Wasted Sunday but interesting information

Here's some interesting facts about wheels.

Did you know that 16" factory steel wheels on a T6 LHD (German) Ocean will not fit on a UK RHD T6 T32 Highline that has factory 17" Devonport alloys. And the alloys from a UK RHD T6 T32 Highline are difficult to fit on a T6 LHD Ocean!

1. The UK van has bigger front callipers - the 16" steels will not fit over them. I found that out after changing the rears over and starting on the fronts (if only I had started on the front first)
2. The hub flange (great word) centre on the LHD Ocean are either slightly bigger or have swolen into the steel wheel hole making the alloys a really tight fit on the wheel. A real bugger to get back off.

I found this out after spending 4 hours, one wheel at a time trying to swap my UK Devonports to my Eu Cali Ocean. The rears were not a problem, except for the tightness on the hub. 3rd wheel to go and then I came to a grinding halt. Both vehicles manufactured 2017 and outwardly similar.
I can only assume that Californias always come with smaller callipers or no-one in their right mind would downgrade to 16" steels when they have 17" alloys on a Highline - except me!
Oh well, you live an learn.

My EU Ocean has bigger Caliper on the front (from factory) so any 16" won't fit. The bigger front calipers on Ocean came standard on all 204, all 4M I think or if you specced it (obv. with 17" wheels too). I think in the UK is similar, so nothing to do with UK/EU, it depends on the vehicle specs.

It's simple really - there's 2 chassis versions - 16" and 17" the 17" has higher load rating and bigger brakes. The bigger brakes as you've found out need the bigger rims to fit over them.


In T5.1 days it was simple 180 engine had big brakes & needed 17" wheels, smaller engines had 16"
Not sure what the rules were for T6

For T6.1 All Oceans have the bigger brakes, Coast originally came as standard with small brakes but if you had the 5th seat you had to have a 17" chassis upgrade.

On todays configurator it looks like they all currently come with the same 17" chassis and the 3080kg load rating.


If you think its hard getting the alloys on, wait until you try pulling them off!
Some of the alloys do have a tighter tolerance on the centre hub than others.

All Coast (EU) Edition models have the bigger front brake calipers irrespective of engine size and tranny thanks to 17" Aracaju wheels.

andyinluton said:

If you think its hard getting the alloys on, wait until you try pulling them off!
Some of the alloys do have a tighter tolerance on the centre hub than others.

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Yes, I have had experience of that on both the UK van and the Eu van. I would hate to have a flat at the side of the highway. There would be no way of getting them off

Corradobrit said:

All Coast (EU) Edition models have the bigger front brake calipers irrespective of engine size and tranny thanks to 17" Aracaju wheels.

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Ah not mine. 2018 model year. Seems they skimped on a few things. 150ps and auto

pematthe-1967 said:

Ah not mine. 2018 model year. Seems they skimped on a few things. 150ps and auto

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True. Referring to all T6.1 Edition models.

Corradobrit said:

All Coast (EU) Edition models have the bigger front brake calipers irrespective of engine size and tranny thanks to 17" Aracaju wheels.

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It's the other way round. It has to have 17" (or bigger) wheels because it has the bigger brakes. You can have the bigger wheels over the smaller brakes.

At some point the T6.1 150 engined versions started having the bigger front discs fitted, prior to that it was standard on the Bi-Turbo 180, 204 & 199.
17" wheels don't necessarily indicate the bigger discs are fitted.

T32 vans are a case of some have the big discs but not all.

Like many other things VW seem to have no sure way to define what's normal fitment.

Wheel centre bores are all the same (VW supplied ones), corrosion may cause problems with wheel fit, usually getting them off. Both hub and wheel centre need to be kept corrosion free.