Wheel Spacers?

[gords]

I've seen mentioned here and adverts for spacers to widen the track of your ...(insert 4x4 type here)

It's obvious enough how they work    but why would they be an advantage on, say, a Discovery 1 (like mine!)?

[Andy.]

With things like this I always say "why aren't they fitted as standard if they are so good"  :?:

Seen a thread on LRO forum and it's 50/50 split on if they are worth putting on.

Sure some will comment on here.

[Wanderer]

The main concern with wheel spacers has always been that you put extra strain on the bearings and you can do the same thing without the strains using offset wheels.

Ed

[muddyweb]

First question is, what are you hoping to achieve by widening the vehicle track ?  

Other considerations are :

1) Spacers can be bloomin expensive
2) Your insurance company might have a fit

[muky-kid.]

Personally i wouldnt bother putting wheel spacers on a Disco or 90 or Range Rover, they dont really need them. Maybe go for a slightly wider tyre choice, but then you run the risk of fowling the arches on articulation if they are too wide.Sorry i cant much of a help but when it comes to tyres there are so many choices wede be here all night, and then theres the suspension mods, brake pipe mods it just depends how far you want to go ( and spend ). For greenlaneing your Disco is just fine as it is or maybe a set of allterain tyres. But bewarned once you start modifying you cant stop it gets addictive.....  :lol:

[EvilEd]

I need to fit a set on the Jeep, just need to find somewhere to get extended studs from. Reason I need them is that after fitting 31x10.5s rather than 30x9.5s I have limited steering. (Still need to change the steering stops) They are only ~9-10mm Spacers and should give me just that little extra steering.

Adding offset wheels to make the track wider puts just as much strain on the wheel bearings as spacers in most setups. ideally the hub should be in the centre of the wheel thereby distributing the weight on both sides of the rim. if you offset to make the hub closer to the inside rim, this also puts extra pressure on your bearings.

The danger with the spacers I have is that it is like fitting a "washer" between your hub and wheel. so you must check your wheel nuts regularly. If you have the thicker spacers, they bolt onto your original studs and then you have the wheel mounted onto the spacer.

[gords]

The main question was "why" ... a lot of things just get advertised and people (I assume) buy them because they think they are needed ... because they are for sale!

I don't have any plans to buy/fit any ... I just was curious as to their proper purpose!

[EvilEd]

Yeah, As I said, if you fit a wider tyre to the front of your beast, you'll find you loose out on turning circle as either, like me you get a nice rumble as the lugs rub, or you have to adjust the steering stop as there goes your turning circle. the 31x10.5s are only half inch wider each side, so putting a 10mm spacer in will give me a good (although I'd need ~12.5mm for original) turning circle. Nothing to do with giving me a wider track or anything. if I went up to 33x12.5s then I'll have to find another inch to get my steering back to near OEM.

[muky-kid.]

The main question was "why" ... a lot of things just get advertised and people (I assume) buy them because they think they are needed ... because they are for sale!

I don't have any plans to buy/fit any ... I just was curious as to their proper purpose!

Yeah, i see what you mean now. Funny that isnt it a new product comes along and everyone dashes out to buy it, sometimes not thinking if it will work or improve there vehicle. Its like when i used to go Carp fishing i only used takle i could afford, but sometimes i caught more and bigger Carp than someone useing top of the range gear?.....  I must admit though i was tempted by the Scorpion Racing extreme suspension setup, but glad i didnt get in debt for that one after the storys ive heard about it.

[Range Rover Blues]

The sort of bolt-one wheel spacers that are available for Land Rovers have been shuned by the classic car fraternity in favour of spacing plates and longer wheel studs, which of course we can't do.  If fitting them you MUST tell your insurance company but as most are approved by whoever in Germany you should be ok (TUV I think).
Fitting wider tyres isn't as good as you think, you add say 30mm extra tread that's all you get, 15mm inside, 15mm outside, both sides equals 30mm overall!
Wheels with a wider offset, yes but that puts exactly the same strain on the original studs and bearings as using spacers, for the same gain in track obviously.

So as Muddyweb says, WHY
The most obvious downside is that the larger scrub radious makes steering a pig and you will feel a lot more steering wobble under braking if there's anything at all up with your disks (even if within tolerance, which is common).
And you can screw up your steering castor (oh, not that again).

[Dirty Gertie]

Hi Chaps <waves>  as I understand it, the only real reason for fitting wheelspacers is to 'reclaim' a slightly lower centre of gravity when lifting a vehicle; I've a 2" lift on HL with Evo kit and prospacers, she behaves beautifully both on and off the road  :lol:
Basically, if you go up, go out as well  

[Wanderer]

Ok shout at me if I'm wr... wro.... incorrect but.....

If you use a wider tyre then that shouldn't have any real effect on the bearings.
If you use an offset wheel that may have a minor effect on the bearings

But...

If you use a spacer, surely the laws of leverage have to come into play where you have extended the distance between the face of the hub to the face of the wheel (and the point of contact of the wheel and wheel nuts) and therefore you have increased the leverage involved with bearing acting as a fulcrum and forces being applied at the opposite end.

I hope someone understands what I am getting at.

I was recently looking at the purchase of wolf wheels which (if you're being really picky) need to have longer studs due to the thicker wheel and the wheel isn't that much thicker than a standard steel wheel.
The price of new studs is extortionate. Surely wheel spaces would need the same studs to be swapped or something added in their place.
Adding something a la 1970's wheel spacers has to be pretty dangerous.

There's got to be someone with the neccesary degree in Physics.

Ed