RIVNIK Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Greetings! Here we go again with the most hashed over yet unresolved topic ever. I have a set of Rally wheels... they came with my '65 when I bought it 25 yrs. ago, but were removed when one was found to be bent & "unbalanceable". At that point I realized they were the wrong years, so I switched to stock road wheels & caps, & the Rallys were sent to the shed. Three are marked 895 JJ, & are from a '71-'85(according to recently posted chart)....the other is an 802 from '66-'67. They all have hash marks from contact w brake drum fins on the inner sides, even though they APPEAR to make solid contact w the drum faces when mounted. I recently talked to a shop who says they can straighten the unbalanced wheel, so my question is this........ can I obtain register rings to bring the wheels away from the drums and make these suitable for my '65? Thanks again to all you guys for your valuable knowledge, RIVNIK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carbuff2 Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 I do not believe that the register rings, move the wheels away from the drum, they merely center the wheel onto the drum and make the wheel more stable as it is not only being supported by the lug bolts/nuts. The lug bolt and nuts hold the wheel against the drum, the centering ring help support the weight of the vehicle. The way to move the wheel away from the drum is by using spacers 5/16" should do it. You should be able to confirm the 66 67 wheels as they have more of an offset than the 71 and up wheels. That is my knowledge about the register rings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Curran Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 (edited) I can understand the 71 wheel fitting years up to 1978, but the original rally road wheel was never offered from the factory on the 79 to 85 generation or any subsequent generation. Riviera's were converted to front wheel drive with the 1979 model year and have a different hub assembly. Not sure who put the reference chart together but I would be surprised if they fit any years after 1978. Edited June 13, 2016 by Pat Curran added more information (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abandg Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Drew, I replied to you on my parts to the national. Gene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIVNIK Posted June 13, 2016 Author Share Posted June 13, 2016 Thanks Guys. Looking forward to hearing from you Gene. BTW, exactly what does a register ring look like. Is it a solid flat ring or is it drilled for lug nuts to pass through? Pardon my ignorance but I don't remember ever actually seeing one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIVNIK Posted June 13, 2016 Author Share Posted June 13, 2016 Me again....I know register rings were standard on '65 wheels and are welded to the wheel...I occasionally here mention of them being knocked off presumably to use the wheel on another year Riv. Since only '65s have them, will the addition of a ring make another year Rally wheel suitable for a '65? Can a '65 wheel without the ring still be used on the '65? And are they available? Does anyone have any in their parts pile? So many questions..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 9 minutes ago, RIVNIK said: Me again....I know register rings were standard on '65 wheels and are welded to the wheel...I occasionally here mention of them being knocked off presumably to use the wheel on another year Riv. Since only '65s have them, will the addition of a ring make another year Rally wheel suitable for a '65? Can a '65 wheel without the ring still be used on the '65? And are they available? Does anyone have any in their parts pile? So many questions..... The register rings were used from `65 to `70. A ring can be added to a `64 wheel to make it "suitable" for a `65 but a wheel without the register ring will still bolt up and have the correct offset Dont know of anyone who makes the rings. Tom Mooney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIVNIK Posted June 14, 2016 Author Share Posted June 14, 2016 Thank you Tom! I am now totally enlightened on the subject of register rings... I was picturing a flat circular plate w 5 holes for the lugs which might in some way provide better contact w the drum.. but it's actually a centering device, correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 My '67 Riviera came with a set of wheels like those RIVNIK describes. They were able to be installed on the car because a previous owner had installed a 5/16" hub spacer. The inner bead surface just kisses the fins on the brake drums. The car drives fine, but I decided to swap them for a set of original '67 road wheels that came available a few weeks ago. My main gripe is losing that 5/16ths of an inch on lug nut thread engagement coupled with the fact that the spacers I have do not self-center on the hub, so I had to stick them in place with a few dabs of RTV. Somehow the spare road wheel was a correct '67-'70 wheel... That said, is anyone interested in a nice set of four Series III road wheels with '66-'70 center caps (and hub spacers)...