Wheel spacers - the real truth...

[Ken4555]

Stock is best. I am driving a stock car (minus my brakes and dampers).

 

... If stock is best then why u upgrade UR brakes n dampers?

Wait your damper joints cannot take the new rebound load or your brake pump fail cause stress how... Lol

[Yuan]

... If stock is best then why u upgrade UR brakes n dampers?

Wait your damper joints cannot take the new rebound load or your brake pump fail cause stress how... Lol

 

It won't happen. Dampers are OE performance types.

 

I just change to more grippy brake pads. Rest of brake system is stock.

 

Sorry for OT.

[I_RIDE_DEEP]

Open pod or close pod as long as it achieve what engineers call laminar air flow it is ok. If the pod and pipe produce turbulent air flow dan it's quite pointless. Here's a diagram for illustration...

 

So how many aftermarket pods have done test to show that their product produce laminar flow despite having a bigger inlet and bigger pipe? Bigger does not equate to better. Car makers hire PhD engineers to design the air intake system. What do aftermarket air intake pod makers hire?

 

What do car enthusiast know about engineering to tell about all these stuff? If really you want to add wheel spacers, it's better to check with your insurance company whether they will void your coverage.

 

Hi. can i say laminar airflow is purely for the purpose of accurate measurement by air flow sensor? Basically, i always wanted to confirm the fact that more airflow is useless unless the maf can measure it in a laminar/non-turbulent/consistent way.

 

Tks.

 

[Ken4555]

It won't happen. Dampers are OE performance types.

 

I just change to more grippy brake pads. Rest of brake system is stock.

 

Sorry for OT.

 

But your pads so called upgraded. Thus you will have premature wear on your rotors. Am I correct?... Or better and stronger braking will cause your tyre and suspension joints to wear faster? Lol

Lets face it. Everybody changes (or mods) something on their with the belief that it will be better for the car. More often then not there are negative aspects of doing so and many don't realize it.

Pls don't get me wrong about your pads. I just using extreme quoting making a joke.

 

[Yuan]

But your pads so called upgraded. Thus you will have premature wear on your rotors. Am I correct?... Or better and stronger braking will cause your tyre and suspension joints to wear faster? Lol

Lets face it. Everybody changes (or mods) something on their with the belief that it will be better for the car. More often then not there are negative aspects of doing so and many don't realize it.

Pls don't get me wrong about your pads. I just using extreme quoting making a joke.

 

No. No. Please continue to quote.

 

I have changed my rotors already after my pads "ate" them up before 50k km. Used back original ones.

 

Wear and tear is part and parcel of driving. I worn out my factory tires PS 3 within first year and now on PSS clocking around 20k km. I hope can last more than a year.

 

Sorry for OT.

[Vhtfhwlego]

Adding spacers, well try to use the go-kart theory.

 

Wide rear wheels, stable at straight.

Small & low CG = good in corners.

 

How come some can oversteer the kart while others understeer due to lack of grip at the small front tires?

Conclusion; driving style.

 

If you think wider rear improves understeer but had you flick the car into the corner causing it to have a lift off oversteer in the first place to avoid the understeer?

 

If one is not into timing and just play on the road once a while, waste of money.

 

[Ken4555]

Adding spacers, well try to use the go-kart theory.

 

Wide rear wheels, stable at straight.

Small & low CG = good in corners.

 

How come some can oversteer the kart while others understeer due to lack of grip at the small front tires?

Conclusion; driving style.

 

If you think wider rear improves understeer but had you flick the car into the corner causing it to have a lift off oversteer in the first place to avoid the understeer?

 

If one is not into timing and just play on the road once a while, waste of money.

 

...

I only wanna add some spacers on my rear wheels... I was thinking like 20mm each side rear and maybe 10mm each side front.

If I do this its basically for looks... But I don't want to c--k up the handling of the car cause I do drive hard now and then...

 

[Rosschang]

only use spacer when necessary... that's my take.

 

if you want wider rear wheel foothold, buy a new rim with more aggressive offset, (plus wider rims & tyres), else, don't.

 

the reason I dislike them is:

1. additional un-sprung weight , however light they are

2. price/weight/durability, can't get best of both world...

3. depending how good are the fitment + install, bad ones can ruin your bearing.

[Roberttan]

only use spacer when necessary... that's my take.

 

if you want wider rear wheel foothold, buy a new rim with more aggressive offset, (plus wider rims & tyres), else, don't.

 

the reason I dislike them is:

1. additional un-sprung weight , however light they are

2. price/weight/durability, can't get best of both world...

