Dont buy cheap wheel spacers...or else!
Discussion
Just a warning to anyone interested in wheel spacers on the cheap, just pay the extra for a decent branded set!
I bought a cheap eBay rear set for our Lexus IS250 (branded ones I usually buy were out of stock).
Had them on the car for about a year without issue. Then about 3 months ago, there was a strange grinding noise from the rear at low speeds which grew progressively louder over time. Took to a couple garages who couldn't diagnose the issue. I was going to remove the spacers over the weekend and take to Lexus dealership to diagnose once and for all.
Went to pick my daughter up from nursery when the grinding became even worse than ever. Ignored, and drove home.
Came back out to the car armed with my torque wrench to take the offending wheel off and there were only 2 lug nuts there!! Three had sheered off which I presume was the grinding sound we were hearing.
Dangerous cheese spacers now removed and will replace with some Japspeed ones which I should have purchased in the first instance (currently have 3 other Japspeed sets on our cars, including Lexus front set). Me we had any issue with them running on 4 cars previously.
So, a warning to others don't buy spacers like these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333303778896 (seller called DVB) for the sake of a £30, you might see your wheel roll down the road one day!
I bought a cheap eBay rear set for our Lexus IS250 (branded ones I usually buy were out of stock).
Had them on the car for about a year without issue. Then about 3 months ago, there was a strange grinding noise from the rear at low speeds which grew progressively louder over time. Took to a couple garages who couldn't diagnose the issue. I was going to remove the spacers over the weekend and take to Lexus dealership to diagnose once and for all.
Went to pick my daughter up from nursery when the grinding became even worse than ever. Ignored, and drove home.
Came back out to the car armed with my torque wrench to take the offending wheel off and there were only 2 lug nuts there!! Three had sheered off which I presume was the grinding sound we were hearing.
Dangerous cheese spacers now removed and will replace with some Japspeed ones which I should have purchased in the first instance (currently have 3 other Japspeed sets on our cars, including Lexus front set). Me we had any issue with them running on 4 cars previously.
So, a warning to others don't buy spacers like these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333303778896 (seller called DVB) for the sake of a £30, you might see your wheel roll down the road one day!
sunbeam alpine said:
Did you start a thread from
about wheel wobbles? Was this the car?
Yep same car. I should update the other thread too.about wheel wobbles? Was this the car?
The point of spacers isn't for any mechanical reason, it's to fill out the archers as the stock wheels are set far too within them. Purely cosmetic. Whether or not spacers are to your liking or not, my point of adding this post was to just warn other from buying these cheap ones from this seller.
All nuts were torqued to correct spec by myself.
Edited by KC_TypeR on Friday 30th October 18:07
Edited by KC_TypeR on Friday 30th October 18:08
LaurasOtherHalf said:
I hate to be that guy, but jesus wept man take some responsibility for yourself and your family.
Driving around in a car with grinding sounds coming from a wheel, picking up children while it's happening, never mind the damage a wheel hitting the pavement at 30mph would do to someone minding their own business.
I agree it's an unnecessary risk, but fitting high quality spacers (which o should have done) isn't any more dangerous than fitting heavier aftermarket wheels with different offsets than stock wheels. Would you say that is also irresponsible?Driving around in a car with grinding sounds coming from a wheel, picking up children while it's happening, never mind the damage a wheel hitting the pavement at 30mph would do to someone minding their own business.
I fully accept my stupidity for fitting cheap eBay spacers but that doesn't really stop the fact that anyone can go and buy the same inferior spacers and something much worse happen to them. I'm not on here seeking sympathy I'm warning others. You don't like wheel spacers fitted to your car? Good for you.
LaurasOtherHalf said:
I have no issues with spacers, no matter where they were bought from.
You drove in a car that made a grinding noise from a wheel for three months and didn't get it fixed, that's who I have an issue sharing the road with.
Car has been taken to two trusted local garages who drove the car and tested it with no clue but said it was OK to drive, after which I removed both rear wheels to double-check hub/control arms etc. Plan was to take to Lexus Birmingham this weekend. Yeah, I guess I should have just scrapped the car and bought a new 2020 model.You drove in a car that made a grinding noise from a wheel for three months and didn't get it fixed, that's who I have an issue sharing the road with.
I suspected it might have been a worn bushing which was causing the grinding which although affects alignment is safe to drive on until replacement.
Are you also a hypochondriac per chance?
carl_w said:
So this spacer bolts onto the hub then has new lugs that the wheel bolts to? Rather than bolting the wheel to the hub through holes in the spacer?
Correct. As previously stated, merely installed for cosmetic reasons and purely for aesthetic reasons. Jesus, I can't believe how judgemental PH has gotten over the last few years. I appreciate that wheels spacers will be argued for/against for eternity but some of the posters on here act as if they're equal to casting own wheels from a backyard furnace.
I also think it's hilarious that people seem to think that garages can't spot three sheared wheel lugs within 10 seconds. I think they need to re-read the original post rather than subsequent responses from other posters. The two garages were consulted over the last two months, the lugs sheared tonight.
gottans said:
The outcome just highlights the risk of buying cheap unknown brands off the internet, more so if failure can impact the safety of the vehicle or other people.
Luckily there wasn't a serious incident but the OP was slow to investigate properly which he eventually did.
Yep completely agree and kicking myself for not realising it sooner but we live and learn from mistakes. I'm certainly going nowhere near cheap spacers and hope I can discourage at least one other PHer from doing the same in the future.Luckily there wasn't a serious incident but the OP was slow to investigate properly which he eventually did.
LaurasOtherHalf said:
KC_TypeR said:
Yep completely agree and kicking myself for not realising it sooner but we live and learn from mistakes. I'm certainly going nowhere near cheap spacers any d
head who hears a grinding noise from his wheel for three months and ignores it and drives his family around in such a deathtrap and hope I can discourage at least one other PHer from doing the same in the future.
Sorted! Hopefully people both live, learn and realise anyone who puts their kids in a car that is grinding itself towards losing a wheel can learn from the pleb on the internet and figure out they'd rather not kill their own children.head who hears a grinding noise from his wheel for three months and ignores it and drives his family around in such a deathtrap and hope I can discourage at least one other PHer from doing the same in the future.Anywho I can't be arsed to argue with you. Kids, don't buy cheap spacers. The end.
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