wheel spacers....safe?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 402
Likes: 0
From: Kingsport TN
wheel spacers....safe?
guys, i am changing wheels and thinking i might have to put spacers on my car.
anyone had any luck with these? i will be autocrossing pretty hard, with some hard driving on the street.
also, how does the wheel bearings hold up? i got a good deal on the wheels but im not gonna use em if its gonna kill the bearings.
thanks!
anyone had any luck with these? i will be autocrossing pretty hard, with some hard driving on the street.
also, how does the wheel bearings hold up? i got a good deal on the wheels but im not gonna use em if its gonna kill the bearings.
thanks!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 8,897
Likes: 1,352
From: Santa Ana CA
Re: wheel spacers....safe? (SharkBit)
I use a 1/4" spacer on front of my '64 to clear the added disk calipers. (I have and can use 1/8", but the extra space gives me a little more clearence on the steering carrage bolt.) I've never had a problem and as long as the spacer is thin and there is plenty of lug engaged, there should be no problems. They are available in both aluminum and steel.
That said, if you intend to autocross, you may want to check the rule book. I remember when I used to that the local autocross club rules prohibited the use of wheel spacers, not that anyone ever looked or could see them if they did.
That said, if you intend to autocross, you may want to check the rule book. I remember when I used to that the local autocross club rules prohibited the use of wheel spacers, not that anyone ever looked or could see them if they did.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 402
Likes: 0
From: Kingsport TN
Re: wheel spacers....safe? (toddalin)
thanks for the info guys...
im thinking of making my own, if i could just find some studs long enough.
does anyone know the thread and shank size on the corvette wheel studs?
79 by the way, although 63-82 should be the same
thanks!
im thinking of making my own, if i could just find some studs long enough.
does anyone know the thread and shank size on the corvette wheel studs?
79 by the way, although 63-82 should be the same
thanks!
Pro
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 625
Likes: 0
From: The Villages FL
Re: wheel spacers....safe? (SharkBit)
Just sold a set of four custom CNC machined spacers with a GM center flange that I used with Torque-Thrust D's to clear the calipers. They can be made to work very well, although you will need to lengthen the lugs the width of the spacer. The center flange aligned and balanced perfectly, unlike the el cheapo "universal" spacers. I can direct you to the right shop for them, but a great price I can't get you.
Spike
Spike
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)
Joe Kucinski
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!
Brett Foote
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)
Joe Kucinski
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!
Michael S. Palmer
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!
Joe Kucinski
7 Bolt-On Upgrades From Extreme Online Store to Level Up Your C6 Corvette
Pouria Savadkouei
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 4,466
Likes: 0
From: Paducah KY
Cruise-In I Veteran
Cruise-In II Veteran
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03
Re: wheel spacers....safe? (SharkBit)
I've got aluminum adapters on mine. Paid $200 to have them machined (including new lug bolts.) Email me if you want the address of the guy that makes them.
Dave
Dave
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 29,745
Likes: 3
From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
CI-VIII Burnout Champ
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Re: wheel spacers....safe? (markdtn)
Spacers - NO !
Adapters - YES !!
A "spacer" usually requires longer studs and the studs pass through the spacer and then into the wheel. These spacers are usually un-even, made of crappy material and are not a bolted on member of the suspension.
An adapter is different. It bolts to the hub using the stock wheels studs. It then has another set of studs, with the stock bolt circle or not (depends on the adapter) and the wheel bolts directly to the adapter. The adapter is a bolted on member of the suspension and becomes an extension of the hub, or you can also look at it as a bolted on member of the wheel and an extension of the wheel its self.
Vette Brakes makes adapters, and not spacers. Clutchdust has used his VBP adapters with 17" wheels and tires for autocross racing and has not reported any problems. I have the adapters as well and have not seen any issues besides all the comments my car gets with the 17" wheels.
Adapters - YES !!
A "spacer" usually requires longer studs and the studs pass through the spacer and then into the wheel. These spacers are usually un-even, made of crappy material and are not a bolted on member of the suspension.
An adapter is different. It bolts to the hub using the stock wheels studs. It then has another set of studs, with the stock bolt circle or not (depends on the adapter) and the wheel bolts directly to the adapter. The adapter is a bolted on member of the suspension and becomes an extension of the hub, or you can also look at it as a bolted on member of the wheel and an extension of the wheel its self.
Vette Brakes makes adapters, and not spacers. Clutchdust has used his VBP adapters with 17" wheels and tires for autocross racing and has not reported any problems. I have the adapters as well and have not seen any issues besides all the comments my car gets with the 17" wheels.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
Re: wheel spacers....safe? (SharkBit)
Have been runner 1/8th spacers for about 5 years with no problems. Plenty of stud left for the lug nuts. Might not if I was auto crossing or road racing but for a trip or two to the drag strip and plenty of street driving I rarely think about them unless someone starts a thread.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 8,897
Likes: 1,352
From: Santa Ana CA
Re: wheel spacers....safe? (BSeery)
OK, so then you're telling us that once you drill out the rivets on the brake rotors and only hold the rotor in place with the wheel lug nuts (like a spacer), because it is no longer "bolted" on it is now unsafe?:lol:
There is nothing wrong with a thin spacer and they can be made to close tolerance.
[Modified by toddalin, 11:32 AM 8/28/2003]
There is nothing wrong with a thin spacer and they can be made to close tolerance.
[Modified by toddalin, 11:32 AM 8/28/2003]
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,955
Likes: 2
Re: wheel spacers....safe? (toddalin)
Nothing wrong with them when properly used. I use 3/16" aluminum spacers so my 16" aluminum wheels clear the calipers. I screwed them to the back of the wheel, which makes the wheel easier to install and means the wheel/tire combo is balanced with the spacer, although it's so small and close to the center of the wheel that shouldn't matter. I also use extended length lug nuts to compensate for the extra thread depth required. I've been driving very aggresively with this setup for 2-3 years, no problems. They were actually supplied by the wheel manufacturer for my application. I don't see the problem if you use correctly sized lug nuts, the spacer is primarly loaded in compression, the centrifugal effects shouldn't be a problem and there is no shear (with proper lug nuts).
Jeff
Jeff
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,053
Likes: 4
St. Jude Donor '03,'11
Re: wheel spacers....safe? (SharkBit)
I ran a spacer on one wheel as a test a few years ago. After around a month, i go to take the wheel off and 2 of the studs snap off with about 10 foot pounds of torque almost nuthin.
Real scary.
Real scary.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,603
Likes: 0
From: San Francisco, CA
Re: wheel spacers....safe? (SharkBit)
Speaking from my own experience, I had them on my car for several years and the prior owner had them for 20 years with no problems. They are the Mr. Gasket (i think) brand that are in the Summit catalog and work with the normal length stud. I had no problems, but went to Rallye wheels on my car. If you want them, send me an e-mail and you can have them for the cost of shipping, but you have to release me from all liability if your wheels fall off :lol:
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 402
Likes: 0
From: Kingsport TN
Re: wheel spacers....safe? (R. Bruno)
i call them spacers but i meant adapters, i really appreciate the info guys, i think imight try to design my own (i have access to cad and a machine shop), also, how hard is it on the wheel bearings?
thanks!
thanks!
