Wheelspacers
You can adjust the axle track of your car with wheel spacers. Wheelspacers, also called wheel adapters or spacers, are fitted between the wheel
rim and the hub. More precisely put, they are fitted over your car’s holding
bracket. Wheel spacers are used to create extra clearance between the wheel and
the wheel hub assembly. This way, spacers increase the distance between the
wheel and the wheel hub assembly and thus increase your car´s axle track. This
distance between the rim and the hub is called the offset and is expressed in
ET value (millimeters). Wheel spacers matches with a vehicle’s bolt pattern and
fit over the existing studs, allowing the wheel to be mounted normally.
Wheelspacers are often used when you want to install larger tires.
Besides the obvious benefit that they help give your car a unique look,
wheelspacers also help to increase vehicle performance because the vehicle´s
handling improves. In addition, wheelspacers also make it possible to install
larger brakes . When you want to install larger tyres and rims to your car, and
you do not use wheel spacers, there is a chance that the wheel will start
rubbing.
What is the offset (ET-size)? When you want to install other rims to your car which are wider than your
initial ones, you need to take the offset into account. Offset is the distance
from the hub mounting surface to the centre line of the wheel, to the wheel's
true centreline. It is measured in mm and can be either positive or negative. A
positive offset means the hub-mounting surface is closer to the outside edge of
the wheel, while a negative offset means the hub-mounting surface is closer to
the inside edge of the wheel. Effectively, offset value says something about
how deep the hub goes into the rim, or how close the rim sits to the hub
assembly components. Basically, at the centre line we are at 0mm or 0 offset. 0
Offset refers to the mounting surface being lined up with the centre line of
the wheel. If we move toward the hub/away from the face, we are going into
negative offsets. If we move toward the face/away from the hub, we are looking
at positive offsets. For example, if a wheel's mount is 35mm away from the
centre line it’s at +35 offset.
The next two things you need to understand are back space and front
space. Back space corresponds to how far the back of the wheel will go in.
Preferably without rubbing on the suspension. Front space is essential to know
how far the wheel comes out from the hub. In this case, you don't want it to
come out past the fender.
Practical applicability? The ET number indicates how many millimetres
the centre line of the wheel deviates from the wheel hub. The lower the ET, the
more the rim sticks out. You can use wheel spacers to adjust the ET size. With
spacers the ET size of the wheels is lowered (!) and the wheels are placed
further outside. A wheel spacer 10 mm thick will lower the ET value by 10.
The offset is stamped on a wheel as an ET value, which refers to the
German phrase Einpress Tiefe. To get things clear, offset is the same as
Einpress Tiefe. The ET size is also called IS-value, and both are the same as
offset.
What wheelspacers do I need? In addition to offset, you also need to take bolt pattern (also called bolt
circle) and the diameter of the wheel hub (also called center bore) into
consideration. The wheel hub diameter is important to ensure that the wheel
spacers fit around the hub. Next to wheel hub,you need to pay attention to the
bolt pattern. The bolt pattern refers to an angement of the lug holes and the
centre of the wheel. And in this case also the assembly of the wheel spacers to
the hub. The bolt pattern is represented with two numbers; the number of lug
holes x the distance between them across the centre of the wheel also called
the pitch circle diameter (P.C.D.). P.C.D. is the diameter of the circle which
passes through the centre of all the studs, wheel bolts or wheel rim holes. A
correct bolt pattern is essential in order to assemble the wheel spacers to the
hub. The bolt pattern is specific to a vehicle and can’t be changed. It has to
be the exact same pattern on the wheel. Wheel spacer specifics are often
referred by lug holes, bolt pattern and center bore diameter. Wheel spacers 4 x
100 - 57.1, for example, refers to 4 lug holes, the diameter is 100 mm and the center bore diameter is 57.1.
Please, also pay attention to the length of
the wheel nuts and bolts . If you are installing wheel spacers, it is recommended
to use longer wheel bolts. Because of the increased width, less thread will
remain using the same bolts decreasing the locking strength. In some cases,you
will also need spigot rings . Spigot rings ensure that the wheel spacers are
better secured and the wheels are better held in place. With some wheel spacer
kits, centring rings are included.
Buying new wheelspacers Buying new wheelspacers or wheel adapters is quick and easy at Winparts. You
can easily filter using specifics such as hub hole diameter, bolt pattern and
the desired offset. At Winparts you will find H&R wheel spacers , but
also from Autostyle and TPI . You can also find other accessories
for your wheels such as wheel nut covers , tyre stands , tyre repair and tyre pressure and profile gauges .
