Wheel spacers and offsets

[QBee]

I have bought some alloys. Like you do.

My current ones are too low an offset, (18), which forces the wheel too far out, and makes the tyre catch on the bodywork of the wheel arches on every major bump.
So I have bought a 7J set with an offset (ET) of 40.
I believe the correct offsets to be either:
25 front, 33 rear or
28 front, 35 rear. Not sure which, or even if I am correct.

So my questions:
1. what are the correct offsets please ?
2. What's the maximum spacer I can safely insert, and is it possible to lengthen the studs?

[SILICONEKID343HP]

25 front 33 rear My rears are being made ,gone for 35 ,I have the chance to fit a small spacer if required .

Anthony you might be able to get them machined . could be the answer.

If you fit something like a 10mm spacer you will need longer wheel studs .

Edited by SILICONEKID343HP on Sunday 3rd November 20:25

[Geoff38]

Hi Qbee ,
You can fit longer studs in place of the originals and get any size spacers but I personally wouldn't want to go over 10mm. I'm no expert just offering my opinion. And I think that using hub centric spacers are better too.

Cheers
Geoff

[QBee]

I spent ages getting confused by offsets. They work backwards.

An offset of 0 would place the flat inside of the wheel ( the area that butts against the centre of the disk) would be central between the inside rim and the outside.
An offset of 50 would place that same area 50mm towards the face of the wheel.

Mount the two wheels on the car and the 50 mm offset would be tucked inside the wheel arch 50 mm further than the 0 offset.
Or to put it another way, the lower the offset, the further out they stick.

I would need to machine the old set, which have an offset of 18, by 15mm to make them correct for the rear. Nothing wrong with the idea.

I need to insert spacers with the new 40 offset wheels.

It's simply cheaper to sell the old wheels and buy more. I just paid £70 (plus £30 petrol to Sheffield and back) for a set of wheels, will need a pair of 7mm spacers and a pair of 15mm spacers, and should get around £70-100 back on my old wheels on the bay of fleas.

[QBee]

Geoff38 said:

Hi Qbee ,
You can fit longer studs in place of the originals and get any size spacers but I personally wouldn't want to go over 10mm. I'm no expert just offering my opinion. And I think that using hub centric spacers are better too.

Cheers
Geoff

Thanks Geoff. That's the kind of advice I was looking for. where do I get hub centric spacers, and can I insert 10mm ones without longer studs?
Thanks Daz too for your ideas. I hadn't thought of machining.
More the merrier.

[brett84]

it depends on the wheels as well, i put azev A's which needed a small spacer about 4mm. but this meant there wasn't really enough thread on the studs becuase of the design of the wheel. So I had to fit longer studs which is a simple swap over

[Sardonicus]

Geoff38 said:

Hi Qbee ,
You can fit longer studs in place of the originals and get any size spacers but I personally wouldn't want to go over 10mm. I'm no expert just offering my opinion. And I think that using hub centric spacers are better too.

Cheers
Geoff

Good advice nothing to add

[QBee]

Sardonicus said:

Geoff38 said:

Hi Qbee ,
You can fit longer studs in place of the originals and get any size spacers but I personally wouldn't want to go over 10mm. I'm no expert just offering my opinion. And I think that using hub centric spacers are better too.

Cheers
Geoff

Good advice nothing to add

Thanks gents. Definitely going hub centric. Just read up what they are. Makes sense. 10 mm limit? That will bring my front ET down to 30, but not 25. Can I risk 15mm spacers, Simon?

[brett84]

15mm is a bit big, larger spaces but added stress on wheel bearings. You can get really good quality bolt on ones though for the larger sizes, that might be a better bet

[Alexdaredevils]

QBee said:

Thanks gents. Definitely going hub centric. Just read up what they are. Makes sense. 10 mm limit? That will bring my front ET down to 30, but not 25. Can I risk 15mm spacers, Simon?

You could go more than 10mm IMO providing you use proper hub centric with longer studs and do it properly

But for the love of god DO NOT copy this guy with his 6 inch spacers!!!

5mins onwards!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96AGEugR3-o

[Discopotatoes]

Alexdaredevils said:

QBee said:

Thanks gents. Definitely going hub centric. Just read up what they are. Makes sense. 10 mm limit? That will bring my front ET down to 30, but not 25. Can I risk 15mm spacers, Simon?

You could go more than 10mm IMO providing you use proper hub centric with longer studs and do it properly

But for the love of god DO NOT copy this guy with his 6 inch spacers!!!

5mins onwards!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96AGEugR3-o

What the fk have you been watching Alex?

[SILICONEKID343HP]

QBee said:

I have bought some alloys. Like you do.

My current ones are too low an offset, (18), which forces the wheel too far out, and makes the tyre catch on the bodywork of the wheel arches on every major bump.
So I have bought a 7J set with an offset (ET) of 40.
I believe the correct offsets to be either:
25 front, 33 rear or
28 front, 35 rear. Not sure which, or even if I am correct.

So my questions:
1. what are the correct offsets please ?
2. What's the maximum spacer I can safely insert, and is it possible to lengthen the studs?

What size tyres are you fitting on the 7j rims

[Alexdaredevils]

Discopotatoes said:

Alexdaredevils said:

QBee said:

Thanks gents. Definitely going hub centric. Just read up what they are. Makes sense. 10 mm limit? That will bring my front ET down to 30, but not 25. Can I risk 15mm spacers, Simon?

You could go more than 10mm IMO providing you use proper hub centric with longer studs and do it properly

But for the love of god DO NOT copy this guy with his 6 inch spacers!!!

5mins onwards!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96AGEugR3-o

What the fk have you been watching Alex?

I was made to watch it, a mate was working for him at the time and wanted to show me the sort of st he was made to do

[QBee]

Thanks both. I was planning on using the type that bolt through. The wheels were a bargain, leaving me a bit over for proper spacers.
My only small concern is how easy unbolting them will be? My track wheels are correct offset SP12s. So at the track I will need to unbolt the wheels and spacers. I might try seeing if I can get away without rear spacers.

[QBee]

Thought you might like to see them:

FRONTS



REARS

[brett84]

rear looks tasty

[SILICONEKID343HP]

I would sell them on unless you are using them for track use .. 7j is to narrow for the rears .. I`m just being honest .

[QBee]

brett84 said:

rear looks tasty

It is/was. I told my wife I was looking for a new set of wheels so she baked a couple! I blame Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood

[QBee]

To answer your questions Daz, 235/45 17 on the rear, and 215 or 205/45 17 front. Same diameters as my SP12 and 888 track set up, so means my ride heights and corner weighting work for both. the new wheels will be my road wheels, as the Imolas had to go.

I am happy on 7 inch wheels all around. Car seems fine. Tyres fit fine. My SP12 rears are 8s. Not easy to find cheap 17 inch 4 stud wheels with 8J.

Out of interest, what width are 16 inch rear Imolas?

[SILICONEKID343HP]

QBee said:

To answer your questions Daz, 235/45 17 on the rear, and 215 or 205/45 17 front. Same diameters as my SP12 and 888 track set up, so means my ride heights and corner weighting work for both. the new wheels will be my road wheels, as the Imolas had to go.

I am happy on 7 inch wheels all around. Car seems fine. Tyres fit fine. My SP12 rears are 8s. Not easy to find cheap 17 inch 4 stud wheels with 8J.

Out of interest, what width are 16 inch rear Imolas?

Imolas rear 7.5"

Most manufactures recommend 8j for your size rear tyre ,some 7.5".

Edited by SILICONEKID343HP on Sunday 3rd November 23:18