Can wheel spacers cause vibrations?

[shouldbworking]

Since fitting up my GTV with some 10mm spacers to allow fitment of teledials off a 156 its gained a nasty vibration at 70+. I went back to the tyre place that fitted the wheels and spacers and they said this sometimes happens when you fit spacers - but I dont understand why. Spacers are flat... hubs they sit on are flat.. wheels are flat..

A quick google suggests that fitment of spacers can show up pre existing problems that might cause vibration .. anyone know anything about this?

[Baffled Spoon]

Maybe the spacers aren't the best quality and are poorly balanced themselves, or the wheels and tyres need rebalancing?

[cptsideways]

Are they proper bolt on ones? or slip on?

Slip on ones are crap end of

[JR]

There shouldn't be any problem at all in your case where the spacer merely gives the original ET. The tyres need to be balanced again so I can see why the tyre place are trying to fob you off (same applies whether it's the tyre or the wheel that is out of balance.)

[clarkey318is]

Did you leave out the spigot rings? Don't leave it whatever you do as it causes huge strain on driveshafts, gearbox and suspension components and will eventually shaft your car.
FYI, spigot rings are the separate locating rings that go between the wheel and hub/spacer. I used to run 20mm hubcentric spacers (The ones with the lip) and had no problems

[shouldbworking]

The new wheels / tyres were balanced before going on the car.

I'm not sure about different types of spacers, this is the first time ive ever used them - heres a pic

[TooLateForAName]

I'm no expert, but they look crap to me.

You could try and find a place that can balance wheels on the car.

[clarkey318is]

What you want to check for is the difference in circumference between the mounting flange (The lip on the hub of the car) and the hole in the middle of the wheel. This measurement is called the center bore. Spigot rings make up this difference. Usually the flange of a hub will extend to about 20mm so for 10mm spacers non-hubcentric spacers should be ok. HUbcentric ones are usually about 20mm+ and have a mounting lip on them for the wheel to locate onto.

[HRG]

shouldbworking said:

The new wheels / tyres were balanced before going on the car.

I'm not sure about different types of spacers, this is the first time ive ever used them - heres a pic

They are out of balance, look at the lines of symmetry.

[clarkey318is]

HRG said:

shouldbworking said:

The new wheels / tyres were balanced before going on the car.

I'm not sure about different types of spacers, this is the first time ive ever used them - heres a pic

They are out of balance, look at the lines of symmetry.

Not to mention the two slappers stuck to the outside
Some non-universal ones off ebay should do the trick.

[shouldbworking]

clarkey318is said:

HRG said:

shouldbworking said:

The new wheels / tyres were balanced before going on the car.

I'm not sure about different types of spacers, this is the first time ive ever used them - heres a pic

• spacer pic*

They are out of balance, look at the lines of symmetry.

Not to mention the two slappers stuck to the outside
Some non-universal ones off ebay should do the trick.

Yeah can't say I was impressed by the packaging either I wasnt aware these were universal types though - they are for the specific car and bolt pattern.

[AndrewW-G]

Take them off ASAP before you kill yourself and source a set of spacers for your specific car.

[Rollcage]

shouldbworking said:

clarkey318is said:

HRG said:

shouldbworking said:

The new wheels / tyres were balanced before going on the car.

I'm not sure about different types of spacers, this is the first time ive ever used them - heres a pic

• spacer pic*

They are out of balance, look at the lines of symmetry.

Not to mention the two slappers stuck to the outside
Some non-universal ones off ebay should do the trick.

Yeah can't say I was impressed by the packaging either I wasnt aware these were universal types though - they are for the specific car and bolt pattern.

Why so many holes then?

They look like multi fitment ones to me.

[shouldbworking]

clarkey318is said:

What you want to check for is the difference in circumference between the mounting flange (The lip on the hub of the car) and the hole in the middle of the wheel. This measurement is called the center bore. Spigot rings make up this difference. Usually the flange of a hub will extend to about 20mm so for 10mm spacers non-hubcentric spacers should be ok. HUbcentric ones are usually about 20mm+ and have a mounting lip on them for the wheel to locate onto.

Do I understand this right im thinking it means 'you need a type of spacer that accounts for the lip on the edge of the hub, and these are called hubcentric types'?

[clarkey318is]

shouldbworking said:

clarkey318is said:

What you want to check for is the difference in circumference between the mounting flange (The lip on the hub of the car) and the hole in the middle of the wheel. This measurement is called the center bore. Spigot rings make up this difference. Usually the flange of a hub will extend to about 20mm so for 10mm spacers non-hubcentric spacers should be ok. HUbcentric ones are usually about 20mm+ and have a mounting lip on them for the wheel to locate onto.

Do I understand this right im thinking it means 'you need a type of spacer that accounts for the lip on the edge of the hub, and these are called hubcentric types'?

That is what a hubcentric spacer is yes, but you shouldn't need one for 10mm.
Like this http://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/guides/h&am...
The issue I think you have is that the centre bore on the Teledials is larger than your last set of wheels. Wheel Bolts aren't really designed to take vertical loads and as such your car is dangerous to drive at the moment. Source some spigot rings, a local machine shop should be able to knock some up.

Edited: Definitely multi fitment ones,those.

Edited by clarkey318is on Saturday 21st November 23:18

[catso]

HRG said:

They are out of balance, look at the lines of symmetry.

Indeed they have more holes one side than the other they are well out of balance, they're not fit for purpose.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Ths talk of "balance" is rubbish. The spacer is very light and near the wheel centre so will make no difference.

However, you really don't want to be using them. As others have said, your wheels are dangling off the bolts/studs which are simply not desigened for that job. Hit a bump or pothole and you're more than likely to lose a wheel. The wheel is supposed to be firmly located on the centre spigot and the wheel bolts are designed to bolt the wheel to the hub.

[clarkey318is]

If they're the same kind they sell in Halfords then they will be steel, so the weight is not that light. In addition, have you seen how tiny the weights on the edge of your wheel are? That will give you some idea of how important it is to have finely balanced wheels. There is also the multiplying factor of them probably being different on each side of the car. It is only happening over 70mph which suggests that, if it is the spacers causing the balancing issue (which I doubt unless the centre bore is corrrect) the wheels are only very slightly out of balance.
Agree completely on everything else you said.
OP, take them off for now and get some proper ones. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/15mm-Hubcentric-Spacer-Kit-A...

[spyder dryver]

PAH!! 10mm wheel spacers causing problems??
Try these babies out!! Usually seen on the rear of MR2/F355 looky-likeys.
Wider than Barrymore's poo chute!!

[Rollcage]

^^^^^^

That must be a joy to drive.