good question.... adding spacers shouldn't be necessary with empi 5's, as far as I'm aware....the fact that you could hardly move the bus without, and you can with says more about the brake set up itself, rather than a wheel change...get under the van with a head torch, remove the two rubber bungs in the back plates and you'll see the star adjusters.....looking at the back of the brake backing plate... to loosen the shoes against the drum, the splines on the star in the left hole need to go up, the splines in the right hole need to go down.....who did the brakes for you, if you don't mind me asking?
Long wheel bolts!!!!! Same happened to me. Empi wheels are thin, the bolts will go too far in and catch on the brake innards.
Sorry but it sounds like the garage that initially fitted them should be avoided at all costs , spacers are a ****** idea ,you need to fit wheels with a close an offset as original . TBR is probably correct , bolts too long .
I got in touch with Compomotive who make minilites and other classic motorsport rims.....I gave him the specs for stock ET, PCD etc. and asked how much for four 15 inch rims......£450!.....how good is that for custom alloys?.....put a bit of a kite up on here but didn't generate much interest unfortunately....if and when I have that sort of money spare, these are what I'll get.... or maybe these..... 'Alpha TZ'...... look similar to stock steel but in alloy (5 hole obviously)
take TBR's...think he's sussed it....just jack one corner up and try undoing the wheel bolts half way out to see if the drums spin freely...there be a slight rub, but not much
just been checking and stock length studs are 40mm.....while Empis are supposed to require longer, according to some forums...i simply don't know...i don't have empis, and i don't know what you have fitted to your bus...it's very odd that the drums didn't move, and then move with spacers added....i can only suggest that you remove the wheel, remove the drum and look at exactly what's happening....also, the brake shoes and spreader bars need to mounted correctly otherwise you shoes will bind with spacers, empis, stock studs or whatever combination is going on....no disrespect to your mechanic friend whatsoever, but even people who have owned these buses for years put shoes and bars back to front and upside down...
1. Wheel cylinder 2. Brake shoe 3. Upper return spring 4. Adjuster screws, or "stars" as some people call them 5. Shoe retaining springs, clips and cups 6. Connecting link.
When did you email Compomotive? They went under last September - though rumour has it that the CEO was buying stock back from the receivers. Make what you will of them re-appearing phoenix like from the flames, to suddenly start trading again. Morals alone would stop me trading with them.
