Spacers - are they 100% a good idea

[cb1965]

OK I understand how wheel offsets work etc. so if I have a wheel with an offset of ET44 that goes on a car that needs an offset of 32 I need a 12mm spacer to get the ET44 wheel offset correctly.

Now that all makes sense mathematically and I know I would need hubcentric spacers etc. but assuming I did all that is there any real difference between having an ET32 wheel and an ET44/spacer set up in terms of handling, day to day driving, balance of the wheel etc. or are they indistiguishable from each other?

 

[bolide]

I think it will depend on the stresses you put on the parts when driving. I've seen photos of a broken light alloy spacer used on a Japanese sports car which car lost a wheel. In that type of spacer the spacer bolts to the hub and the wheel to the spacer.

With a thinner spacer and bolts that go through it into the hub that kind of breakage probably wouldn't happen. But I wouldn't want to be the guinea pig to find out

Nick Froome

 

[cb1965]

I think it will depend on the stresses you put on the parts when driving. I've seen photos of a broken light alloy spacer used on a Japanese sports car which car lost a wheel. In that type of spacer the spacer bolts to the hub and the wheel to the spacer.

With a thinner spacer and bolts that go through it into the hub that kind of breakage probably wouldn't happen. But I wouldn't want to be the guinea pig to find out

Nick Froome

Yeah it's that sort of thing I was thinking about, but I am not thinking of huge spacers, just 10/12mm. The bolt through variety. Obviously top quality hubcentric spacers would be the order of the day.

I just wonder if it any way puts more strain on the wheel/hub assembly.

 

[Borys]

I had spacers on my w140 and w220 at the rear as original set up looked to norrow for me,rear wheels hiding in arches.Bought Eibach ones had them for two years,no problems

 

[DSM10000]

Yeah it's that sort of thing I was thinking about, but I am not thinking of huge spacers, just 10/12mm. The bolt through variety. Obviously top quality hubcentric spacers would be the order of the day.

I just wonder if it any way puts more strain on the wheel/hub assembly.

Are you fitting longer bolts to compensate for the 10-12mm spacer?

 

[bolide]

I just wonder if it any way puts more strain on the wheel/hub assembly.

If the wheel centre is in the same place as it would be with a standard wheel then logically the loads on the hub & wheel would be the same. But the wheel bolts would be longer and the loads on them would be different

Using spacers to change the offset for visual effect is an example of where the loads would be different

The axle is effectively a big lever. Extending it via spacers changes a lot. Which is one reason why manufacturers change the offset with wheel width to keep the tyre contact patch centre in the same place. That and keeping changes to the geometry & kinematics of the suspension to a minimum

Nick Froome

 

[SL350_SWINDON]

im tempted but wouldn't be happy to fit.

 

[Borys]

Good spacers come with bolts.You bolt spacer to hub and then wheel to spacer with your normal bolts.Done,no long bolts neede

 

[cb1965]

Are you fitting longer bolts to compensate for the 10-12mm spacer?

Yes that is what I would do.

 

[cb1965]

The axle is effectively a big lever. Extending it via spacers changes a lot. Which is one reason why manufacturers change the offset with wheel width to keep the tyre contact patch centre in the same place.

Well with the spacers the tyre contact would be in the same place as per the OEM wheels, that's one of the reasons for fitting the spacers. The only real difference is that the 'face' of the wheel at the hub is 12mm further out than it would be for the OEM wheel hence the spacer and it is this that I can see putting some extra load on the hub as a lever effect like you say. How much extra and whether it's detrimental is what I am concerned about.

 

[cb1965]

Good spacers come with bolts.You bolt spacer to hub and then wheel to spacer with your normal bolts.Done,no long bolts neede

Not possible with 10/12mm spacers though. They are not deep enough.

 

[cb1965]

im tempted but wouldn't be happy to fit.

That is sort of where I am at. Want to fit AMGIVs to my SL but they are off a CL55 and need spacers. I am wary and I think that is enough to put me off.

 

[davidsw]

I ha Paddy Hopkirk spacers on my mini ....don't suppose that helps much !!

 

[cb1965]

I ha Paddy Hopkirk spacers on my mini ....don't suppose that helps much !!

No but thanks anyway

 

[c_200k]

These must be the same wheels i'v been looking at and haven't bought them because one of the reason's i'm unsure about the spacers etc

 

[cb1965]

Just spoke to a contact of mine who has a mate working for McLaren F1 as an engineer.

He reckons hubcentric spacers properly manufacturerd of 10 - 15mmm will make absolutely no real difference over OEM wheels. He did however say a far bigger difference would be the quality of the wheels.... genuine lightweight alloy wheels being preferable over aftermarket cheap alternatives!

So that is very interesting news!

 

[Carrsey]

Had spacers on a few Ford RS's and never had any issues..

 

[Dieselman]

Good spacers come with bolts.You bolt spacer to hub and then wheel to spacer with your normal bolts.Done,no long bolts neede

I think it will depend on the stresses you put on the parts when driving. I've seen photos of a broken light alloy spacer used on a Japanese sports car which car lost a wheel. In that type of spacer the spacer bolts to the hub and the wheel to the spacer.