Drilling new bolt pattern on wheels

[SuperBuickGuy]

I wonder (out loud) about the legality of redrilling. Wheels are DOT approved in a specific form, redrilling would reduce their strength - thus could cause you all sorts of grief if they broke.... I doubt this is any more legal, but would certainly be stronger - maybe if you slotted the wheels rather than redrill?

[dulcich]

I wonder (out loud) about the legality of redrilling. Wheels are DOT approved in a specific form, redrilling would reduce their strength - thus could cause you all sorts of grief if they broke.... I doubt this is any more legal, but would certainly be stronger - maybe if you slotted the wheels rather than redrill?

Redrilling a second bolt pattern opposite the original will not have an effect on the wheel's strength, so this is much hand-wringing over nothing.
-dulcich

[yellomalibu]

Centerline (and other) wheels often come with two bolt patterns... so I don't know that drilling a second pattern in a wheel with a single pattern is any reason to be alarmed... as long as it'd done accurately.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I agree with both YM and dulcich (d - wondering outloud is not hand wringing).... but I would like to see how removing material wouldn't affect the strength? I've seen enough wheels break under high-load right at the lug nuts, to at least ask the question. Slotting isn't what I'm talking about, drilling more holes in the weakest part of the rim is where I'm curious.

So dulcich, you just stirring the pot or is there something behind what you've said that you can teach?

[dulcich]

I agree with both YM and dulcich (d - wondering outloud is not hand wringing).... but I would like to see how removing material wouldn't affect the strength? I've seen enough wheels break under high-load right at the lug nuts, to at least ask the question. Slotting isn't what I'm talking about, drilling more holes in the weakest part of the rim is where I'm curious.

So dulcich, you just stirring the pot or is there something behind what you've said that you can teach?

No offence meant by the "Hand wringing" comment, I apologize if it was a poor choice of expression. I believe that the Autodrags were pretty strong as far as material, it was a forged center if I remember right. Some wheels of this type, I believe it was the old Welds came double drilled as OEM. Perhaps the best bet for the OP is to check with a wheel shop and get their opinion and a cost estimate, and then determine if modifying these wheels or replacing them is the more sensible course of action, considering the cost and the opinion of the shop. A buddy of mine has had the BP changed in a set of wheels this way; the shop was in Riverside CA and price was cheap. They actually filled the original holes (welded, I believe).

As far as the strength of a double-drilled Centerline Autodrag, I can say for sure that I can't put any more real analysis on it beyond my off-hand opinion. As a final note, I think the wheels will look kind of ugly with two bolt patterns and the mod will certainly hurt the resale value. I think the old Welds came with unsightly (IMO) plugs in the extra stud holes.
-dulcich