wheel spacer?

[t bone]

hi guys,
im thinkin of puttin wheel spacers on my hubs for a broder stance. has anyone done this and any drawbacks?
Thanks
2008 ms3

 

[mr_mazda329]

Anything more than 5mm runs the risk of not having enough stud for the lugs and could put little more strain on the Hub bearings and studs. H&R does make spacer kits that have built in studs.

I say just get the proper offset wheel and be done with it. Stock is +52.5mm so if you wanted flush, a +40-45 wheel that is 8in. wide would do the trick.

 

[madvillian]

i thought a lot about it, it would make a big difference in the looks of the car. just make sure you get the longer studs.. the h&r kits are really nice.

 

[tigermack]

Like mentioned, 5mm is fine. I might try some 8mm but no need.

 

[UHATEIT]

Its hard to get it to be flush with the fender as the stock rims are only 7 inches wide. I put on 1/4 inch spacers (I dont know what the **** mm that is) but I put them on last week and they did not sit it flush, but still pushed it out more. I would say that there would be no way you could get anything wide than 1/4 inch on stock threads unless you get the ones that come with the lugs built in which cost a bit more. 1/2 inch to 3/4 would be perfect spacing out, but there is NO WAY you will get enough lug thread to do it so you would nee those ones with the lugs built in, here's 1/4 inch spacers anyways with stock wheels:

 

[builthatch]

H&R spacers are not available with built in studs until you get into the 40+mm range AFAIK

Eibach or H&R offer spacers with i assume new studs (i've only seen kits with wheel bolts for euro apps). you will have to remove the stock studs and install the longer ones....sounds like a nice option vs. buying aftermarket wheels, esp if you like your stock wheels.

i made a thread about this a while ago and didn't get much feedback other than people telling me that spacers can be detrimental to the hubs, when in actuality hub centric spacers are no different then getting a different offset wheel. look at all the bazillion guys who auto-x their miatas and hondas with uber bumped out offsets, then put their road wheels on and have no issues forever.

 

[big Lou]

Don't do it i've heard of to many stories where people don't have enough stud and wheels will fall off, it can be done but you will find yourself retorquing your car all the time just to be safe.

 

[builthatch]

update to my previous post...the eibach 15mm spacers have the studs built in!

part number - 90.4.15.002.1

from eibach contact-

p/n 90.4.15.002.1 is a system type 4 which means that the spacer already has the studs on the spacer and it comes with the attachment nuts. So the spacer would go over the existing studs and attach to the nuts provided and then the wheel would go over the spacer studs and attach to the wheels lug nuts