Wheel Spacers Pros And Cons
Wheel spacers are round metal spacers that go between a car or truck’s hub and the wheel. Spacers locate the wheel further away from the body and are used for a variety of reasons, including fitment, performance and appearance. There are two main types of wheel spacers. The first is a simple design that slides over the existing lug bolts or studs. The other is a bolt-on type, which bolts to the cars hub. The wheels are then bolted to the wheel spacer.
The Truth About Wheel Spacers
Are They Right For You?
You hear a lot of rumors about the dangers of wheel spacers. But how many people do you personally know who have actually experienced a problem with them? Wheel spacers are used when the offset of the wheel is not ideal for the end package that you want. Whether its because of too narrow of axles or not enough wheel offset, wheel spacers can put your tires and wheels where you want them to be under your fender.So, are they dangerous to use? In a one-word summation, no.Do they have the potential to offer more problems than a package without wheel spacers? Yes.
Heres the deal: High-quality wheel spacers are made of a billet aluminum that is just as strong, if not stronger than the wheels they attach to. They bolt onto the studs of an axle in place of the wheel, and have studs for the wheels to attach to. Wheel spacers can be used to change wheel bolt patterns and to widen the offset of the wheel.By increasing the offset of the wheel, you place more stress on the axles studs, and in a front axle application on the unit bearings and ball joints of the axle. You also increase the tire scrub radius, changing the way the vehicle handles and increasing the difficulty of slow-speed turning.
Might Cause Premature Component Failure
Your stock vehicle setup is the way that it is because the manufacture designed it like that. Altering that will always cause a decrease in component life, because you are straying from the designed purpose of that particular component.
Wheel bearings are particularly affected by the use of wheel spacers, since this will alter their load-bearing characteristics.
Suspension parts can also be affected, depending on how much distance from the main assembly you choose to add.
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Wheel Spacer Vs Wheel Adapter
While wheel spacers simply increase a vehicles wheel offset, wheel adaptors modify a vehicles bolt pattern. Wheel adaptors are often employed when attempting to utilize aftermarket wheels that vary from a vehicles stock bolt pattern.
For example, a wheel adaptor can be used on a vehicle with a 4-bolt pattern, when attempting to use 6-bolt wheels. Wheel adaptors also tend to provide at least some degree of offset, due to their natural thickness.
Are Wheel Spacers Safe To Use
Because a vehicles weight is not sustained by its wheel studs, the use of wheel spacers is generally considered to be safe. A vehicles wheels are actually held to their corresponding hubs with a clamping force that is achieved through the tightening of each wheels lug nuts. This allows all force to be transferred through each of a vehicles hubs, and their corresponding axles.
Therefore, a vehicles weight is not cast upon any wheel spacer that might be installed. On the contrary, wheel spacers simply serve as an extension of a vehicles stock hub faces.
However, it is advisable to only purchase wheel spacers that have been produced by a reputable manufacturer, and that are constructed from billet aluminum.
Additionally, it is imperative that enough wheel stud remains exposed through the face of any spacer that is used, to allow proper thread engagement. This optimizes the above-mentioned clamping force.
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Are Wheel Spacers Safe On Trucks
Their use is fine for smaller vehicles because of their weight, but what happens when you install them on trucks?
Again, it all depends on the type of spacer in question. While the additional weight may be too much for lug-centric spacers to handle, hub-centric wheel spacers wont give you any trouble.
Theyll easily be able to handle the vehicles weight without causing any catastrophic damage. Just expect a little extra wear and tear on your hubs as usual.
Cons Of Wheel Spacers
Final Word
Thus discussing Are wheel spacers good or bad, it can be concluded that wheel spacers have a set of pros and cons.
However, the benefits are more as compared to disadvantages. The decision lies with the owner whether he or she wants to install a wheel spacer or not.
It is recommended to purchase the product from a certified dealer rather than buying from a tire shop.
One should not compromise with its quality as wheel spacers of low quality will come with disadvantages.
Safety of a vehicle is dependent on the wheel spacers to some extent. Wheel spacers are not safe if it is not properly installed.
The cause of any failure is not the fault of the wheel spacers rather the issue in the most case is in the installation of the product.