3. depending how good are the fitment + install, bad ones can ruin your bearing.

changing to aggressive offset wheel has the same effect of increase Un sprung weight due to offset

spacer will definitely affect the cost / weight /durability but some time can be the other way round

(aggressive offset wheel cost you money and does not allow rotation if your are on staggered setup)

aggressive wheel could be heavier too

Is correct that the fitment + installation is also a key issue.

Many premium products are well designed but came to ground with the poor workmanship make the advantages down into drain.

Again I don't use spacer for track just for cosmetic only

any changes to your wheel or tyre size is already increase the wear rate of your wheel bearing (not damaged)

But with Proper up size tyre and rim specification will make the increase to minimum

 

[Ken4555]

only use spacer when necessary... that's my take.

 

if you want wider rear wheel foothold, buy a new rim with more aggressive offset, (plus wider rims & tyres), else, don't.

 

the reason I dislike them is:

1. additional un-sprung weight , however light they are

2. price/weight/durability, can't get best of both world...

3. depending how good are the fitment + install, bad ones can ruin your bearing.

 

Could I have a couple of examples of necessary... Besides BBK

[Ken4555]

changing to aggressive offset wheel has the same effect of increase Un sprung weight due to offset

spacer will definitely affect the cost / weight /durability but some time can be the other way round

(aggressive offset wheel cost you money and does not allow rotation if your are on staggered setup)

aggressive wheel could be heavier too

Is correct that the fitment + installation is also a key issue.

Many premium products are well designed but came to ground with the poor workmanship make the advantages down into drain.

Again I don't use spacer for track just for cosmetic only

any changes to your wheel or tyre size is already increase the wear rate of your wheel bearing (not damaged)

But with Proper up size tyre and rim specification will make the increase to minimum

 

Could u help recommend me somewhere I could get good workmanship?

[Felipe]

I think if its within a certain offset, its ok. I use it but tats cos i downsize my wheels and the offset was larger. So i added to make it back to original offset. Guess its like arguing big or small rims better. Think can upsize but maybe by 1 size

[Lattesurf]

Been using wheel spacers the past 3-4years on my ride without any issues. These are 4 in 4 out bolt pattern hub-centric spacers, 20mm. Main reason is for the wider stance outlook.

 

That was about 45,000km ago. Now at 85,000km and 6 year old, my bearings and suspension arms are still from day 1 and beginning to create sounds. Anyway, scheduled for 1 major servicing to change all these parts and would be good to go until 10 year old.

 

[Thingy]

Love the flush look after installing spacers. From the back view of the car, its damn sexy... Just invest some $ to get spacers with TUV cert and proper bolts... But you will have to tell your mech to use torque wrench to tighten the bolts back after taking out your wheels... If they are going to use the air gun, your bolts will up lorry very soon....

Edited October 24, 2013 by Thingy

[Thedream]

Wow thanks for the lesson..

I have driven for more then 10 years and owned a number or different rides. I have never put on wheel spacers. I think my driving style stresses the whole car bad enuf...my topic now is to determine if a wider rear track (say only 20mm) will induce or reduce under steer..

Cause I have read very different reports on this issue. Cause my car gonna scrap soon just trying out some stuff to make the ride more interesting... Lol if you know what I mean...

 

Looks like this issue still not resolved...

 

My input is that a wider rear will increase understeer. Understeer is where the tail refuses to kick out. Having a wider track at the rear will make it even more unwilling to kick out - i.e. even more understeer...

[Beregond]

 

Looks like this issue still not resolved...

 

My input is that a wider rear will increase understeer. Understeer is where the tail refuses to kick out. Having a wider track at the rear will make it even more unwilling to kick out - i.e. even more understeer...

 

i think 90% of singapore driver put spacer to make their ride look nicer only. esp when u see your car lower and tyres and rim flush with fender, look damn sexy.

 

however does in really inprove the performance of the car, esp when cornering?

[Roberttan]

ken4555. I personally had not use the gadget before.so no idea where is good

can only share .

get a good premium product

makes sure you buy the right thickness / pcd /centre hole diameter / must be hub centric

when at WS , ask mech remove your wheel and make sure your spacer can fit both your car and Rim hub centric before putting on

clean your wheel hub surface before mount the spacer

properly tighten the nuts or bolts of spacer.

now put on the spacer and secure them in regular way of mounting the wheels

but HPOV is buy them with installation

 

[Kazuo]

however does in really inprove the performance of the car, esp when cornering?

Just comparing with and without spacers.

 

Putting spacers broaden your base. In terms of physics, broader base lowers the center of gravity, which will makes your car more stable.

 

Makes sense to you?

Edited October 27, 2013 by Kazuo