Are wheel spacers bad?
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Newport News, Va
Are wheel spacers bad? OK, My dad has been in the tire biz for like 20 years, and he tells me spacers arent safe. So are they? What do yall think? The reason is, because I want 4th gen wheels on my third gen...
Thanks
Thanks
A seperate spacer not an integral part of the rim is not a good idea.
Sometimes it is necessary. Try to get a rim that fits from the get-go is the best option. Using spacers moves the sheer line further on the studs which is a weaker setup.
The more traction you have, the more sheer stress is placed on the studs. This means the more chances you have in having your studs fail. Using slicks or ET drags is definitely an area where you don't want to use spacers.
Steve
Pres.
Sometimes it is necessary. Try to get a rim that fits from the get-go is the best option. Using spacers moves the sheer line further on the studs which is a weaker setup.
The more traction you have, the more sheer stress is placed on the studs. This means the more chances you have in having your studs fail. Using slicks or ET drags is definitely an area where you don't want to use spacers.
Steve
Pres.
Thread Starter
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,049
Likes: 0
From: Newport News, Va
Those are adapters . . . and very good ones to boot, especially seeings how the ring is both hub and wheel centric, so they will act very close to mounting a wheel normally.
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I"m all about loosing as much weight as possible to minimize drivetrain loss. I'd be willing to guess, with those you're looking at at LEAST two pounds of extra rotational weight...between the extra studs that you put on, and the extra lugs needed to fasten the bracket, it may even weigh close to 2-5 lbs more. Add that to a heavy rim and your destined to loose a good bit of HP. If looks is all that is of concern, then it really doesn't matter, as long as you like the appearance of the overall car with the wheels.
Those may be better then loose studs though without testing one can' t say for sure. Stress cracking, no fatigue limit w/alum can play a part into the strength for the application. I certainly wouldn't want to use those for drag racing purposes.
It really is a band-aid, I'd suggest just picking up a set of rims that are meant for your car. There are so many styles available, why limit yourself to a particular design that doesn't offer the correct BS.
Those may be better then loose studs though without testing one can' t say for sure. Stress cracking, no fatigue limit w/alum can play a part into the strength for the application. I certainly wouldn't want to use those for drag racing purposes.
It really is a band-aid, I'd suggest just picking up a set of rims that are meant for your car. There are so many styles available, why limit yourself to a particular design that doesn't offer the correct BS.
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My friend had a lowered s10 with hydros and he put a set of c5 wheels on it. he used some spacers that looks just like them and he never had any problems bouncing that thing in the air acouple of feet a hundred times a day. But i would try to get a 4 gen rear end so you are only useing 2 spacers and it will have then newer brakes it it will be worth it.
I've noticed that spacers like that have been used on 4th Gen cars, when the stock rims have been widened on the back side. I was just going to start a post about those wheel adapters to see if anyone has had any issues with them.
I have been running my billet adaptors for 2 years.(had wheels widened) and haven't had one single problem with them on the street or track. I run Hooser QTP's on Prostars at the track and cut 1.4 - 1.5 60's. 
So I guess both your widened rims and your adapters experience a lot of stress! Glad to know that both are holding up. Great "stress test" for those of us who would use them for the street only.
Originally Posted by Xsta Z 28
Those are adapters . . . and very good ones to boot, especially seeings how the ring is both hub and wheel centric, so they will act very close to mounting a wheel normally.
Man these things may be the ticket for me. I am looking to move up to some ET drags and I don't want to get new studs in the front because I won't be able to run my street wheels with the longer stud. Where can I find these and how much??
Not to disrespect any of our sponsers, but I found them here for sale on ebaymotors.com and www.ezaccessory.com
Originally Posted by CANNIBAL
What does a hubcentric ring do?
In the case of the above wheel adapters - they are hubcentric in that the bore matches the wheel hub in diameter. They are wheelcentric in that they have a flange (basically mimicking the wheel hub) on which the wheel bore can rest. You can see the flange in Xsta's pic.
Originally Posted by Fulton 1
Hubcentric rings are used when the bore diameter on a particular wheel is larger than the outside diameter of the wheel hub. Some manufacturers make hubcentric wheels and some do not (Enkei comes to mind). For those that do not, you'll need the hubcentric ring to properly mate the wheel's bore to the hub. This allows the manufacturer to use their wheels for various applications using the same bolt circle, but without regard for bore diameter.
In the case of the above wheel adapters - they are hubcentric in that the bore matches the wheel hub in diameter. They are wheelcentric in that they have a flange (basically mimicking the wheel hub) on which the wheel bore can rest. You can see the flange in Xsta's pic.
In the case of the above wheel adapters - they are hubcentric in that the bore matches the wheel hub in diameter. They are wheelcentric in that they have a flange (basically mimicking the wheel hub) on which the wheel bore can rest. You can see the flange in Xsta's pic.
i have been using some h&r brand spacers on my car for a few years now.if you go to h&r's web site and do some research on their spacers,you'll find that they origanally designed them for bmw's road racing cars to push the wheels farther out and get a widder wheelbase.i've used mine on open track days at the road coarse and i have about a dozen track passes on them with no problems.and my rims&tires are very heavy 58 pounds each in rear and 55pound each in front.
one other thing,when i first ordered them they sent some that would bolt a porsche rim on the f-body.and there are some very nice porsche rims on the market.just in case someone is looking for some new rims it will give them more options.
one other thing,when i first ordered them they sent some that would bolt a porsche rim on the f-body.and there are some very nice porsche rims on the market.just in case someone is looking for some new rims it will give them more options.
Manufacturers sometimes use spacers from the factory. 3rd gen camaros came with spacers. These are usually relatively thin (1/8"), not the thick adapters like seen above. I feel perfectly safe with my OEM spacers on my Z06 wheels.
I did add longer high strength studs.
I did add longer high strength studs.
