Wheel Spacers

[CanyonDriver]

Search yielded no answers. Ive heard that wheel spacers can throw out a cars wheel bearings within 1 week. Any gurus have any experience with wheel spacers? Are there lots of issues with them, and they're too good to be true? Or do they create a wider wheel base to allow slightly better handling?

[Jardiniboy]

There shouldn't be issues with wheel spacers. They simply push the wheels out so it fits with out touching the brake calipers.

One of my friends with a s14 use wheel spacers for his ssr sp1 and he had no problems. And you know people with 240's, they drift them which causes a lot of stress on the bolts and he still has no problems

[acrobles]

i have wheel spacers on my car right now. ive had them on for months n no problems

[Moose]

There is two issues surrounding spacers.


Stress / Wear :


Wheel spacers DO add to the stress on the wheel bearings, but it is not something you will see overnight. This stress is similar to using NON OE (Low) rim offsets, you are increasing the thrust angles on the bearings, beyond what they are designed for. Basically you will shorten the life of the wheel bearings, but by how much, who knows as there is to many variables to consider.


Hub-Centric Issues:
MOST spacers are NOT hub-centric, so you loose the positive mechanical connections of the hub to the rim. This leads to rim balance issues, possible lug damage, possible chance of shearing off your lugs, and increased bearing wear. This is NOT Web Hearsay ...this is based on PERSONAL experience ... Two guys I raced with lost rims when the lugs sheared off due to spacers.

So if you are going to put spacers on, use Quality hub-centric ones from Eibach or H&R ... or even better / smarter ..use rims with the correct offset FIRST


Moose

[CanyonDriver]

Thanks moose . Im getting a set of 17X7.5 Kyowa racing rims as soon as i get the money, but I was just wondering how bad spacers were for wheels bearings. I dont think i'll buy a set. Wider than stock rims and 225/45 tires should finish off my suspension just fine (unless koni's ever come out)

[B MAN]

Link to spacers?

[mbringle]

I was wondering if it would be of benifit to use hub centric spaces to widen the stance in the front since they are already inboard compared to the rear. I just got my 17x7 rims and 215 tires on. In the front there is still a lot of clearance. Would their be any benifit to running say 5mm spacers in the front only?

[CanyonDriver]

Originally Posted by mbringle

I was wondering if it would be of benifit to use hub centric spaces to widen the stance in the front since they are already inboard compared to the rear. I just got my 17x7 rims and 215 tires on. In the front there is still a lot of clearance. Would their be any benifit to running say 5mm spacers in the front only?

not really. theres still lots of clearance because you're using factory spec wheels/tires. go with wider wheels and tires and you'll benefit greatly from it. i'm currently running 17x8 +45 RPF1's with 245/40 tires, and it fits perfect.

[obert]

I have had wheel spacers on some of my old cars and no problems,the only thing I have ran into is trying to use a spacer that is to thick and not having long enough stud left for the lug nut to bolt onto. But thats because I was using the wrong size.

[mbringle]

I actually had the RPF1s on 17x8 and 225/45/17 and just sitting there I couldn't fit my skinny pinky finger between my Tein Flex spring/lower seat and the tire sidewall. Looked great though. Maybe should have rasied the car to clear it but instead I went to 215s.

[mbringle]

I just measured it is 8 full turns from hand tight to off with our M12x1.5 lug nuts. Since we have 12mm lugs that means 12mm engagement or 12/1.5 turns which is 8. Well I guess its time to be happy with what I got and play with ride heights and tire pressures.

[CanyonDriver]

i'm on HFP suspension so im not very low, and i have about 3mm suspension clearance which is enough. if i were lower the only thing i would have to worry about is fender clearance, but i have a pretty aggressive alignment which helps.