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Estate Wagon Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 6 hours ago, Pat Curran said: I can understand the 71 wheel fitting years up to 1978, but the original rally road wheel was never offered from the factory on the 79 to 85 generation or any subsequent generation. Riviera's were converted to front wheel drive with the 1979 model year and have a different hub assembly. Not sure who put the reference chart together but I would be surprised if they fit any years after 1978. Pat, There were used on Station Wagons (pre Roadmaster ) and some years of Electra's / Park Avenues 79-84. Kevin Kinney #996 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 11 hours ago, Carbuff2 said: I do not believe that the register rings, move the wheels away from the drum, they merely center the wheel onto the drum and make the wheel more stable as it is not only being supported by the lug bolts/nuts. The lug bolt and nuts hold the wheel against the drum, X2 Are you sure that the marks you see are contact marks and not just an accumulation of dirt and grime that would collect on the wheel when it's close to the drums? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 12 hours ago, RIVNIK said: Greetings! Here we go again with the most hashed over yet unresolved topic ever. I have a set of Rally wheels... they came with my '65 when I bought it 25 yrs. ago, but were removed when one was found to be bent & "unbalanceable". At that point I realized they were the wrong years, so I switched to stock road wheels & caps, & the Rallys were sent to the shed. Three are marked 895 JJ, & are from a '71-'85(according to recently posted chart)....the other is an 802 from '66-'67. They all have hash marks from contact w brake drum fins on the inner sides, even though they APPEAR to make solid contact w the drum faces when mounted. I recently talked to a shop who says they can straighten the unbalanced wheel, so my question is this........ can I obtain register rings to bring the wheels away from the drums and make these suitable for my '65? Thanks again to all you guys for your valuable knowledge, RIVNIK 71 - 78's were available with the Formula Five road wheel. In '76 there was a special edition, white w/ red interior that had road wheels with the webs painted red. In '79, with the advent of FWD, the bolt circle for the Riviera was reduced from the 5" bolt circle that Buicks had for what seems forever, to a 4-3/4" bolt circle for the FWD cars. FWD cars have a completely different offset to them as well. Even if you put an adapter on a '79 - 85, the Formula Five wheel would stick way out beyond the fender well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Curran Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Hi Kevin. I knew the wheels were offered on other Buick's for a longer period but I was just focused on the Riviera. Have you ever seen the wheel cover that Buick offered for a year or two that looks like the rally road wheel? It can fool you from a distance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodneybeauchamp Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 So does this mean a 64 styled wheel does not have the register ring? And the 65 does have the ring? Does this mean (a) the 64 wheel will also fit 63 with the large hub? (B) And a 65 wheel with register ring removed will also fit 63? (C) Or is 63 an orphan and they fit the stud pattern but not the hub size? (D) You have to use a spacer to fit to 63? (E) There is no E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 2 hours ago, rodneybeauchamp said: So does this mean a 64 styled wheel does not have the register ring? And the 65 does have the ring? Does this mean (a) the 64 wheel will also fit 63 with the large hub? (B) And a 65 wheel with register ring removed will also fit 63? (C) Or is 63 an orphan and they fit the stud pattern but not the hub size? (D) You have to use a spacer to fit to 63? (E) There is no E 1965 was the first year for the styled wheel on the Riviera. In '64, you could get the base wheel cover - standard, or the wire wheel cover or the cast aluminum wheel cover as an extra cost option. In 64, the wheel was only available on the Wildcat; that wheel did not have a register ring. My thinking is that in '65 to add stability to the wheel they added the registre ring, but in order to do that, they had to make the hub smaller. If you look at a '65 or later brake drum / hub assembly, you'll notice that the hole in the brake drum is the same as it was in the earlier years. Only the hub diameter is smaller. On the '65 and later drum / hub assemblies, there's a gap between the inner diameter of the drum and the outer diameter of the drum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Estate Wagon Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 On 6/14/2016 at 7:37 AM, Pat Curran said: Hi Kevin. I knew the wheels were offered on other Buick's for a longer period but I was just focused on the Riviera. Have you ever seen the wheel cover that Buick offered for a year or two that looks like the rally road wheel? It can fool you from a distance! Pat, Yes I have, way back in the late 70's my boss had a 77 Regal with those wheel covers. It took me a little while to figure out it was a wheel cover and not a wheel. Kevin Kinney #996 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Another fake! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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