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Old Jan 23, 2010 | 01:41 PM
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Default Spacer size question

Need help selecting spacer size. To be quite honest, never really researched it and that's why I got bit (slightly).

Got new wheels for the vette, and put the old set on the TA. Found that the rears rub a little bit.

Here's the math. Rear wheel is 9.5" 65+mm (7.8" backspace) while the stock ones are 8.0" 55mm+ offset (6.66" backspace).

That means, the wheel tire combo sits a full 29mm more in the wheel well (1.14") and it extends 9mm more out.

Looking at the sticky, almost all wheels are good at a 38mm offset, even the 10.5" ones. Indeed, many of the regulars here are quite happy with thier tires being flush running those offsets.

Yet why wouldn't the 9.5" have lower offsets to match that look? Once again, running the numbers for a 10.5" 38mm+ gives a 7.25" backspace and 4.25" frontspace. To get a 9.5" wheel to the same frontspace would mean an offset of ~27mm. In other words, a 1.5" hubcentric spacer added to the stock vette wheel. Yet a 27mm offset doesn't seem to be supported in the sticky.

I'd like to move the rear tires out, and I'd really like not to have to cut down the studs or roll fenders. So what spacer should I run, 1", 1.25" or 1.5".

1.00" approximates 40mm offset (6.8" backspace)
1.25" approximates 33mm offset (6.5" backspace)
1.50" approximates 27mm offset (6.3" backspace)

Thanks.
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Old Jan 25, 2010 | 08:57 AM
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Bump for recommendations.
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Old Jan 25, 2010 | 01:24 PM
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IMO, you wont be happy with a spacer. And your will be replacing bearings and seals more than you like, especially if you like to beat up your car everynow and then like most of us do- just adding weakness to a already weak axel if you ask me. I ended up sellin my c5 Z06 wheels and going with a Zr1 from OE. VERY GLAD I DID!
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Old Jan 29, 2010 | 11:42 AM
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I don't buy that at all. How is adding a spacer to get to a certain offset any different from buying a wheel with that offset?

Adding spacers to stock wheels moves the Cg of the out, and I'm sure that's not good. But when going to wider wheels, to get that Cg to line up with the old one, you have to modify the offsets.
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Old Jan 29, 2010 | 01:36 PM
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all i know is if your adding a spacer, your adding length. adding length to your axle makes it weak. Not to mention it looks funky. And if you add a spacer youll need longer wheel studs which means you'll have to slide the axels out to R&R the new ones. (not a big deal but just something to keep in mind). And about not buying the wearing out of parts... I had C5 ZO6 wheels with 295 eagle F1's (cant remeber what size spacer, sold them with the wheels) and was replacing bearings and seals with nearly every other oil change. I now run 11" wide ZR1 with 315 sumi's and havent had any problem with trashing parts and i also added another 70 RWHP to the set up.

Do what you want obviously, but i took the spacer route once and was not happy at all. But then again i beat the **** out of the car on the street, i guess if you drive like my mom you'll be fine
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Old Jan 30, 2010 | 07:45 PM
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Originally Posted by stangbeaterz28
all i know is if your adding a spacer, your adding length. adding length to your axle makes it weak. Not to mention it looks funky. And if you add a spacer youll need longer wheel studs which means you'll have to slide the axels out to R&R the new ones. (not a big deal but just something to keep in mind). And about not buying the wearing out of parts... I had C5 ZO6 wheels with 295 eagle F1's (cant remeber what size spacer, sold them with the wheels) and was replacing bearings and seals with nearly every other oil change. I now run 11" wide ZR1 with 315 sumi's and havent had any problem with trashing parts and i also added another 70 RWHP to the set up.

Do what you want obviously, but i took the spacer route once and was not happy at all. But then again i beat the **** out of the car on the street, i guess if you drive like my mom you'll be fine
Not trying to disrepect you, and do appreciate your opinion. I wasn't talking about a spacer, but more like a wheel adapter. Bolt onto axle with new studs for for wheel. I can't see how that's much different than two hypothetical rims, one with the proper offset, and one with too large of an offset and an adapter to bring it back in line. I think the key here is to make sure the Cg of the tire is centered somewhere around the brakes/bearings. Right now, I know it's too far inboard. I didn't want to go too far outboard. That's what I was asking advice for.
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Old Jan 31, 2010 | 08:19 PM
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Well good luck with that!
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Old Mar 7, 2010 | 06:43 PM
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i run em and havent had any problems, been to the track and they didnt say anything either... trying to figure out if they're legal at the track and if they'll hold some drs, but so far so good! 1.5" t6 alum adapters
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Old Mar 15, 2010 | 07:08 AM
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Originally Posted by greatskiiiier
i run em and havent had any problems, been to the track and they didnt say anything either... trying to figure out if they're legal at the track and if they'll hold some drs, but so far so good! 1.5" t6 alum adapters
Thanks for the info.
About to pull the trigger for this and was thinking about the 1.25" ones. Didn't want to go so much that I then had to roll the fenders.
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Old Mar 15, 2010 | 07:39 AM
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what wheel are you using? i have the c6 wheels on my car ( camaro ) with i believe 1 1/2in spacers. have had not 1 issue with bearings and seals. i also have a 305-30-19 tire on rear. my spacers are the type that bolt to your axle. for track use, what i was told is i could run the spacer i have, they just dont want ppl using the spacers that are free to move around ( non bolted kind ).
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