[Andre]

I just took the 1st place in my PCA class, partially thanks to the wider 17" 245/45s Victoracer rubber up-front. However, the front tires are now making a loud rubbing noise when the steering wheel is fully turned. Would spacers help? Spacers add unsprung weight, but perhaps thay may help improve autocross handling a bit and take care of the rubbing?



I would appreciate any advice on pros and cons of spacers, what size would be best, what brand to buy, etc.? Are there any risks of using spacers when going on the track (e.g., poor wheel balance, risk of shearing the bolts and loosing a wheel)?



Andre

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[968gene]

"Spacers add unsprung weight..."



The spacers that I have held in my hand aren't really that heavy. In fact they are light. I wouldn't worry about the added weight.

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[flash]

first, i am not a spacer fan, and have seen too many failures with tragic results - i am dismayed at how accepted they are in the porsche circles - they are very frowned upon in other groups



spacers are not allowed in many sanctioning organizations - there is a reason for this - they are dangerous if you don't do things to accommodate the decrease in lug bolt - this is the same reason that aluminum lug nuts are not allowed



using a spacer reduces the number of threads you have available - you should change your lug bolts to longer ones if they are more than 2 threads thick



using spacers changes your front track - you should probably get an alignment to adjust for this, as it will likely handle differently and wear tires differently - it will likely have more of a tendency to dart and wander



using spacers will increase the mass, but depending on the spacer, probably not that much, and at the center where it has less effect - the balance can definitely be an issue, and you should balance the wheel with the spacer if there is any question about exact centering



hope that helps

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[SANDOVAL]

On some of the wheels for the new 997 models spacers are used on from the factory. Companies like Sportec, Champion, Techart , & RUF also use spacers for their wheels. With the 996 and 997 spacer kits these companies include longer lug bolts to compinsate for the spacer. The spacers that came with my Sportec wheels actually had screws that attach to the wheel. The spacer was also hubcentric.

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[Kim]

I have 27 mm spacers on my rear wheels. I have the bolt-on kind that you then bolt the wheels to. I hace 9 inch wide 16" wheels with a 70 mm offset and need them to bring the tires out.



As for the rubbing, check the plastic liner under the front fenders. mine had warped a bit and the wheels rubbed when turning. They were able to be pushed back in and the problem went away.

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[KMR968Turbo]

I had some rubbing too but I think it's more to do with the tire sidewall size than the spacers. Mine would rub in the front when I hit a bump. I think it was the plastic liner that was taking the brunt of it.

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[Bandini]

I'm happy with these 1/4" spacers from Performance Products. They are thin enough so you can keep your stock studs, don't cost a lot of money and weigh next to nothing.

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[Andre]

[quote name='Bandini' post='28504' date='Nov 29 2006, 06:25 AM']I'm happy with these 1/4" spacers from Performance Products. They are thin enough so you can keep your stock studs, don't cost a lot of money and weigh next to nothing.[/quote]



These are the exact same ones I eventually bought, hope they will help! Our autoX chairman confirmed that spacers are allowed, similar to the non-stock rims with an offset.

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[au968]

Flash is over-reacting a little... <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



The spacers that work like a shim, using the same or longer studs to hold the wheel on, are a no-no for engineering reasons, and have indeed failed in use. Generally frowned on in all circles, but some people still buy them...



Look under the back of many 911's and you will see spacers from the factory. These are more hub-extension than spacer, they attach with the normal wheel hardware to the existing hub, and have their own studs to accept the wheel. Perfectly acceptable, although they would increase leverage on wheel bearings etc, so best to not go wild with them...



Michael

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[flash]

perhaps - i'm not saying that every car will have overly dramatic results - i'm saying that these things can and do happen though



i've watched a guy plow a wall at sears due to a wheel coming off because of a spacer - not pretty - also had a couple of customers of a tire shop sponsor of mine do the same thing - that's why they aren't legal in most racing bodies



as for the wear and tear stuff, remember that this suspension was designed for cars a LOT lighter - this is a very similar situation to the falcon-mustang-cougar progression - the falcon suspension was continued through to a car that weighed almost twice as much - lots of failures and worn components as a result



they aren't a good idea, no matter how many people are using them - but, they aren't likely to be horrendous either, if not taken to extremes - care, caution, and common sense just need to be applied here



yes, i'm very cautious when it comes to stuff like this - perhaps overly so, but i tend to follow racing spec guidelines when setting up a car, especially when it comes to safety stuff - i drive it hard, and am not looking to second guess those who know better - for example, i would also never run aluminum lug nuts on my rims - being 9 and 10 inches wide, with lots of rubber, they just wouldn't hold - coincidentally, they are also not allowed in most racing bodies for the same reason



i just think that some things are just best not being fooled around with - i'd hate to guess wrong and find out the hard way - just my point of view

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