REAR WHEEL SPACERS

[greymrj]

When I was on Glen's Barn Farm run it was noticed that the rear wheels on my S were spaced further out. The opinion was that the wheel fitted the wheel arch better and I was asked to provide info next time I had the wheels off. I just have!

Each hub is fitted with a 10mm and a 2mm spacer, 12mm total. The studs are special and give 36mm projection above the surface of the drum (24mm above the spacers). There is actually slightly more stud to engage with the wheel nut than there is at the front.

It has been like that all the time I have had the car and, to be honest, I didnt realise that all S's werent like that. It doesnt seem to have created any problems with the rear wheel bearings which are one of the few things I haven't had to replace!



74

(The 'oil' apparently coming out of the hub is just a bit of copaslip used to stop the mating surfaces corroding)

[greymrj]

magpies said:

Explains some of the difference in rear track which I'm sure we thought is near 30mm per side (I may be wrong as my memory isn't what it used to be

Yes Mike, I thought it looked more when we were at the Cat and Fiddle, but I am certain the drum and wheel are standard so 12mm makes a bigger difference than we perhaps thought.

[greymrj]

The spacers on mine are aluminium like the wheels. Demon Tweeks certainly do a range of spacer kits for Ford wheels, complete with competition spec studs to match, about £20 a pair.

I have had absolutely no problems. Remember the V6 Sierra was a much heavier car (and if I remember rightly wheel bearing failure was rare)so the wheelbearings on our hubs should have a considerably lower load on them.

As Glen has mentioned, make absolutely sure the wheel nuts do not 'bottom out' on the ends of the new longer studs before they are tight on the wheel. Be particularly careful with any locking wheel nuts which might not be threaded so deeply. It isnt an issue on mine as I have checked and there is about 2mm clearance.


Final note; do not overdo it! Mine is on original OZ wheels. If you are using other wheels then remember it is illegal to have wheels projecting beyond the wheel arches! I have seen a TVR with projecting wheels, apart from being illegal it didnt look good.

Edited by greymrj on Friday 14th August 00:02

[greymrj]

Advert from Demon Tweeks on this subject, lots of options
https://uk-mg42.mail.yahoo.com/neo/b/message?sMid=...

[greymrj]

Ah, the advert appeared on Yahoo and I see it has their prefix (hate yahoo!!!). My mistake.
The web page for this stuff from Demon Tweeks is
http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/performance/wheel-sp...

[greymrj]

Just for completeness, I have 12mm spacers on rear but only 2mm at front (where the offset loading issues are different) judging by the comments when we were on the Barn Farm run that compromise works well on the S bodywork and looks as if it was intended to be that way.

[greymrj]

Hi Han, I know where you are coming from, from an engineering design point of view. That is why I think I have a reputation for being cautious on such things.
I dont think TVR gave much thought to design niceties like wheel 'envelopes', judging by the clearance issues at the front of an S1 (made slightly better by the spacers). They developed as they went along, and well before computer aided design.
The rear of my Grantura certainly didnt have designed wheel envelopes, 'jump' the car and the inside of the rear wheel arches acted as a very sudden brake on landing!!
I have checked the clearance on my S and I am satisfied, as an engineer, that it is within the envelope. I have also 'jumped' it ( a heart stopping accidental moment!) and all was well , with the car anyway.

[greymrj]

Once 'yumped' (I stand corrected, justly, on that one ) a 205 and rear stub axle moved in the swing arm, locked the nearside rear wheel into the wheel arch, scary moment!