I found a nice set of 12 spoke lr3 rims “18” inch. So my plan is to grind the calipers to fit the wheels. Has anybody else done this with success? It seems that there are some posts, but nobody really gives good information on it obviously cause you’re modifying the brakes but I feel like it should be minimal issue. You’re only cutting the cooling fins off the calipers. ?

 

I did that. I originally got the idea from Scott Brady's build (Expedition Portal). I ran Motorsports tech 30mm spacers to make it work on top of a very minimal fin grind (like....1/8"?). It worked and I ran that way for years, but I've never liked the idea of spacers as they put more leverage on your wheel bearings, I had one tire shop destroy one during a tire rotation, and the wheel techs are not supposed to use impact guns to torque them but they do anyway and that's how you crack them. Ultimately 2 years later, I was happy to get them off my truck and move to Tuffant Kimberly wheels that fit without spacers or grinding. Also the spacers contributed to vibration that wheel balancing could never fix, particularly with my heavier at the time Cooper ST Maxx. So at the end of the day I started with: LR3 wheels, spacers, caliper grind, and ST Maxx 10 ply tires with 18/32" tread that I could never get balanced or vibration-free and 3 years later, I'm on Tuffants (stronger, lighter wheels than LR3 spec), no spacers, and 13/32" Falken Wildpeak XL tires and everything balances perfectly. For both I stayed with the same 265/60R18 so that I never messed with the overall diameter and threw off the speedo. Good luck!

Here was my original build: https://www.troyangrignon.com/vehicl...er-lr4-5-0-v8/

 

if you do the grind, why do you have to run spacers? I feel like the backspacing on the wheels is the same?

 

You need both. I had hoped to run the spacers only without grinding but it didn't fit so I had to do both. Grinding alone won't accomplish it from what I've read. Your calipers (and mileage) may vary. But I would be loathe to keep grinding "till it fits". At some point, there has to be structural risk to the caliper.

https://expeditionportal.com/land-ro...erland-journal
https://expeditionportal.com/land-rover-lr4-part-ii
https://expeditionportal.com/land-ro...erland-journal