need help on '97 Camry V6 wheels upgrade
 

Greeting.

I've a problem that I need your suggestions. I have a '97 camry V6 and about to upgrade to a new set of 18" rims. When I fit the front rim, the rim spokes touch the brake caliper by approx 1mm. I am now on temporary solution by adding a pair of 3mm wheel spacers. they work fine but I just uncomfortable with them as seem to be some bad stories of wheels breaking loose by using wheel spacers and they also make the wheels a bit out of balance and shaky steering.

I am looking for other options, firstly, change the brake calipers with less width or secondly change brake rotors which have a few mm more width.

Can you please suggest me which brake calipers that narrower and compatible with camry V6 or compatible brake rotors with a few mm more width than the original.


Thank you.

Perhaps the caliper and smaller diameter rotor from a 4 cylinder may fit, but have no idea.

Where is the wheel riding on the caliper, is it an area that can be safely ground down a little?

The wheel system is hubcentric.

The hole in the center of the rim fits snug with a hub on the axle to align the wheel. If you install non-hub centric shims this moves the hub away from the hole in the rim, the rim may be free to move about a little before tightening and may not be centered with the axle.

In the hub centric system the wheel bolts do not align the wheel to the axle even though the nuts are tapered.

If a spacer system is installed properly it should not be a safety issue. Make sure the wheel studs are long enough to fully engage the nut. If not long enough you should be able to find longer studs.

Also guessing the stacking of 2 shims may introduce alignment problems.

Try to find a 6mm hub centric shim (if the exist) such as the one in the photo below:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...ed=0CCIQ9QEwBw

The hub centric system is explained at the link below:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...ed=0CCIQ9QEwBw

Hi Joey,
thank you for your respond. As you can see on this first picture:
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-7/1269333/front.jpg

the front caliper has an arm or handle (in blue circle) that extend about 5-10mm out , this arm that touch my rim's spokes.

If you see on the second picture came from the rear caliper: http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-7/1269333/back.jpg, it doesn't have this arm.

I also notice that on '02-'05 camry's front caliper don't have this arm too. How big is my possibility to use front calipers from newer model camrys or caliper from rear brake?

It would be not wise to use rear calipers on the front as they are much to small for the job. The front brakes handles 70-80% of the braking force required. I don't think they would fit anyway.

I don't know if a 2002 will fit or if it did result in other problems. Toyota made suspension changes between the 2001 and 2002 cars. The 2001 may have fit the 1997 but not sure on the 2002.

You might ask around at Toyotanation in the Camry section or the Tire Rack forum. The tire section rims and tires no doubt someone has had the same problem you have.