View Poll Results: Have you had issues with wheel spacers?
I have slip on (v1) spacers and have NO issues with them
2
10.53%
I had slip on (v1) spacers and HAD issues with them
1
5.26%
I have bolt on (v2) spacers and have NO issues with them
13
68.42%
I had bolt on (v2) spacers and HAD issues with them.
3
15.79%
Voters: 19. You may not vote on this poll
12-12-14, 04:32 PM
Last edit by: IB Advertising
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Wheel spacers: safe or dangerous?
08-20-12, 10:20 AM
#1
Wheel spacers: safe or dangerous?
Recently I went to Discount Tire to have new tires installed and they would not work on my car unless the wheel spacers on my fronts were removed. I tried everything, even offering to sign a waiver. Their new policy is to not allow for a car leave their shop with spacers installed. This got me thinking. Are these things really unsafe? On one side you have cases like the one documented in this thread where the spacers crack.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...f-spacers.html
On the other hand you have users like me that have had wheel spacers on their vehicles for years without any issues. Please post and respond to the poll if you have or have had spacers on your vehicle. I have Ichiba v2 15mm spacers on the front. I take them off and inspect them before every winter when I put on my winter wheels and put them back on in the spring. I have been doing this for about 4 years now and have had no issues. I even did a track day with those on the car.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...f-spacers.html
On the other hand you have users like me that have had wheel spacers on their vehicles for years without any issues. Please post and respond to the poll if you have or have had spacers on your vehicle. I have Ichiba v2 15mm spacers on the front. I take them off and inspect them before every winter when I put on my winter wheels and put them back on in the spring. I have been doing this for about 4 years now and have had no issues. I even did a track day with those on the car.
from me!
08-20-12, 01:30 PM
#5
Spacers are a bandaid fix for wheels that you couldn't get to fit right. I had spacers with the stock 18" wheels for a year and a half or so, and didn't have any problems during that time. If properly installed, there shouldn't be any issues. It will just add more wear to the wheel bearings.
08-20-12, 10:19 PM
#7
once you replaced the studs with quality extended ones, you will be fine. The chances of stubs snapping is rare and a snapped wont put you in major danger. With bolt on spacers one crack can lead to the whole spacer and studs to come part. Too dangerous of a situation to cheap out and buy spacers with low reputation. I went with H & R for peace of mind and the fact that they chose not to make spacers with built in stubs less then 25mm for a reason.
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08-21-12, 12:14 AM
#8
I'm planning on getting Ichiba v1 5mm spacers. I feel like you just have to make sure the torque is proper and that you inspect them routinely and you should be fine. This is my daily driver and I don't track but I do sometimes drive a little spirited but nothing too extreme so I don't see them being a problem.
08-21-12, 08:59 AM
#10
ive been reading a lot of bad experiences with ichiba lately.
ive run spacers on a few cars.
a lot of drifters, autocrossers, etc run them as well and with good result.
drifting definitely puts a higher demand and beating on a vehicle and its parts
than normal daily driving. of course one could make the point that tracks are
a controlled contained enviornment and are 'safer' than a public road/highway.
but my point is that there are a lot of guys who run them, and run them properly
without incident.
anyways, theres this old saying i cant remember how it goes but pretty much
it says that if you have a doubt about something, dont do it. then there will
be nothing to regret later
ive run spacers on a few cars.
a lot of drifters, autocrossers, etc run them as well and with good result.
drifting definitely puts a higher demand and beating on a vehicle and its parts
than normal daily driving. of course one could make the point that tracks are
a controlled contained enviornment and are 'safer' than a public road/highway.
but my point is that there are a lot of guys who run them, and run them properly
without incident.
anyways, theres this old saying i cant remember how it goes but pretty much
it says that if you have a doubt about something, dont do it. then there will
be nothing to regret later
08-22-12, 06:00 PM
#12
The more parts that are in the system, the higher chance for failure is...
If properly maintained and inspected, sure, they are probably OK... Even an enthusiast is not going to maintain and inspect them the way they should, however...
That has been DT's policy forever and ever...
