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General Information => General => Topic started by: sethyboy85 on April 09, 2005, 06:12:44 pm

Title: wheel spacer?
Post by: sethyboy85 on April 09, 2005, 06:12:44 pm

I need a wheel spacer's for my 84 jetta and corrosponding wheel lug bolt unless I could use these http://www.ezaccessory.com/.sc/ms/dd/1113094865453818/9/nc/Wheel%20Spacers/14/4%20%26%205%20Lug%203mm%20Thick%20Spacer
and my original wheel lug bolts?[/url]

Title: wheel spacer?
Post by: Centurion on April 20, 2005, 11:56:08 am

Ammended

Pay the money

C

Title: wheel spacer?
Post by: fspGTD on April 20, 2005, 12:02:43 pm

If you are looking for some good spacers for your 4x100 VW application, I would recommend H&R's line of hubcentric spacers.

Washers between wheel and hub seem like a really, really bad idea, regardless of whether or not the wheel bolts stay tight.  All the lateral loads from the contact patches are transfered through those surfaces...  A spacer that is properly engineered for the application will allow the wheel to contact the hub at all the surfaces it usually would, to prevent possible metal fatigue and failure of the wheel (deforming, cracking, breaking).

Title: wheel spacer?
Post by: Centurion on April 20, 2005, 12:08:22 pm

- go with the recommendation!!!


C :)

Title: wheel spacer?
Post by: fspGTD on April 27, 2005, 08:52:56 am

Taller than stock tires will actually amplify the lateral loads sent through the hub face, since the contact patch is farther away from the hub the "leverage" will be greater.  Worst case scenario is in the middle of a high g-force turn at your outside front wheel.

Stock thick-steel wheels sound like a good thing though for durability in this case though.  Steel might bend where aluminum will crack and give way with much less warning.  They more contact surface your wheels have with the washers the better.  Keeping the cornering forces conservative (and running hard, high treadwear type tires) will also help chances of getting by without a problem here also.  I would periodically inspect your wheel centers around where the lug bolts are for signs of cracking bending if running improper spacers.  Better to catch a developing problem early on before it causes an accident. :o Good luck.

Title: wheel spacer?
Post by: Dr. Diesel on April 27, 2005, 01:15:48 pm

a quick and dirty method which works but doesn't provide good centering is cutting the mounting face off a set of front rotors and using longer bolts or studs. Seen it, never tried it.

Title: wheel spacer?
Post by: Dr. Diesel on May 01, 2005, 11:05:13 am

well, having said that, I thought more and more about it. friday I put my summer wheels back on and went for an alignment. before doing so, though, i cut up a rotor and tried it on. There were enough threads on my studs to handle it, and plenty of hub left sticking out for centering. The wheel fit on nicely, so I made three more. They don't shake or vibrate in the slightest. I'm pretty happy with the cheapie wheel spacers all said and done.

Title: wheel spacer?
Post by: fspGTD on May 01, 2005, 11:50:57 am

Nice and very crafty, Dr. D!

Title: wheel spacer?
Post by: Dr. Diesel on May 01, 2005, 12:56:34 pm

hard to beat a free mod that works!! it's only an extra 10mm total, but every bit helps. maybe in another life when I have that rare extravagance called 'time' i'll do some before and after gtech g readings with and without them to see if it actually makes a handling difference. It does handle great though!

Title: wheel spacer?
Post by: Centurion on May 05, 2005, 10:46:05 am

My appologies -

My years in  undergrad Mech Eng were wasted - 20 years ago

C - cheers