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Wheel Spacers?

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Old May 10, 2010 | 10:14 PM
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From: DRAYTON VALLEY ALBERTA
Default Wheel Spacers?

Ok I picked up a set of 97 wagon wheels for my 87 Vette. I did a Dana 44 sawp froma 92 so the rears work great. But the front need spacers. I find all kinds of 25mm spacers or 1". But the difference 18mm for what I need or about 3/4". Has anyone done 1" and been happy with it. I dont want it to look bogus. Input please. Also is it 100% essential that I get hub centric ones. From what I read yes, but any input would be great.
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Old May 10, 2010 | 10:57 PM
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Originally Posted by 87stocker
Ok I picked up a set of 97 wagon wheels for my 87 Vette. I did a Dana 44 sawp froma 92 so the rears work great. But the front need spacers. I find all kinds of 25mm spacers or 1". But the difference 18mm for what I need or about 3/4". Has anyone done 1" and been happy with it. I dont want it to look bogus. Input please. Also is it 100% essential that I get hub centric ones. From what I read yes, but any input would be great.
use a 10mm narrower than stock tire and use the 1" spacers and all will look great.
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Old May 10, 2010 | 11:26 PM
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From: DRAYTON VALLEY ALBERTA
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Cant do. I have 245/45R17 up front right now and that is the perfect size for the 17x8.5 front wagon wheels. I may go wider if anything but not skinnier.
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Old May 10, 2010 | 11:58 PM
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Originally Posted by 87stocker
Cant do. I have 245/45R17 up front right now and that is the perfect size for the 17x8.5 front wagon wheels. I may go wider if anything but not skinnier.
245/45-17 is plenty skinny already so you'll be fine.

As for hub concentricity - it's always best to do so, but if you get a good set of quality spacers and the wheels are true, you can still have good wheel to hub concentricity without them, but plan on having a damn good wheel balance done.
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Old May 11, 2010 | 07:47 AM
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I Got mine HERE, excellent quality,excellent everything !!!


I had Midamerica 3/4 , i had to sell them because those were made without
nut recess,and they fit with the 17" stock vette wheels but not with my Fikse FM5 set.
I bought a set of 1" from the vendor i posted above and they are just wonderful
Im running 1.25" on the fronts and 1" on the rears ...and it does not stick out at all
They are JUST PERFECT.

My FIKSE have C5 offsets...i went thru everything and the guy linked above has the best price and quality adapters




Get the ones im telling you
i won't steer you wrong !
Not hub-centric but they work just fine !!!
$ 119 for the 4 pieces , complete set !!!

GET THEM HERE
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Old May 11, 2010 | 08:29 AM
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1.25"
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Old May 11, 2010 | 08:51 AM
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you want Spacers? or adapters?

I have a pair of 20mm hubcentric spacers I ran for 2 years on my 1990. I changed wheels and don't need them anymore. I also have the longer studs to work with them. the adapters are what Calderone linked. Everyone has their preferences though. with my current wheels I am running a 1/4" spacer with longer studs on all 4 wheels.

shoot me a PM if you are interested in my Spacers and Studs.. I will give you a great deal on them
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Old May 11, 2010 | 09:16 PM
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From: DRAYTON VALLEY ALBERTA
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I was looking at ARP extended length studs and some spacers. Adaptors will work too. Whatever I can find will be best. Unless someone warns me agaianst them. I have looked at what Calderone shows from ebay, they look good. Right now I think that with the 92 Dana 44 the 18x9.5 56mm offset with the 275/40R18 tires, could use some spacing out. I like the way Calderone has his.

Calderone do you have a late Dana 44 swap like mine? Does anyone know What the width difference on the knuckle to knucke is on a 88+ to an 84-87?

I just looked and the front wagon wheels have a 56mm off set, and the rears are at 61mm right off the wheel. So that puts me at 18mm / 3/4" difference for the front and 23mm or just under 1" for the rear. Does the late Dana 44 make up this difference? Is this how my car looked stock?(I cant remember) I think either way I want to space them out like Calderone. I just need to know If he has done the rear swap like me then I will order exactly what he did.

Last edited by 87stocker; May 11, 2010 at 09:36 PM.
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Old May 11, 2010 | 09:44 PM
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The later year Dana 44 setup was designed to use 56mm wheels so it's most likely 40mm wider (20mm per side) from hub to hub than your original rear end, so you're only 6mm off when using the wagon wheel rears.

