Wheel spacers

Daryl

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My OCDness (is that a word?) is showing. Again.

I’ve come to realize and accept that offset wheel packages, though great looking, aren’t the best setup for handling. Thank you Warhorse for the primo info. I get it now!

So, I’ve severely lessened the offset by going not to exactly the same size but as close as you can without exactly matching on all 4 corners. I went from 275/40x17 fronts and 315/35x17 rears (also tried 305/45x17 DR’s) to currently 275/40x17 fronts with 285/40x17 rears. All are Nitto 555 R2’s.

So here’s my question:
I would like the rears just a tad more out, to fill in the wheel well just a bit more. Would putting a 1/8” or 1/4” spacer defeat the “same size all the way around for best handling Principle”, even though the tires themselves are pretty much matched in size? The difference between the 275 and 285 rear isn’t much.
 

badass98svt

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A 4 square setup is great for handling. For straight line traction, not so much.
Are you going to try your hand at auto x?
 

J_lope82

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My OCDness (is that a word?) is showing. Again.

I’ve come to realize and accept that offset wheel packages, though great looking, aren’t the best setup for handling. Thank you Warhorse for the primo info. I get it now!

So, I’ve severely lessened the offset by going not to exactly the same size but as close as you can without exactly matching on all 4 corners. I went from 275/40x17 fronts and 315/35x17 rears (also tried 305/45x17 DR’s) to currently 275/40x17 fronts with 285/40x17 rears. All are Nitto 555 R2’s.

So here’s my question:
I would like the rears just a tad more out, to fill in the wheel well just a bit more. Would putting a 1/8” or 1/4” spacer defeat the “same size all the way around for best handling Principle”, even though the tires themselves are pretty much matched in size? The difference between the 275 and 285 rear isn’t much.

The difference 1/8” and 1/4” spacers will make in appearance is very little.
 
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Daryl

Daryl

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The difference 1/8” and 1/4” spacers will make in appearance is very little.
But the emphasis is handling. Will having them stick out a bit more than the fronts affect handling? And to what degree?
 

J_lope82

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But the emphasis is handling. Will having them stick out a bit more than the fronts affect handling? And to what degree?

It’s hard for me answer that with a solid answer because I haven’t done any research on that. If I have to take a wild guess I would say no it doesn’t affect handling. The rears normally look like they are narrower than the front. Maybe you will just be making things squared.
 

ttocs

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my .02 is that if you were a pro driver that was out on the track every day and knew how the car handled like the back of your hand, you might notice the difference in handling. Now cosmetically of course there is very little chance of the day that someone walks up, tilts his head 45 degrees and then asks, "Are you are running wheels spacers?!". With all of that being said I know that if I took the time to notice that I would like them out 1/4" more, took the time to remove the wheels and then install them as long as there was no rub I would notice it almost anytime I walked up to the car.
 

RAU03MACH

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I was going to pick up 3 sets of wheel spacer kits for my cars
So one of the kids down the street got them
For his car
His stick out flush with the rear quarters mabe even a hair out depending how you look at it
Any ways he tells me that now the rear quarters are rubbing at the top of tires when he hits pot holes bumps extra

I decided not to get them and use the money some where else mine tuck in close to the quarters but no rubbing
His car is about the same height as mine
 
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Daryl

Daryl

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Mine are turned under.
 

RAU03MACH

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I really don't like rolling the rear quarters
Or any thing done to the body of car
I may try 1 kit and see
But if it sticks out lm pulling that shit off
 

badass98svt

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I really don't like rolling the rear quarters
Or any thing done to the body of car
I may try 1 kit and see
But if it sticks out lm pulling that shit off


I can confirm 1.25" spacers rub with Eibach Pro Kit springs. A friend tried them on his car for about 4 hours.
1.25" had the wheels pretty much perfectly flush with the rear quarter. This was with OEM 95 R wheels.
 

TrickVert

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1/8" or 1/4" spacers will make no difference in daily handling, and almost an unnoticeable change in appearance. I'm sure matched front and rear sizes working better has more to do with contact patch than anything else.
 

badass98svt

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. I'm sure matched front and rear sizes working better has more to do with contact patch than anything else.

And even then, you'd need a 50/50 front/rear ratio to capitalize on that, or so I would think.
 
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Agreed, and these cars understeer from the factory so putting larger tires on the rear just makes it worse.
i can say i have NEVER had any understeer issues driving my car. if anything its always been oversteer for me, and thats with 3 different SNs over about a 12+ year time frame. my bmw however i do experience some understeer at times
 

ttocs

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I can remember the first time I saw an sn understeer to the point it was just pushing the front end straight ahead with the wheel at nearly full lock. We thought for sure we were going to go over the sidewalk.
 

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