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Sometimes conflicting opinions can develop about the value of a particular aftermarket car modification. A prime example of this exact situation involves the debate surrounding whether or not wheel spacers are safe to use.
While one faction believes that wheel spacers are not only safe, but very useful, others strongly believe that wheel spacers are dangerous and should not be installed on a car for any reason.
So where is the truth, and which school of thought best fits the facts on the matter? Read on to learn more about wheel spacers and whether they are safe to use on your vehicle.
Wheel spacers are used to extend the stance of the vehicle. This is accomplished by creating additional space between the mounting flange at each wheel location and the inner surface of the wheel itself. In essence, the distance each wheel moves outward is equal to the thickness of the spacer used.
Wheel spacers are available in a variety of thicknesses, diameters and bolt styles. This allows almost any consumer to find a set of spacers to fit their specific application.
In many cases, the use of spacers requires the purchase of aftermarket wheel studs or lug nuts for proper threaded engagement.
The use of wheel spacers creates greater wheel deflection by increasing the distance between the vehicle wheel and its corresponding hub assembly. Wheel spacers are used for a variety of reasons, the following are the most common
#1 - Improved grip and traction
The wider the wheelbase of a vehicle, the more grip and traction it will have. Wheel spacers offer the opportunity to increase the wheelbase of other stock vehicles to improve performance.
This is one of the biggest reasons why wheel spacers are often used in racing situations.
#2 - Proper Wheel Fitment
As time passes, more and more drivers are turning their attention to using custom wheels and aftermarket tires. Frame and suspension interference often results when wheels with incorrect offsets are selected for use.
Using wheel spacers may be the easiest way to eliminate such fitment problems, especially in off-road or truck applications.
#3 - Adding Aesthetic Value
Many drivers choose to use wheel spacers on their vehicles to add to their aesthetic value. In many applications, a wider than normal wheelbase can be visually appealing and provide an outwardly aggressive appearance.
Just as there are many advantages to the use of wheel spacers, there are also some disadvantages, which cause many drivers to avoid them altogether. The following are the most common disadvantages associated with the use of wheel spacers.
#1 - Wheel Vibration
Vehicle manufacturers typically design each of their models to provide superior ride quality and driving performance. This is accomplished by establishing the optimal front-end geometry for each specific model.
Whenever any of the associated angles and dimensions are modified, such as when using wheel spacers, excessive wheel vibration can result.
#2 - Accelerated Component Wear
Factory wheel end assemblies are designed and tested to best serve the stock applications in which they are used. However, the widening of vehicle wheelbases has resulted in increased operating stresses on each of these components.
As a result, components such as bearings, axles and hubs typically wear faster than would be expected without the use of wheel spacers.
#3 - Fender Interference Problems
While wheel spacers can often solve suspension and frame interference problems, they can also create fender bender problems in the process. As wheel offset increases and the vehicle's wheelbase widens, the factory wheel-to-fender clearance decreases. This can lead to tire rubbing or fender damage.
Since the weight of a vehicle is not supported by its wheel studs, it is generally considered safe to use wheel spacers. The wheels of a vehicle are actually held on their corresponding hubs by a clamping force that is achieved by tightening the lug nuts on each wheel. This allows all forces to be transmitted through each wheel hub of the vehicle and its corresponding axle.
Thus, the weight of the vehicle is not applied to any of the wheel spacers that may be installed. Instead, the wheel spacers simply act as an extension of the vehicle's original hub surface.
However, it is recommended that only wheel spacers made by reputable manufacturers and made of billet aluminum be purchased.
In addition, there must be enough of the wheel bolt remaining exposed through the surface of any spacer used to allow for proper threaded engagement. This optimizes the clamping force described above.
Wheel spacers can be divided into two categories, hub-centric and lug-centric. The difference between the two is as follows.
Hub-Centric
Hub-centric spacers, much like hub-centric wheels, are oriented to the mounting flange in the center of the vehicle's hub. The corresponding wheel or spacer has a center hole diameter that matches that mounting flange exactly.
When tightened, the alignment between these two surfaces keeps the wheel or spacer centered on the hub. Hub-centered wheels or spacers do not require the use of tapered lug nuts.
Lug Centered
Lug-centered wheel spacers rely on the use of tapered lug nuts to center the wheel or spacer to its corresponding hub. When this lug nut is tightened, a self-centering action occurs, so there is no free space for misalignment.
It will also be noted that there is no centralized mounting flange on the hub centered on the lug and that most wheels or spacers of this design have a large inside diameter.
While wheel spacers simply increase the wheel offset of the vehicle, wheel adapters modify the bolt pattern of the vehicle. Wheel adapters are often used when trying to use an aftermarket wheel with a different bolt pattern than the vehicle's stock bolt pattern.
For example, a wheel adapter may be used on a vehicle with a 4-bolt pattern when attempting to use 6-bolt wheels. Due to their natural thickness, wheel adapters also tend to provide at least some degree of offset.
Installing properly ground wheel spacers will not affect the alignment of the vehicle. Of course, this is only true if no adjustments are made to the rear camber, camber or front beam of the vehicle for other reasons.
If you simply install a set of wheel spacers without further modification, then your alignment will not be affected because you are only moving the wheels outward.
In many cases, installing wheel spacers will affect the warranty on your vehicle. However, in almost all cases, this only applies to items that are prone to accelerated wear due to the use of wheel spacers.
For example, it is unlikely that a dealer or manufacturer will warranty a defective unit bearing if wheel spacers have been installed. On the other hand, anything not related to shim use, such as engine related problems, will still be covered in the typical manner.
Ultimately, the extent to which shim installation affects a vehicle's warranty depends entirely on the judgment of the dealership visited and the manufacturer of the particular vehicle.
Shindary Automotive Parts Co., Ltd.
