Cragar SS rims and multi fit wheels....what's the go ?

[71 Bee Man]

G'day guys,

so I'm down here in Australia thinking about getting a set of Cragar SS rims for my 71 Dodge Charger. A set comes up on Aussie Ebay, I think about bidding, but a couple of wheel guys down here say I shouldn't touch anything that's called "multi fit". Balancing problems aplenty is what I'm told.

So I don't bid. I resign myself to buying a brand new set. Trouble is when I email the importer here he tells me all Cragar 15 inch rims are multi fit - always have been.

So I'm asking you guys......what's the go ? Are all your Cragar SS rims this so-called Multi Fit ? Are they any good, are there any problems.? At least one other guy here on an Aussie Mopar forum has told me they're rubbish.

What'sthe verdict ? This is really ticking me off.

Peter 
Sydney, Australia

[Ghoste]

I believe your friends are telling you correctly.  They used to make brand specific rims but I think the SS has been multi fit (we call them uni-lug up here, Cragar calls them Lug Centric) for some time now.

[71 Bee Man]

I believe your friends are telling you correctly.  They used to make brand specific rims but I think the SS has been multi fit (we call them uni-lug up here, Cragar calls them Lug Centric) for some time now.

Are they any good ? Would you have them on your car ? I'm told they just don't sit right on the wheel......or at least after a while throw themselves out of balance.

[68 RT]

I have had crager s/s unilug wheels on my charger for almost five years now. No problems. I ve used them on other cars no problems. Just get the right lug nuts and offset washers. Check summit racing online. Older cragers were not unilug, I think they started that in the late 70's.

[John_Kunkel]

The Cragar SS is my wheel of choice, I've had many and never had a balancing problem.

The current uni-lug design is a cost-cutting compromise but the original SS wheels of the sixties and seventies had a single bolt pattern.

[BrianShaughnessy]

The current uni-lug design is a cost-cutting compromise but the original SS wheels of the sixties and seventies had a single bolt pattern.

You may find an occassional set of old style single bolt pattern on ebay.    Usually they need to be rechromed.   

I wanted to find a vintage set of 15 x 8  with single 4.5 bolt pattern to mount my ET's on...  closest I saw come up was  some 15x6.    

[Steve P.]

I agree with John. They were always my wheel of choice. I did rip the center out of one many years ago, but I am sure the wheel was fatigued. I don't care much for the uni-lug design myself, though I haven't really heard of any problems.

You CAN buy 16 inch Cragar S/S wheels that are NOT uni-lug. Sumitt has them and I have seen them on a few cars.   The one thing that I feel Cragar needs to do is correct their system of chroming. I have seem some 2-3 year old wheels with the chrome peeling off and I don't live in an area of rust.

I just spoke with the people at Cragar a few weeks ago about all this. The guy I spoke with says that when Carlisle tire company bought up Cragar the attention got a little lax.  I think that sucks myself.....

[Ghoste]

Did he mention if they were going to do anything about it?

[71 Bee Man]

I agree with John. They were always my wheel of choice. I did rip the center out of one many years ago, but I am sure the wheel was fatigued. I don't care much for the uni-lug design myself, though I haven't really heard of any problems.

You CAN buy 16 inch Cragar S/S wheels that are NOT uni-lug. Sumitt has them and I have seen them on a few cars.   The one thing that I feel Cragar needs to do is correct their system of chroming. I have seem some 2-3 year old wheels with the chrome peeling off and I don't live in an area of rust.

I just spoke with the people at Cragar a few weeks ago about all this. The guy I spoke with says that when Carlisle tire company bought up Cragar the attention got a little lax.  I think that sucks myself.....

I must admit I've heard of this problem myself since asking about the uni lug thing. I've also heard most guys rub them over with WD40 regularly.

I've decided I'm going 16 inch. Just have to figureout what width for my 71 now. I'm hoping to get 9's for the rear.

As always any advice is GREATLY appreciated.

Peter
Sydney, Australia.

[Steve P.]

Did he mention if they were going to do anything about it?

He gave me the (stock) answers. (We are allways looking to improve our products)...    Yeah, OK!!


As far as the uni-lug for 14-15 inch, he says no change is in order, but added that he gets very many calls about it..  Like everything else, it's a money thing.. They only have to stock half as many of every size..  I told him he was looking at it wrong. If they made the wheels brand specific, they would sell many more wheels as the wheels being peddled second hand would decrease and more importantly the NON UNI-LUG wheels that people WANT would be available.  I for one did NOT go with the S/S wheels just because of the UNI-LUG.. I know many others that feel the same way.

You just don't see the Cragar S/S wheels on the track like you used to.