The wheel spacers must be installed by a professional who has the knowledge and experience of doing so.
One must check whether the wheel, spacer and the hub are stiff enough and do not move under any level of pressure.
In this case, the setup is completely safe. Often there are problems faced with the wheel spacers, and many consider them to be unsafe, but this is not at all true as proper installation can do wonders.
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Are Wheel Spacers Good Or Bad Everything You Need To Know
If you’re debating whether or not to install wheel spacers on your car, read this guide first. We discuss the pros and cons of using them, what benefits they may bring, and if there are any downsides.
Most casual drivers will not give any thought to the wheels on the vehicles they buy. Most know that their tires will eventually need to be replaced as part of general vehicle maintenance tasks, but the wheels around which the tires are wrapped simply exist as a matter of preference.
As such, wheel spacers are usually of little concern to most people.
It may only be after your stock wheels are damaged, your brakes need to be replaced or you want to jazz up your vehicles appearance that you will want to know about wheel spacers and if they are actually good or bad.
Within the automotive world, wheel spacers benefits and safety are heavily debated, but the ultimate question of whether they are right for you, whether they are actually safe, and whether they are truly a good or bad idea comes down to you and your reasoning behind using them.
Lets take a look at what wheel spacers are, and discuss whether or not they are actually as good or as bad as people say they are.
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Ifs / Strut Front Suspension
For those with IFS front suspension looking for an economical, small / moderate lift, then maybe a strut spacer may be for you. Metal – coil strut spacers, generally bolt in between a coil strut top hat and the strut mount on the chassis, spacing the entire assembly down. As the strut remains basically unchanged, full articulation within the limits of the bumpstops is preserved. A word of caution though – When strut spacer kits are fitted above the top mount assembly it can create over-extended down-travel . This over-extension can cause ball joint, CV joint and/or component damage. When strut spacer kits are fitted above the top mount assembly the shock assembly can bottom out before the lower control arm reaches the bump stop. This can possibly lead to major structural damage and / or complete shock failure. Ideally, any IFS suspension lift should be done in conjunction with an appropriate diff drop kit to help preserve CV and axle life.
So, if you’re just looking to get your 4WD lifted a couple of inches as quickly and cheaply as possible, then spacers could be just what you need. If cost isn’t a factor and you’re looking for better performance, increased safety and handling, then check out a custom coil-spring replacement or a full suspension kit. For more information or help with either option, contact Superior Engineering and let their technical sales team assist you in selecting the right parts for your 4WD.
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Do Wheel Spacers Affect Alignment
The installation of properly milled wheel spacers does not affect a vehicles alignment. This, of course, is only true if no adjustments have been made to a vehicles caster, camber, or toe adjustments for other reasons.
If you have simply installed a set of wheel spacers with no further modification, then your alignment will be unaffected, as you have simply moved your wheels outward.
Are Wheel Spacers Legal Are Wheel Spacers Safe
Wheel spacers are one of the cheapest, most popular, and versatile products on the car afterparts market. They have a plethora of applications and can be measured and fitted quite easily with some mechanical know-how.
At Performance Alloys, we stock a massive range of alloy wheel spacers from makes such as Eibach and H& R, which are well-known for their affordability and highly durable designs.
Many on the internet, however, are misinformed when it comes to wheel spacers and their legality. This FAQ will set these wrongs to right and detail how alloy wheel spacers are both entirely safe and legal in a majority of countries when fitted correctly.
Make sure to also check out our comprehensive guide to wheel spacers, which details their many uses, how they may be fitted, and their various sizes and styles.
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Ideally, wheel spacers should last forever. However, thats not always the case. Wheel spacers can fail as a result of poor workmanship, botched installation, or sizing issues. Here are a few specific examples:
- The lug nuts werent torqued to specs
- Lug studs provided with the spacers failed due to poor quality
- The wheel spacers werent centered correctly
- The wheel spacers werent perfectly flush with the hub assembly or wheel as a result of poor installation
What Purpose Do Wheel Spacers Serve
Wheel spacers will give you extra wheel track width. Some say that wider is better, and it is a marvelous way to enhance the grip and handling of your vehicle.
