Wheel spacer questions

[Davsurfa]

So I'm thinking of fitting wheelspacers. But I though I'd access this fountain of knowledge with a few questions before I dive in.

1) Where can I get them from and how much?(Except AMD, £48.30 per wheel!?!)

2) Which types(if they make more than one, cast washer style or billet with offset threads) are better?

3) How wide can I go before I hit problems?

4) Anyone fitted them and found problems?

5) Generally are they a good idea?

Cheers

 

[obi_waynne]

I would always try to avoid spacers for the following reasons.
1) They increase the unsprung weight.
2) They alter the supension geometry and affect handling - the wider they are the bigger this effect.
3) You will need longer bolts and these will need to be stronger to avoid stress breaks and fractures.

Why do you need them? If it is to fill your arches then just get a set of wider wheels - these will at least give you more grip.

Also avoid cheap spacers and generic - one for all spacers. You do get what you pay for.

 

[Davsurfa]

I ran a set on my Vit for a while, they were the billet type which bolted to the hub then the wheel bolted to the spacer. Are these type available or are the only ones you can get the washer type with longer bolts? They were 32mm spacers, can't say I noticed the handling changed but then my truck was a lot more sedate compared to the Audi. I only wanna fill the arches better and there is quite a price difference between a set of spacers and a set of rims.
How much is this likely to knacker the handling? If it's gonna foul it then I'm not that interested, but surely wider wheels would have the same effect??

 

[thexav]

What about some used S6 rims, around 225 or 240 wide if I remember rightly.

 

[Davsurfa]

Hmmm.... Dunno what they look like. What size rims would fit on stock shocks and ride height? As long as I keep the rolling diameter the same size surely it wouldn't affect the acceleration?

 

[old-git]

As Waynne said, plus you will experience accelerated wear on wheel bearings due to increased load caused by the greater leverage caused by moving the wheels away from the bearings. You may also suffer from uneven tyre wear due to changes in the suspenson geometry.

If you insist on doing it, use solid spacers designed for your particular car no thicker than 15mm and replace studs with good quality longer ones. DON'T used stud extensions unless you have a death wish

 

[Davsurfa]

This is beginning to sound like a bad idea from the start. It's only a 1.6 so it's never gonna be quick but my aim is to a) make it look good and b) make it handle like a go-cart. If spacers are gonna compromise that then they won't happen. Reckon I'll save the cash and spank it on some coilovers instead. Cheers all.

 

[doof]

allright fella,im with everyone else,try not to use them.if your buying alloys,then its the offset you need to check, normally says et40 et30 etc etc.
loads of wheel calculation sites on web.check your own cars offset an only try to buy the same.goodluck,,,,,,,,doof.

 

[obi_waynne]

See what they have in the breakers yard - the S6 alloys have red inserts at the tips and are 16 or 17 inches so with low profile tyres you will still have the same rolling circumference. Another option might be the S3 alloys, as I think these are wider than the standard 1.6's rims.

 

[claymore]

I have used 50mm hubcentric spacers on the rear and 25mm ones on the front for 15,000miles with no bearing issues at all, and I would say the car was definately more stable with them on. although there was more "tramlining"