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Skulte Performance Designs wheel adapters OK for drag racing use??

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Old 05-02-2009, 06:33 AM
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Skulte Performance Designs wheel adapters OK for drag racing use??

ust what the title says. Is anyone using these billet aluminum wheel adapters from Skulte on their car for drag racing? If so how are they holding up and do you trust them?
Old 05-02-2009, 03:04 PM
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Re: Skulte Performance Designs wheel adapters OK for drag racing use??

i would avoid them for drag racing with anything other than a real street tire. I just wouldnt chance it, personal opinion
Old 05-02-2009, 03:12 PM
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Re: Skulte Performance Designs wheel adapters OK for drag racing use??

I want to say I've seen a rule for some drag racing organization that said you can't use them. Think I'd try launching hard a few times if I was to use a set to make sure nothing happens there before going all out.
Old 05-02-2009, 03:40 PM
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Re: Skulte Performance Designs wheel adapters OK for drag racing use??

Even launching a few hard times wouldn't guarantee that they won't break. Very small stress cracks over time in aluminum and then fail without warning. Not saying they won't work, just saying you'll probably won't know if they are going to until they do unless you inspect them regularly.
Old 05-02-2009, 07:57 PM
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Car: 1988 Camaro(92 Z28 clone)
Engine: Forged 383, AFR 195 419/430@wheels
Transmission: Monster 700R4 Yank 3600 stall
Axle/Gears: 9in Detroit locker-3.90's,35 spline
Re: Skulte Performance Designs wheel adapters OK for drag racing use??

That's what I was thinking too. Well, that just about settles it then. Seems that my only option left is to use a factory IROC/Z28 16 inch wheel and use a 255/60/16 drag radial, cause I can't get any other rims to fit on the car with the brakes that I have. Aside from that it's either use something like CCW or Bogart custom wheels which will cost me tons of $$, or some sort of a 17 and end up not having a lot of tire sidewall to flex to help take the *hit* of launching with a stick. Guess I got boned...
Old 05-02-2009, 08:25 PM
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Re: Skulte Performance Designs wheel adapters OK for drag racing use??

what rear brakes are you using?
Old 05-03-2009, 12:26 PM
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Car: 1988 Camaro(92 Z28 clone)
Engine: Forged 383, AFR 195 419/430@wheels
Transmission: Monster 700R4 Yank 3600 stall
Axle/Gears: 9in Detroit locker-3.90's,35 spline
Re: Skulte Performance Designs wheel adapters OK for drag racing use??

I am using a Baer generic sport system designed for a big bearing(torino style) ford. They bolt right up to the Currie built 9 inch, but have the GM bolt pattern I need. anyway, they are 12 inch diameter by .80 thick rotors.
Old 05-03-2009, 06:20 PM
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Re: Skulte Performance Designs wheel adapters OK for drag racing use??

Have you tried any stock 15" Z28 wheels? Mine fit over a set of LS1 brakes that are also 12" rotors.
Old 05-04-2009, 09:09 PM
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Re: Skulte Performance Designs wheel adapters OK for drag racing use??

The adapters can actually take the punishment of drag launches (we haven't had any failures, and some of our pro-street customers are putting down serious power). They bolt on to the hub with exactly the same hardware as an aluminum wheel as well, and the joint has about 20,000 lbs of clamping force once the lugnuts are torqued properly (and not over-torqued). For the wheel studs to see the load from a launch, they'd have to overcome that friction first to allow the wheel to slip. So far I've broken axles (10 bolt, upgraded to a 9" with 35 spline axles and a spool), but then I tore my driveshaft in half...
Old 05-04-2009, 09:21 PM
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Car: 1988 Camaro(92 Z28 clone)
Engine: Forged 383, AFR 195 419/430@wheels
Transmission: Monster 700R4 Yank 3600 stall
Axle/Gears: 9in Detroit locker-3.90's,35 spline
Re: Skulte Performance Designs wheel adapters OK for drag racing use??

Hmm ok well I am using the 2 inch adapters in the rear. Does the strength of the adapter get weaker the thicker the amount is? Also, I ordered my adapters at 2 inches because Currie didn't build my rearend to 4th gen specs. Someway or another, with the 2 inch adapters the wheels stick out about 1/2 inch further than they are supposed to. I think that it has something to do with my Baer brakes(namely the 2 piece rotors). What would be the possibility of taking the adapters to the maching shop and having them milled down to 1.5 inches? Would that degrade the quality or strength of those pieces?? On a side note I am putting down 419HP and 430TQ to the rear wheels if that makes any difference. Thanks for any info!

Last edited by paulmoore; 05-04-2009 at 09:32 PM.
Old 05-05-2009, 08:10 PM
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Re: Skulte Performance Designs wheel adapters OK for drag racing use??

Our adapters are machined from both sides, so the lugnut and stud seat thicknesses are set, but also the strength will be the same whether it's 3/4" or 4" thick. The only difference is the aluminum between the lugnut seat and where the studs are pressed in. Since they're machined from both sides, we don't recommend machining the adapters thinner. If you machine away on the backside, the lugnut seat gets thinner, and if you press out the studs and machine from the front side, the stud seat gets thinner... Machining 1/16" off from either side would be no big deal, but hardly worth the effort, IMHO. Cutting off 1/4" on both faces to turn a 2" adapter into 1.5" would *definitely* (unfortunately) not be recommended. On an unmodified adapter, your HP/torque level would be no problem at all...
Old 11-04-2013, 05:51 PM
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Re: Skulte Performance Designs wheel adapters OK for drag racing use??

Originally Posted by askulte
Our adapters are machined from both sides, so the lugnut and stud seat thicknesses are set, but also the strength will be the same whether it's 3/4" or 4" thick. The only difference is the aluminum between the lugnut seat and where the studs are pressed in. Since they're machined from both sides, we don't recommend machining the adapters thinner. If you machine away on the backside, the lugnut seat gets thinner, and if you press out the studs and machine from the front side, the stud seat gets thinner... Machining 1/16" off from either side would be no big deal, but hardly worth the effort, IMHO. Cutting off 1/4" on both faces to turn a 2" adapter into 1.5" would *definitely* (unfortunately) not be recommended. On an unmodified adapter, your HP/torque level would be no problem at all...
Glad I found this, I am trying to fit 18x10.5 295/30 or 35/18 front and back C6 oe knockoffs on my '91 Z28.

Thought of buying larger than needed spacers and then machine to correct size.

Searched all forums for months now, and different people can fit different sizes depending on many different factors.

Guess I will just break down and buy one to see what I can actually fit.

I'm getting a headache

You spend me round, round baby round round, like record baby round round.....

Just kidding guys, I'll figure it out.

Thanks for all the posts.
Old 11-05-2013, 11:03 PM
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Re: Skulte Performance Designs wheel adapters OK for drag racing use??

Skulte has closed up shop.
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