Wheel Spacers

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Mark B
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Wheel Spacers

Post by Mark B »

Hi All,

does anyone use wheels spacers here? If so what size do you use? And are there any down sides to using them?

I'm wanting to fill the arches in my Challenger and it seems the easy option, however need to check the studs on the hub are long enough.
Mark
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Pete
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Re: Wheel Spacers

Post by Pete »

It all depends on the Stud Length and also the Lug nut style - some lend themselves more to this approach.

I am not a fan of spacers as it means the wheel no longer indexes on the centre axle Spigot.

Be careful, just measure, measure, measure, check, check, check....
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morgan
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Re: Wheel Spacers

Post by morgan »

I use spacers but not huge ones. I know the studs are good as I replaced them myself and all seats nicely.
But they are not deep spacers - about 5mm I think. Personally I wouldnt go more; its no substitute for offset.
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MattH
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Re: Wheel Spacers

Post by MattH »

I've used spacers on the Chally and the Chevy truck. Had to put longer studs on the truck to get more than two thread turns on the lug nuts.
Chally has been fine, and was 5mm. Wouldnt want to go much more. Correct offset is king as Morgan says.
Ive seen spacers over an inch thick on some trucks which looks scary, I wouldn't like the flex possibilities of huge long studs.
Ive also had the issue of not fitting spacers and wheels touching suspension components, in my days before I understood offset.
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Pete
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Re: Wheel Spacers

Post by Pete »

As a rule of thumb the nut should engage on the thread at least the same depth as the width of the stud, so for a "B" or "E" Body that should be 1/2".

For an early "A" Body of Chevy Passenger car (like my '57) it would be 7/16" engagement.

Personally I would like to see a lot more, and for the Strip the Studs must protrude beyond the Nut at technical inspection or it is a "Fail" - including the front wheels....
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Blue
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Re: Wheel Spacers

Post by Blue »

Look at it like this, in the original design the wheel fits over a spigot and the studs job is to keep the wheel on that spigot, the spigot supports the weight of the vehicle.
With most spacers there is no spigot location and you are then relying on the studs to hold the wheel against the drum and hold the weight of the vehicle. The wider the spacer the more lateral leverage you are putting on the studs which they were not designed to take, cornering at speed really puts a load on. Also with no spigot location there is no guarentee the wheel is spinning concentrically, vibration issues could result from that.
So, if you must use spacers get them made to fit the spigot and the wheel and no wider than an inch would be my advice. Trev D is your man, he has made plenty of custom spacers and I can put you in touch if you wish. And as has already been said, you still need sufficient thread engagement for the wheel nuts no matter what.
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Mark B
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Re: Wheel Spacers

Post by Mark B »

That’s very interesting, thanks for the information. I was thinking of using 5mm spacers from North Hants but as you say they have no spigot support.

https://www.northhantstyres.com/wheel-s ... s-608.html

I’ll check the length of the studs today, see how much is on them.

Thanks again for your comments, bad luck about the Dolomite!
Mark
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Dave999
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Re: Wheel Spacers

Post by Dave999 »

if the wheel was designed with no spigot support originally you might be ok

some alloys for example use a "Sex Nut", a sleeved lug nut with a convex shape to the the base of the head and a concave steel seat for each nut.
they center and support without the use of the spigot. my wheels use this and they cover all but the last mm of the thread, 1.5 inches of stud thread coverage when done up against a steel seat pressed deep into the wheel

this set up is often used if the wheel has soft alloy hub caps that fit through the spigot hole from the back...i.e the spigot hole is a mm wider than the hub spigot to allow the cup through.... the cups are no stronger than a bean can so are not doing any proper centering or support.

the wheel should support the car based on the fiction set up between its tightly clamped back and the hub...a wheel that moves and slides on the hub will wear the spigot hole, flex the studs and come off, just ask anyone who had wheels plastic coated and didn't clean off the lug nut seats.. spigot as such is a safety feature covering for poor tightening on a wheel like this

on a steel wheel it is often, as stated above by all, the main centering thing in the whole kit and kaboodle so its vital on any wheel with flat nuts flat nuts and flat washers, and some with concave holes and convex washers..... steel wheels often flex... i'd want to hub centre steel wheels..alloy wheels flex but not as much...this is why few do track days and racing on street steel wheels. not so much of an issue on the 1/4 there are no corners unless something goes wrong

a spacer adds in a second friction based section into the sandwich...provided it is made of suitable material and provides the same support as the hub..it should be ok....you won't be making one from stainless steel or brass .....!... you need something that microwelds and provides massive friction under the severe the pressure provided by the nuts, steel on steel alloy on steel.

The wheel should never chafe the hub and the studs must never see any shear/side load. otherwise the wheel just acts like a bolt cutter. a problem seen on lambretta scooters 40+ BHP rather than the 8 or so they left the factory with

the best ones are 10 -12 mm thick bolt to the hub via the original means and then have a bolt pattern studded into them from behind like the hub, for a wheel of totally different mounting... i.e for fitting a small PCD 4 stud car with a 5 or 6 stud large PCD wheel. putting off road 4x4 or truck wheel on a beach buggy... or early vw van wheels (no proper centre at all) on a late van hub.

anything that widens or narrows the track of the car will have an adverse impact on suspension, wheel bearings and tyre life. use spacer to put contact patch back where it should be....

well i guess i'm saying success and safety is dependent on wheel choice, the style of mounting counts.

Dave
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morgan
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Re: Wheel Spacers

Post by morgan »

Well you got “sex nut” past the Bananarama! anyway...
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Dave999
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Re: Wheel Spacers

Post by Dave999 »

Bananarama! yeah
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mopar_mark
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Re: Wheel Spacers

Post by mopar_mark »

May cost more, but you can get spacers turned up with & internal & external register.

As for thread, eng practise is typically 1 & 1/2 time the thread diameter for depth of thread, thus engagement gives good clamping strength
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A100
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Re: Wheel Spacers

Post by A100 »

I got some spacers made up by this company [url]https://www.superforma.co.uk//url]
They'll make spacers or adaptors to your spec. In other words, you can give them the hub centre bore, the centre bore of your chosen wheel, Wheel bolt PCD, etc. etc.
If you're only after a 5mm or so spacer then it's not really an issue but these guys will make you spacers up to 60mm thick !! I'm pretty sure they wouldn't do so if it wasn't safe but once you start going any wider than about 10mm you need that centre bore size to locate the wheel centrally on the hub.
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Mark B
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Re: Wheel Spacers

Post by Mark B »

Thanks for the advice. I avoided the cheaper spacers thanks to the useful advice above. And the cost of getting specially made (spigot support) spacers lathed and machined up probably wasn't far off the cost of 2 discounted new wheels.

So went for deeper dish TT's instead. They fill the arch which is what I wanted.
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Mark
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Pete
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Re: Wheel Spacers

Post by Pete »

A plan with no drawbacks.... well done!! :thumbright: :thumbright: :thumbright: :thumbright:
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