Rob
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Old May 11, 2010 | 10:04 PM
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Hi guys,no i have the stock D36 w/3.07
its strange,i have some guys asking me if i have the D44 there
maybe my car looks powerful or something
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Old May 11, 2010 | 11:27 PM
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From: DRAYTON VALLEY ALBERTA
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Ok cool. Thanks Calderone for replying so quick. But I'm still a little confused. If I added a 1" spacer to the rear of my car it would look like yours does. But I have a Late Dana 44 which is about 20mm or close to 3/4" further out. So somthing is not adding up. What are the exact offsets on your wheels. Are they all the same on all 4 corners or are they staggered.
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Old May 12, 2010 | 12:05 AM
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From: DRAYTON VALLEY ALBERTA
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But that being said I just went and measured with a level off of the flared lip on the quarter panel and 1" on the rear would be perfect. I dont have the front back together yet but by looking at Calderone's car which is the exact same year as mine, it will look great with 1.5" up front aswell. But that still leaves me confused if Calderone's rear wheels are stock 61mm C5 offset. I guess I will wait ona reply and see whats going on. Thanks again everyone for your help.

PS Is there any more comment on the non hub centric spacers????
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Old May 12, 2010 | 11:56 AM
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Hi
Just had a question in regards to the adapters. I've been told by several Tire and wheel shops that its unsafe to use the wheel adapters and wanted to check with you guys to the truth to this. They said that they never recommend them because the bolts tend to break off and said that its best to use spacers. Thoughts, advice ?

thanks

this is what i had bough before i heard all this

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...=STRK:MEWNX:IT


this is what i was told to get instead but i think they are too thin and would have to get 2 on each wheel but wont i run out of bolt space ??

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-P...item45f26f7f16
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Old May 12, 2010 | 02:50 PM
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Originally Posted by chileverde
The later year Dana 44 setup was designed to use 56mm wheels so it's most likely 40mm wider (20mm per side) from hub to hub than your original rear end, so you're only 6mm off when using the wagon wheel rears.

Rob
The width of the batwing on D36/D44 rears is exactly the same throughout the entire C4 run.

The difference in the offset was in the hubs and spindles I believe.
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Old May 12, 2010 | 06:11 PM
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i've never heard about broken adapters bolts !
Hey 87 go and install your rims with no adapters....then measure how much do you want your rim to go out.....then buy adapters going by what you measured.
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Old May 12, 2010 | 09:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Calderone
i've never heard about broken adapters bolts !
Hey 87 go and install your rims with no adapters....then measure how much do you want your rim to go out.....then buy adapters going by what you measured.
That's pretty much the only "correct" way to accomplish the "FIT"! Assume "NOTHING" regarding advertised offset etc!

I've not seen wheel stud failures for many years and those involved "cast aluminum" adapters that were used to adapt 5 x 4 3/4 to the early (very early) VW hubs. Technology has changed and most quality adapters/spacers are done in "billet" material.

There are "thin" spacers that are still cast materials but I'm assuming most that have posted here understand the product being discussed.

I use billet "pass through" spacers that are 18mm to run 50mm 11" wheels on the rear of my ZR-1. Mine were done to my specifications and are both "hub-centric" and "bolt-centric". Mine were substantially more expensive than those in the links that have been posted. I'd still spend the additional "MONEY" for mine. My spacers fit the hub better than my OE wheels and the adapter is a better fit to the wheel.

Mount the tire/wheel package drop a plumb-bob, measure and do the buy!! You need to satisfy only "yourself" with the fit!!
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Old May 13, 2010 | 01:34 AM
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From: DRAYTON VALLEY ALBERTA
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Originally Posted by Calderone
i've never heard about broken adapters bolts !
Hey 87 go and install your rims with no adapters....then measure how much do you want your rim to go out.....then buy adapters going by what you measured.
Yah thats exactly what I did on the rear of my car cause thats what I have complete. I still dont have the front together yet but your front and my front should be the same. Im just trying to be proactive because it takes 2 weeks to get anything in Canada. I wan theem here when I need them, not after. But thats probably the best way... is to wait and measure the front before my adaptor/spacer purchase.

Thanks again guys..

PS Calderone if you can still post some specs on your wheels... size, backspacing, tire size. That'd be great.
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Old May 13, 2010 | 01:39 AM
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i dont have my wheel specs
I only know they came from a C5
I have 17" 8.5 fronts on 255/40/17
and 18" 9.5 rears on 285/35/18
and they do look and feel great !
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