With the wheels pushed out, it will enable your car to be more stable and predictable when pushed to its limits. This procedure gives the impression of having wider rims without the expense of buying new rims, tires, and of course, the labor of fitting.
- Bigger Brake Clearance
If you have decided to go for a big brake kit, you may need to determine whether wheel spacers are a good idea or a bad idea as you might need the extra clearance.
Most of the big brake kits require 17-inch rims or bigger and fitting may be tricky. Wheel spacers may just give you the extra room you need for the brake kit to fit well. Poorly fitted brake kits can have a devastating impact on your day. You can find quality brake kits here.
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- Additional Aesthetic Appeal
The looks of your car are completely personal. Some people like that flush look, while others don’t. It’s all a matter of opinion. What is true is the fact that rims and tires which fill the entire wheel well and sit flush with your fender live give a far more aggressive look to the front of your car.
- Wheel Spacers Will Adjust The Offset
If you purchase a new set of rims, and they don’t fit exactly, or you have seen an amazing set second hand, and they are just a little too big, wheel spacers are a must.
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Buy Wheel Spacers Online
If you need any wheel spacers for your new set of alloy wheels, you can buy wheel spacers online at the Performance Alloys website. Simply click the link or click on the button below to see our full range of high-quality wheel spacers designed to help you better fit your new wheels to your vehicle. Unsure of what size or make of wheel spacer you need? Enter your car details via our search feature at the top of the page to bring up a range of wheel spacers designed specifically for your vehicle. Still unsure? Please get in touch with us and our team of experts will be more than happy to guide you in the right direction.
How Do I Improve The Safety Of My Spacers
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Benefits Of Wheel Spacers
1.1 Improve Car Handling
To achieve better vehicle stability especially, during the cars cornering and turning, people tend to use wheel spacers.
Responsible for creating space for the wheels, this component causes the tires to move further apart. As a result, the vehicles weight is distributed equally on all the four wheels, enhancing the cars handling.
1.2 Improve the Incorrect Offset
Sometimes, the new rims dont fit exactly due to their improper size.
Nevertheless, this issue can be resolved using wheel spacers, as it will set the wheel much forward and can even operate the inside fender liner. Besides this, the problem of rim hitting the control arms, coilovers, or suspension can also be fixed easily, using the correct wheel spacers.
1.3 Enhance the Appearance
Apart from better handling and Are Wheel Spacers Good or Bad?
elevant offset, if you wish to give the car an aggressive or manly look, the wheel spacers will give that appearance to your car. Indeed, they make the wheels push outside, which indirectly enhance the vehicles stance.
Are Wheel Spacers Good Or Bad
After examining wheel spacers and what they exactly do for your vehicle, the question that remains is whether they are good or bad for your vehicle. The answer to this question is twofold.
If you know what wheel adapters are , you know how to correctly install them or already have them properly installed, and you know why you need them, they can be very beneficial.
If you do not know how to install them, already have them improperly installed by either yourself or someone else, or you do not have a clear idea of why you want or need them , they can be detrimental to your vehicles performance and could pose a safety risk to you and others.
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What Do Wheel Spacers Do
The main purpose of wheel spacers is to give you additional space between the wheel and hub assembly. Okay, so why is it important to have this additional space?
Basically, its not a good thing for the wheel to be too close to other inner components like the wheel well. It would degrade the driving performance of the vehicle if they were close. When making turns, the tire would rub against the wheel liner or suspension components. Wheel spacers simply add a bit more additional space so you dont have any clearance issues.
Wheel spacers are commonly used in vehicles that have larger or wider tires. This is usually due to a custom installation where the tires you install are larger than the standard tires that came with the vehicle. Because of this, you may need wheel spacers to help them fit in the space.
They can also give your vehicle a slicker appearance because your wheels will be pushed further outward from the main frame. They may be flush with the fender or even stick out a bit. If thats the look youre going for, then definitely get wheel spacers.
Another great thing that wheel spacers can do is provide better traction on the road. If you want your vehicle to handle better, then its usually best when the wheel is father away from the hub assembly. This creates better grip on the road between the tires and the pavement.
