to space or not to space

elevensies

elevensies

Zorg Guru (II)
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British Zeds
Joined
Aug 24, 2024
Points
114
Location
North Lincolnshire
Model of Z
roadster 2.8 widebody
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
 
IMG_4423.jpg
IMG_4424.jpg

Before & After 20mm spacer on rears (nothing on front). Remember to tell your insurance.
 
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I like it , but then. I went over the top..
20220804_132633 (Medium).webp
 
Same as Mike, I'm running 20mm on the rear, nothing on the front...
20250331_164639.webp
 
elevensies said:
20mm, i didnt think i needed that much... live n learn

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

thanks guys
Click to expand...

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!)
 
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.
 
Pond said:
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.
Click to expand...
how does that differ to staggered wheels? genuine question i dont know :)
 
id101 said:
how does that differ to staggered wheels? genuine question i dont know :)
Click to expand...
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!
 
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
 
Pond said:
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!
Click to expand...
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?
 
id101 said:
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?
Click to expand...
Yep. :thumbsup:
 
Many insurance companies don't like any type mods, but mine does pass its MOT with them on
 
id101 said:
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
Click to expand...
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.
 
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