It is 100% a liability thing... The chance something goes wrong is just not worth it to them - there is enough liability in installing wheels and tires as it is... The way a wheel is attached to a car or truck now is a pretty tough interface - you pretty much know if something is wrong - very rarely do all 5-8 studs break at the exact same time with no warning at all (shimmy, loose feeling, etc usually precedes a complete failure)... With spacers and extended wheel studs, this is still true, but, there is more stress on the studs, even if they are longer - cantilever effect, but when we go to adapters - throw all of that out the window, as already mentioned, a hairline crank in an aluminum adapter will cause complete immediate failure, generally with no warning...
Are you really going to inspect them as often as they should be? I would say every single oil change would be a minimum, which means pulling the wheels, adapters, cleaning them, inspecting them (even better, using a bluing dye to check for microscopic cracks) and putting it all back together...
Just ask yourself, is it worth it to look 5-25mm cooler than you do now? Then ask yourself, wouldn't it then be worth it to spend a few more dollars (as if you didn't already for the spacers/adapters) and buy the correct offset wheels to start...
If properly maintained and inspected, sure, they are probably OK... Even an enthusiast is not going to maintain and inspect them the way they should, however...
That has been DT's policy forever and ever...
It is 100% a liability thing... The chance something goes wrong is just not worth it to them - there is enough liability in installing wheels and tires as it is... The way a wheel is attached to a car or truck now is a pretty tough interface - you pretty much know if something is wrong - very rarely do all 5-8 studs break at the exact same time with no warning at all (shimmy, loose feeling, etc usually precedes a complete failure)... With spacers and extended wheel studs, this is still true, but, there is more stress on the studs, even if they are longer - cantilever effect, but when we go to adapters - throw all of that out the window, as already mentioned, a hairline crank in an aluminum adapter will cause complete immediate failure, generally with no warning...
Are you really going to inspect them as often as they should be? I would say every single oil change would be a minimum, which means pulling the wheels, adapters, cleaning them, inspecting them (even better, using a bluing dye to check for microscopic cracks) and putting it all back together...
Just ask yourself, is it worth it to look 5-25mm cooler than you do now? Then ask yourself, wouldn't it then be worth it to spend a few more dollars (as if you didn't already for the spacers/adapters) and buy the correct offset wheels to start...
08-27-12, 01:23 PM
#13
I called up Adaptec to make my 15mm and 20mm "Ichiba V2 style" spacers. If anyone will get it right, they will.
Had 15mm H&R adapters on my GTI (to fit Porsche wheels to VW). Tracked with them... no issues.
If you have adapters/spacers, get a 1/2 inch torque wrench and make sure you understand the torque sequence.
I have a feeling that over 80% of the failures are from improper installation or neglect.
They can be done right.
Had 15mm H&R adapters on my GTI (to fit Porsche wheels to VW). Tracked with them... no issues.
If you have adapters/spacers, get a 1/2 inch torque wrench and make sure you understand the torque sequence.
I have a feeling that over 80% of the failures are from improper installation or neglect.
They can be done right.
06-14-14, 05:51 PM
#14
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I have a question about spacers if someone could PM me and answer.
I am considering spacers for OE wheels on my 2IS. Are spacers with or without bolts better. Like the h&r 20 mm spacers are just a spacer, the Ichiba 20 mm spacers are the spacer but then have the adapters so you don't have to lengthen your wheel studs.
What route is better? Getting the spacers with the bolts that you screw on the existing hub or the ones with the just holes and you would most likely need to install extended wheel studs???
Please PM me the response to this. Thanks for your time.
I am considering spacers for OE wheels on my 2IS. Are spacers with or without bolts better. Like the h&r 20 mm spacers are just a spacer, the Ichiba 20 mm spacers are the spacer but then have the adapters so you don't have to lengthen your wheel studs.
What route is better? Getting the spacers with the bolts that you screw on the existing hub or the ones with the just holes and you would most likely need to install extended wheel studs???
Please PM me the response to this. Thanks for your time.
06-17-14, 01:41 PM
#15
Driver School Candidate
Please Note: If you ever get a flat and need to put on a spare tire YOU WILL BE SCREWED! Well, I haven't looked at our spare tires to be honest. BUT I doubt they'll have the space to fit the stock bolts, once you align the spare to the bolts of the spacer. A friend of mine has some on his G35, they work fine, really improve the look of that gap, he's had them on for 2 years and so far so good, until this happened to him last week. I cracked up and told him he should've been having wider rims and removed the spacers by now.