard full of project vehicles.

I don't have your answer, but are you sure the 4WD ford wheels would need machining?  It was my understanding that the 2WD wheels have smaller hub holes, but the 4WD were perfectly compatible.

Never looked into it myself.

We had one come into work and I measured the hole at roughly 3.5". Too small for a Zuk....nevermind the fact I've never seen anybody use them.

Doing a search on the topic all I find is "the hole is too small" or "machine out the center".

Just curious if anyone has actually done this task with success.

Hi people,

I've got a 90 Sidekick that I would like to have lifted (body AND suspension) by spring hopefully.

I'd really like to use factory Ford aluminum wheels. They look decent, can be bought cheap, and are lighter then steel counterparts.

I know the hub size is too small, I was just curious if anyone has SUCCESSFULLY machined out the hole to fit over the Zuki hub. I thought die grinder, but that seems tedious and not percise. I thought about my brake lathe at work, but can't figure out how I would mount the rim on the machine.

Any ideas?....I'm trying to stay low budget as I already have a yard full of project vehicles.

    Not sure how much you would have to take off the rim, but a friend of mine told me to use a stone cylinder hone... Either 3 or 4 stone... Just my 2 cents worth... No I havent tryed it yet either... I have a set of steel spkoers from a HEEP i'm going to use...

Never did think of that....exceptthe stones might wear out before you finished all 4 rims. Now I'm starting to wonder if a ridge reamer would work?

i have cut ford bronco wheels, used a sawsall and a grinder. 

nice

I heard that 4x4 rims had the right size hole what year did you bore out the center of?

we bored a set of stock 16" dodge wheels from a 96 1500. the ford is the same size. we used a lathe and test fit to get correct size. you can use cj wheels no mod. needed. i have a set of these on blap blap.

I out ford Rims on one of my Jeeps. A dremmel did the trick. Took a while though.

My steel wheels are from a Ford 4x4, and I didn't need to modify them.... 

I would not waste my time on any factory rims. They dont enough offset and will likely hit the front springs when you turn. Even if they dont hit, they wont give you the wider stance of aftermarkets and therefore wont provide sufisient rollover resistance on a lifted vehicle.

I have a set of 15 x 8 old style alum. slots that are ford and mopar bolt pattern that I have on my trac....what I had to do was take it to a machine shop and they put it on a end mill and done all 4 for me for $20. If I remeber the diameter was 4.25.

I would not waste my time on any factory rims. They dont enough offset and will likely hit the front springs when you turn. Even if they dont hit, they wont give you the wider stance of aftermarkets and therefore wont provide sufisient rollover resistance on a lifted vehicle.

That's funny, cause I wouldn't waste my money on new aftermarket rims. Wheeling with $800 worth of polished aluminum makes me think twice. There are many different factory rims with the same or slightly less backspacing than stock, and 1.5" - 2.5" wider. I'd rather put that bling money towards something usefull, like a winch, bumpers, skids, etc.

Not sure about older zukes but my Grand Vitara with 1 inch spidertrax wheel spacers will allow me to install any wheel so long as it has a 5x5.5 bolt pattern... that is, because of the spacers the center bore no longer matters.