Wheel Spacers?

[clivvy]

chaps.

I keep coming back to this thought about wheel spacers. When I first got my car, it turned out it had wheel spacers attached and when I had my tyres done, the mechanic took them off, and told me, but I thought nothing of it. Now, the car looked great with them on, so, whats the deal with wheel spacers?

are they frowned upon?

are they unsafe?

I fancy it just to get the wheels lined up with the arches a bit better, you kinow, fill out, but if its going to cause issues, then I will forget it...

 

[makeitfit]

As long as the studs are long enough and the nuts are good quality ones then get them on :thumb2
They cost around 50-60 quid a pair by the way :thumbs

 

[clivvy]

As long as the studs are long enough and the nuts are good quality ones then get them on :thumb2
They cost around 50-60 quid a pair by the way :thumbs

ha, so I was robbed! No wonder I dont trust mechanics!

anyhoo, I will check the above, I think the studs are long enough but I do need new nuts anyway...fnar...

 

[lacroupade]

they do put additional strain on your wheel bearings though, not to be frowned upon, given the PITA involved in swapping them.

 

[illy]

Got 30mm on mine road holding is amazing.

illy

 

[macabethiel]

chaps.

I keep coming back to this thought about wheel spacers. When I first got my car, it turned out it had wheel spacers attached and when I had my tyres done, the mechanic took them off, and told me, but I thought nothing of it. Now, the car looked great with them on, so, whats the deal with wheel spacers?

are they frowned upon?

are they unsafe?

I fancy it just to get the wheels lined up with the arches a bit better, you kinow, fill out, but if its going to cause issues, then I will forget it...

Wheel spacers are fine provided two key issues are met.
1) As already stated make sure there is enough thread holding the wheels on.
2) Make sure the quality of the product is such that the wheel centreing profile is maintained.

You can usually see this as the hub profile with the spacer on is the same as without. Cheaper spacers are just a block of alloy.
Good ones will only fit one way round so that the cente of the spacer fits into the hub like the wheel does usually on a short taper, the spacer then has an identical profile machined on the outside for the wheel to fit on.
Some middle of the road spacers have a plastic insert rather than a machined profile so that they will fit various makes. They are OK but the plastic bit can easily be lost when a tyre fitters fit a tyre as it can fall out or simply become damaged when the wheel is put back on.

You will find wheels impossible to balance effectively as the wheels does not centre on the hub exactly if you opt for very cheap ones.

I have a set on the wifes Merc I found them on e-bay the firm were based in Eire but the spacers were made in Germany they were expensive at £110 but they fit perfectly and no balance problems. Mine were 15 mm as this is the minimum thickness you could buy to retain the hub centreing profiles they are also a high spec alloy that is not too soft.

I am sure you can buy cheaper but I was in a hurry when I purchased mine and now 10 years later they still look like new.

 

[makeitfit]

There are two types of spacers I think. The ones you've just described are "Hubcentric" spacers and simply go between the wheel and the hub. They should fit exactly on the hub to stop wobbly wheel syndrome You'll only usually get small ish spacers like these as they just use the existing studs and wheel nuts.eg http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-Hubcen...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5644c5c2d8

On the T2 for example the wheels are centred by the 6 studs not the hub. The spacers I use, are 30mm and are bolted onto the hub first with their own set of nuts. The wheel then bolts onto the spacer's studs.
Like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Mi...heels_tyre_Trims_Trims_ET&hash=item2a136b0576
DONT USE THESE http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/universal...heels_tyre_Trims_Trims_ET&hash=item27be50f9cd

 

[lacroupade]

Carlos Fandango. :lol

 

[96terrano]

Our Toyota mr2 import has wheel spacers and as long as the wheels don't stick out to much from the wheel arches, then I don't think there illegal or frowned apon

 

[makeitfit]

Don't start me on sticky out wheels :doh cursed busy body plod :banghead

 

[lacroupade]

Our Toyota mr2 import has wheel spacers and as long as the wheels don't stick out to much from the wheel arches, then I don't think there illegal or frowned apon

except that like a lot of things, the wheel bearings are designed to run in line with the centreline of the rim.....wheel spacers change that and therefore put small but additional stress on the bearing, as well as slightly changing suspension geometry.

When alls said and done its no biggie, but like a lot of things, in the event of a serious smash, the police investigator and insurance would take a dim view of ANY modification.

They ARE in fact illegal in some countries and its worth bearing in mind that they are NOT designed primarily for widening your track, but for the fitment of wheels with a different offset, i.e. to clear brake calipers etc.. and bring the rim centreline back over the bearing in the process.

If they aren't being used for that purpose, personally I have no clue what the attraction is because they add absolutely nothing to the stew.

 

[danielj]

Used spacers on Mazda pickup 4x4 for about a year now. Didn't go too big with them though, about 10 or 12mm I think. Needed the extra room to fit 15 inch rims instead of original 16's. Done a lot of road miles and a good bit of rough stuff with them. Can't say I have had any problems, noticed anything unusual or had any unusual wear on parts or tyres. Think the one's I have are those universal ones advised against on posts above but they were 4x4 ones. One thing advised by the ebay seller I bought them from was to make sure to check the tightness of the wheel studs on a regular basis as there does seem to be a possibility of studs loosening when using spacers. Other advice given above is worth keeping in mind though, and the bigger you go with spacers the more likely to throw things out of alingment.

 

[terranobreakershropshire]

i have 32mm spacers i bought off ebay a couple of years ago, i have 20" rims that wouldnt go over auto hubs. they have 6 srew on studs with thread on the back of them, alloy ring fits over then wheel bolts on to the new threads. i think they were about £40 the pair, tracking is spot on and ive never had a problem with them, it looks good as well

 

[zippy656]

i have 32mm spacers i bought off ebay a couple of years ago, i have 20" rims that wouldnt go over auto hubs. they have 6 srew on studs with thread on the back of them, alloy ring fits over then wheel bolts on to the new threads. i think they were about £40 the pair, tracking is spot on and ive never had a problem with them, it looks good as well

Sounds good, got a pic so we can search for some the same, or they like thease??

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32MM-4WD-...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item439e248623

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-Stud-Wh...heels_tyre_Trims_Trims_ET&hash=item35b5d0e62a

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32MM-4WD-...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item43a4b85ef4

 

[terranobreakershropshire]

yes identicle to the cheaper ones there (top and bottom ones)

 

[illy]

I got the middle ones, ace

illy

 

[makeitfit]

I got the middle ones, ace

illy

And me :thumbs