On a secondary note, I did send him a shot or two of a wheel that has not been in production since the late 60's. He remembered the wheels and said he would bring them up at the next meeting. He said the mold/dies would cost $40,000 per wheel size to make and after that it costs them very little to produce each wheel.   Hell, that's pretty damn cheap if you ask me. If they only sold 400 wheels at a cost of $110.00 each they would be making a profit..  Stocking dealers alone would buy up way more than that!!!

[Ghoste]

Which one was that?  (you can't throw that out there and not include a pic for us)

[Lord Warlock]

Speaking of uni lug, does someone sell the little washer type thingies that fit in the slots in the wheels to allow different bolt spacings?  I've got some ET uni-lug dish mags on my charger, but had some 14 inch magnum 500s on for a decade or so, now i can't find 5 of the washers.  Since mine weren't cragar, am i SOL?  I figure when i get done re-doing the car, i'll probably buy a new set of rims for it, like a set of 17 inch magnum 500s, but for now the old ETs look decent. 

[71 Bee Man]

Did he mention if they were going to do anything about it?

He gave me the (stock) answers. (We are allways looking to improve our products)...    Yeah, OK!!


As far as the uni-lug for 14-15 inch, he says no change is in order, but added that he gets very many calls about it..  Like everything else, it's a money thing.. They only have to stock half as many of every size..  I told him he was looking at it wrong. If they made the wheels brand specific, they would sell many more wheels as the wheels being peddled second hand would decrease and more importantly the NON UNI-LUG wheels that people WANT would be available.  I for one did NOT go with the S/S wheels just because of the UNI-LUG.. I know many others that feel the same way.

You just don't see the Cragar S/S wheels on the track like you used to.

On a secondary note, I did send him a shot or two of a wheel that has not been in production since the late 60's. He remembered the wheels and said he would bring them up at the next meeting. He said the mold/dies would cost $40,000 per wheel size to make and after that it costs them very little to produce each wheel.   Hell, that's pretty damn cheap if you ask me. If they only sold 400 wheels at a cost of $110.00 each they would be making a profit..  Stocking dealers alone would buy up way more than that!!!

Thanks heaps for this kind of info. It's just the sort o thing I was interested in. Whilst some people may be very happy with their uni-lug wheels, I'm sorry......they're just not for me. I figure if I'm paying for wheels I want them to fit precisely. I'm a little more than disappointed that the makers of wheels like the famous Cragar SS rims don't make them "model specific".

Anyway, thanks again. As I've probably already mentioned I'm going to save up and get 16's because they'll make them in the stud pattern I need.

Peter

[SeattleCharger]

  I like those rims you have now, sorry, but can you tell me the name of them?  I know I should know this.   Can you get them in 16x9 for the rear wheel?
thanks, Nate

[71 Bee Man]

  I like those rims you have now, sorry, but can you tell me the name of them?  I know I should know this.   Can you get them in 16x9 for the rear wheel?
thanks, Nate

Are you talking about my 14 X 7 Magnum 500's ? Or someone elses car ?

I actually tried a friends Cragars today, and to be honest, they didn't look as good as I'd expected. In fact, it made me appreciate the Magnums more. So much so that I think I'll order some 15 x 7 and 15 X 8's in full chrome and run them.

Peter
Sydney, Australia

[SeattleCharger]

  I like those rims you have now, sorry, but can you tell me the name of them?  I know I should know this.   Can you get them in 16x9 for the rear wheel?
thanks, Nate

Are you talking about my 14 X 7 Magnum 500's ? Or someone elses car ?

I actually tried a friends Cragars today, and to be honest, they didn't look as good as I'd expected. In fact, it made me appreciate the Magnums more. So much so that I think I'll order some 15 x 7 and 15 X 8's in full chrome and run them.

Peter
Sydney, Australia

The ones in the pic right above, ya, magnums, thanks.  They look good.  Those look bigger than 14x7,  15's should look great. 

[chargercalvin]

uni-lug cragars will last forever if you have the right bolts and washers. when buying online watchout for wheels that have the washer bolt hole totally worn out. i bought a set of junkyard cragars a while back and the wholes were so worn and enlarged that i couldnt get the washer to stay ontop of the wheel. also look out for wheels that have been made onto unilug wheels, its true. i saw a set of keystones once that a guy had taken a file to so he could fit them on his roadrunner, not to pretty. when buying cragars make sure you can se the oval around the hole whare the washer goes.

calvin

[ACUDANUT]

 You can't see the washer place on a unilug, Unless it has been on many different cars.  When they are new or fairly new, you should not see it.  I have 8 wheels (2 Sets) and I don't see this problem you are talking about.

[GTX]

I like my Cragar's and haven't had troubles.

I have a set of 15x10 and 15x8(?) Cragars with new tires, zero miles except for rolling in the driveway for while. Could be for sale but not really looking to give a slamming give away deal though.

[4cruzin]

I like them too!  Had mine for 13 years now and I think they still look pretty good!