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Wheel spacers, safety aspect or cosmetic ?

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  • 18-08-2008 1:57pm
    #1
    golfnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 160 ✭✭


    My mrs just got her car serviced but the guys switched the front wheels to back. Problem is the tracking seems off skew now :mad:

    The thing is he told her she needed wheel spacers for the alloys that are on the car at the mo. He asked how long she'd been driving around on these without spacers as it was very dangerous and the spacers are vital to the handling of the car.

    I always thought that spacers are a cosmetic accessory for your car am I wrong or is it a safety issue. Would she need to get em ?

    Cheers guys.


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    #2
    kayos
    Registered Users Posts: 2,494 ✭✭✭kayos


    Are they purely cosmetic? Nope I have mine spaced on the back for handling. Depending on the difference in sizings on the alloys to the orginal wheels they may well be needed. In some cases to get wheels to even fit over brakes they are needed.

    But they can be a good and a bad thing. If you end up with too big a spacer you can end up in trouble.

    This is not mechanical advice, just saying how I understand it.


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    #3
    craichoe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,706 ✭✭✭craichoe


    golfnuts wrote: »
    My mrs just got her car serviced but the guys switched the front wheels to back. Problem is the tracking seems off skew now :mad:

    The thing is he told her she needed wheel spacers for the alloys that are on the car at the mo. He asked how long she'd been driving around on these without spacers as it was very dangerous and the spacers are vital to the handling of the car.

    I always thought that spacers are a cosmetic accessory for your car am I wrong or is it a safety issue. Would she need to get em ?

    Cheers guys.

    AFAIK their to stop the Tyres rubbing off the wheel arches.
    Its possible the Tyres could blow if you hit a big bump.


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    #4
    TomMc
    Registered Users Posts: 1,616 ✭✭✭TomMc


    AS mentioned above if a wheel does not have the correct offset they are needed to prevent tyres rubbing off bodywork say on full lock or else so as that the wheel hub/spokes have adequate clearance from brake calipers etc.

    The increased track can make a car more stable but also throw the steering. But there are many different factors involved.


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    #5
    golfnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 160 ✭✭golfnuts


    It seems it's better to have em than not by the looks of things.

    Amazing how the car was sold to us like that.. :eek:

    Wouldn't buy a pram never mind a car from this guy again...cowboy !:mad:

    Nice one lads, thanks.


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    #6
    kayos
    Registered Users Posts: 2,494 ✭✭✭kayos


    golfnuts wrote: »
    It seems it's better to have em than not by the looks of things.

    Amazing how the car was sold to us like that.. :eek:

    Wouldn't buy a pram never mind a car from this guy again...cowboy !:mad:

    Nice one lads, thanks.

    Well its more down to the feckers that put the alloys on in the first place if they are aftermarket. I've seen cars with the wrong bolts used as the place fitting the alloys didnt have the tapered bolts needed when fitting....

    Any way go get the thing sorted before anything bad happens. You could try chase up who you bought it off but the likely hood of getting him to fix it is low.


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    #7
    peasant
    Registered Users Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭peasant


    Rims have different depths.
    A car suspension and tracking is usually set up in such a way that the centerline of the wheel and tyre goes through the centerline of the hub.

    If you now put on rims that are wider and/or have a different depth, you move the wheel centerline away from the hub centerline. Not only may that make the tyre rub (either inside or outside) but it also upsets the suspension/tracking setup.

    Preferably you should get replacement wheels that fit without spacers, but if you have to get spacers, make sure that hey are the correct ones.


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    #8
    green-blood
    Registered Users Posts: 610 ✭✭✭green-blood


    of course he could be badly describing spigot rings, those are essential.


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    #9
    golfnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 160 ✭✭golfnuts


    green-blood wrote: »
    of course he could be badly describing spigot rings, those are essential.

    Thats it !!! Forgive me for being ignorant but I hadnt got a clue.

    Just was searching the net this eveing and found out they are the little rings inside the alloy to centralise it. Spigot rings they're called yes.

    My wife is a little worried about driving the car now, does anyone know where I could get these from ? The alloys are Akuma 15' wheels for a peugeot 206. Tried Halfords and they were trying to sell me Spacers...

    Nice one lads.


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