to space or not to space

[elevensies]

Not a did they go to the moon debate but a wheel spacer question...

I think my car would look the nuts with a wider rear stance, now i wont change wheels as i have the standard gorgeous style 18s with 245s on, so not increasing rubber size (not yet he says)

so 5mm or 8mm spacers, or even 10mm is it worth it? does it look better? etc etc etc

thanks

 

[John_B]

Before & After 20mm spacer on rears (nothing on front). Remember to tell your insurance.

 

[Rudyrov]

I like it, just haven't got around to trying it.

 

[ExMX5owner]

I like it , but then. I went over the top..

 

[mwpe]

I have been using 20mm spacers on the rear for years.

 

[Mint]

Same as Mike, I'm running 20mm on the rear, nothing on the front...

 

[elevensies]

20mm, i didnt think i needed that much... live n learn

will the wheel studs be long enough to loose 20mm?

thanks guys

 

[John_B]

20mm, i didnt think i needed that much... live n learn

will the wheel studs be long enough to loose 20mm?

thanks guys

no, you'll need to buy longer wheel bolts by however thick the spacers are. (And I carry my original wheel bolts in a bag in the boot incase I ever needed to remove the spacer at the roadside (I don't know why I would, but better to have them and not need them than vice versa!)

 

[Pond]

On the flip side:
Not a fan of spacers at all. They change the geometry of the suspension and put exponentially more stress on all suspension parts. All so your car can look a bit more 'butch'.

I know many will say "used them for years with no ill effects", but the physics don't lie.

 

[id101]

On the flip side:
Not a fan of spacers at all. They change the geometry of the suspension and put exponentially more stress on all suspension parts. All so your car can look a bit more 'butch'.

I know many will say "used them for years with no ill effects", but the physics don't lie.

how does that differ to staggered wheels? genuine question i dont know

 

[id101]

I have been using 20mm spacers on the rear for years.

View attachment 339335View attachment 339337

which wheels and tyres?

i have to remove the spacer on the 18s i have due to rubbing. I have the normal bilstein/eibach lowered suspension nothing excessive

 

[Pond]

how does that differ to staggered wheels? genuine question i dont know

Generally the offset will be different on a wider wheel to a narrow one, so the 'fulcrum point' (kinda) of the wheel/ suspension relative to the hub should stay the same (almost).

Spacers don't change the offset, they just push the whole lot out further from the hub by whatever the spacer thickness is. If you fit 20mm spacers, they give a wider 'track' at the hubs of 40mm. That is a lot IMHO.

Many insurance companies will not cover wheel spacers. There is a very good reason for this!

 

[bombur]

I'm running 20mm spacers on the rear also. I'm a fan, and this helps with the look of the car IMHO. The fact it's over 20 years old there are plenty of things that make it drive differently to how it was when new, so it's nothing I notice and given limited mileage in it, care

 

[id101]

Generally the offset will be different on a wider wheel to a narrow one, so the 'fulcrum point' (kinda) of the wheel/ suspension relative to the hub should stay the same (almost).

Spacers don't change the offset, they just push the whole lot out further from the hub by whatever the spacer thickness is. If you fit 20mm spacers, they give a wider 'track' at the hubs of 40mm. That is a lot IMHO.

Many insurance companies will not cover wheel spacers. There is a very good reason for this!

so essentially where the wheel attaches to the car is the same but with a spacer that point is different and therefore changes the geometry?

 

[Pond]

so essentially where the wheel attaches to the car is the same but with a spacer that point is different and therefore changes the geometry?

Yep.

 

[bombur]

Many insurance companies don't like any type mods, but mine does pass its MOT with them on

 

[mwpe]

which wheels and tyres?

i have to remove the spacer on the 18s i have due to rubbing. I have the normal bilstein/eibach lowered suspension nothing excessive

Apart from the spacers it is as it left the factory, style 42 staggard 17" split rims on Dunlop SP sport max 245-40-17s on the back. The insurance company are quite happy with them.