Wheel spacers - if you have 'em, I'd like your opinion...

Lab Rat

Lab Rat

Founding Member
Oct 25, 2002
308
0
17
Saxonburg, PA
#1
Wheel spacers! Who's got 'em, what kind did you get, what thickness did you get, and how do you like them? And also, did they just improve your car's appearance, or do you actually notice any differences in handling/stability. I'm thinking of getting some, eventually, but there's a BUNCH of other things in line before I spend money on them. I'm just curious.

Matt
 
#2
I used to have H&R 25mm spacers. They move the wheels out about an inch, which improved the looks. No difference in handling. Long-term, it'll wear the wheel bearings faster, but probably not significantly. Make sure you get hubcentric spacers, whatever brand you go with.
 
#4
Lab Rat said:
What do you mean by "hubcentric"? And by the way, how's Hillsburrito these days? I moved out here to the flat lands in 1996 and haven't been back. I miss Oregon like crazy tho.

Matt
Click to expand...
Hubcentric means that they center on the wheel hub just like your wheels do. They bolt down to the lugs like a wheel, and the spacers themselves have their own lugnuts to which the wheel bolts to. The alternative is a thinner spacers that just acts as a shim between the wheel and hub. I wouldn't feel safe with a non-hubcentric design, personally.

Used to be out here, eh? I don't think it's changed much, I only moved to Hillsboro about 4 years go (natively from the other side of Portland). It's getting rejuvinated, as far as I can tell -- areas that were once rental houses are getting bought and converted to regular housing, and new developments are popping up all over the place.

Dave
 
#5
HairyCanary said:
Hubcentric means that they center on the wheel hub just like your wheels do. They bolt down to the lugs like a wheel, and the spacers themselves have their own lugnuts to which the wheel bolts to. The alternative is a thinner spacers that just acts as a shim between the wheel and hub. I wouldn't feel safe with a non-hubcentric design, personally.
Click to expand...

Jeez... I didn't know there was a type other than the hubcentric kind. I wouldn't trust one that was basically a shim either!

Used to be out here, eh? I don't think it's changed much, I only moved to Hillsboro about 4 years go (natively from the other side of Portland). It's getting rejuvinated, as far as I can tell -- areas that were once rental houses are getting bought and converted to regular housing, and new developments are popping up all over the place.

Dave
Click to expand...

Wow, sounds good. It used to be kind of run-down around there. I lived in Corvallis but I had a friend who worked at the Oregon Regional Primate Center, so I used to spend a lot of time up that way. Good mountain biking, which is severely lacking in Ohio.

Matt
 
#6
I'm in the market for getting some wheel spacers soon as well. I have 98 Cobra wheels with tiny 245s on them so my car looks horrible with its current spacing. I was originally going to get H&Rs, but now that Eibach has came out with their own which are significantly cheaper I'm going to go with those.

I think I need the largest possible cause my wheels are sunk in so far. What is the largest? 1.5 inch ?

Thanks
 
#7
had the 1.5" spacer and felt that it improved my handling. I'm really picky when it comes to handling on this car and notice the slightest mod. This just felt like the car was more stable in the rear(during a corner) and also steering the car was more responsive.

I sold them because they stuck out too much. I would rec. the 1".
 
#9
Is it OK handling wise to put 1" spacers on just the rears. I bought MOMO FWD wheels that are only 8" wide. The fronts look good while the backs sink in too much.

I was looking at MAC spacers for around $100.

Ya think only rears and MAC is ok?
 
#10
Black Stampede said:
....I was originally going to get H&Rs, but now that Eibach has came out with their own which are significantly cheaper I'm going to go with those. I think I need the largest possible cause my wheels are sunk in so far. What is the largest? 1.5 inch ?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I think the largest Eibach makes is 1 3/8". Here's a link:

http://www.stangsuspension.com/store/comersus_listCategoriesAndProducts.asp?idCategory=58

I'd like to see any "before and after" pics anyone might have. I've only ever seen one car that I thought might have had them, and it looked pretty good. Rear wheels were flush with the fender wells. Anyone got pics?

Matt
 
#11
punestang said:
had the 1.5" spacer and felt that it improved my handling.
I sold them because they stuck out too much. I would rec. the 1".
Click to expand...

You really think that 1.5 is too much even for an 8 inch wheel on 245s?? When i look at my tires out back it looks like 1.5 inches couldnt even put them flush to the fender. Any body know?
 
#12
Black Stampede said:
You really think that 1.5 is too much even for an 8 inch wheel on 245s?? When i look at my tires out back it looks like 1.5 inches couldnt even put them flush to the fender. Any body know?
Click to expand...


good ???. Not sure really. I wish you could go somewhere and slap all the sizes on and stand back and look at each one to see what fits the best. For your 8" rim, 1.5" maybe is the one to go with. You might even be able to measure from the tire to the fender lip to see what a push of 1.5" out would be like. Not sure how accurate that would be but it's worth a try.
 
#13
You'd be surprised at how far a little bit goes -- it's like dropping your car, an inch looks like three inches. I thought that the 25mm spacer was just about right. Perhaps a 30 would have been perfect, but not more than that. I didn't want it absolutely *flush* anyway, what a mess...

Dave
 
#14
Dave

Did you have 275-40-17 out the back when you put the 25mm spacer on ?

I'm getting some FMS Cobra R 17x9's with 275-40-17 Nitto 555's on the rear, and I wondered if a set of 25mm spacers would flush it up even ? or would it be over kill ? Don't want it sticking out past the fender lip.

I understand that the Nitto 555's sit a lttle taller than other tire mfg.'s

Thanks,Dewey
 
#15
Green Machine said:
Did you have 275-40-17 out the back when you put the 25mm spacer on ?
Click to expand...
No -- I ran the spacers on two cars, a 98 Cobra and 99 Cobra, in both cases with the stock 17x8 wheels and 245-45-17 tires. With my current rims, it doesn't bother me, it's not nearly as pushed in as the 17x8's were.

I'm getting some FMS Cobra R 17x9's with 275-40-17 Nitto 555's on the rear, and I wondered if a set of 25mm spacers would flush it up even ? or would it be over kill ? Don't want it sticking out past the fender lip.
Click to expand...
I don't think it would actually be past the fender lip, but I think it would be messy -- even with the 17x8's, I found that pushing the wheels out an inch caused a dramatic increase in road splatter hitting the sides of the car.

Dave
 
#18
I also have the H&R 1" wheel spacers and I'm running 94/95 Cobra 17 x 8" wheels. If you're going to run 9" wheels then the spacers aren't really needed. I like the look of mine after adding the spacers; only thing I would change is to have the car lowered about an inch. Just doesn't look right with a wider stance and the car still sitting too high. I used to have some pics, I'll have to dig around for them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

2000xp8
Considering widening my rear wheels, would like to verify my thoughts on fitment
Replies
20
Views
414
1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
FastDriver
FastDriver
TripleYellow
Rear Disc and Rims Offsets
Replies
19
Views
1K
1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
TripleYellow
TripleYellow
B
Where to go from here on my build…
Replies
8
Views
196
1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
AeroCoupe
AeroCoupe
Warhorse Racing
Eastern North Carolina Autocross Events!
Replies
0
Views
353
Regional Forums and Event Information
Warhorse Racing
Warhorse Racing
LILCBRA
What's your tow rig?
Replies
3
Views
136
Other Auto Tech
LILCBRA
LILCBRA
Top Bottom
Back
Forums
Menu