Is it possible that with a good assortment of different spacer thicknesses they could be used to fine tune the handling of the car?

Obvioulsy this would probably not be a preferred method of changing the handling, but would this add one more legitimate method to fine tune handling?

How exactly would this work?

 

I haven't needed to in the EVO because my 18x9.5 RPF01's +15 offset fit fine with 275 rubber. I have run spacers for 4 years in a torque-monster Vette with no problems. Ideally, I'd go with no spacers and the correct offset but what you have access to and money are always considerations in amateur motorsports.

 

I run 23mm custom spacers, no issues though I briefly thought I had bearing issues... noises have subsided and it may have been the brakes. The level arm argument is moot as a +15 offset or a +38-23mm spacer put the same effective load on the hub as the tire is in the same relative position to the hub, though having 10 lugs per wheel as opposed to 5 is an issue. The only way the spacer will increase the level arm is if you go for a ridiculous offset on a narrower rim that was not previously offered, ie +10 on a 8" rim. But that is assuming the rims and offsets that exist are safe in their load application...

 

tanks!

 

I run 20mm front spacers, none on the rear. Wider the track the better. No issues with bearing from them, actually the only bearing issue im having now is in the rear which doesnt have a spacer. I wouldnt get different off set wheels because you couldnt rotate them around and it would just add another variable trying to track which was which if you had 2 full sets. Just remember to get your longer studs.

Marty

 

I run 25mm spacers...no problems. It's fasteners...big deal.

 

is there an advantage over just running a different offset?

 

yeah i can rotate my 265/35/18 RE01R's

If I were to run +15 up front and +38 outback I couldn't rotate my tires. Since I run +38 all the way around with a 25mm spacer up front I can now rotate them.

the RE01R's are unidirectional tires...as most good ones are.

 

yes. It makes your track wider or narrower or let you use wider rims there for tires , so the car will be much more stable in turns. Also if you have different off set front and rear , you can play with the car attitude in the turns. Basically that is why people use spacers. Spacers are the cheaper version of this.

 

Hmm, it would be interesting to see how much is gained by going slightly wider and using spacers. Back to back tests would be nice. I personally would not use them for the mere fact that it has to put more pressure on the bearing/hubs. I'm speaking about road racing, not drag or auto-x as the impact of spacers would be minimised in those two forms of racing. I run 245/40/17s NT-01s on stock Evo8 enkeis and have a TON of grip.

 

No problems with spacers, a lot of people with the school of thought to not run them from word of mouth and no actual experience.

We ran them on the Magnum when we ran Time Attack, fairly thick too. I run them on my CCW's and my Mustang. You are going to need to upgrade the wheel studs to run a thick spacer. H&R makes some super nice spacers that bolt to the hub first and get torqued and then you bolt the wheel to it, this eliminates changing the factory studs.

Run the spacers, you won't have a problem.

 

Don't fear the spacers.

 

Ah.. so they're cheaper/more adjustable?
I was thinking of picking some up 10mms, but then I thought I'd just run a different offset.

 

So conceivably if you had too high an offset for our cars, you could fine-tune the fitment with spacers. Which is essentially what spacers were designed for right? Although people are using them to expand track width as well.

So if you were designing rims (throw out fitment issues for a minute), what offset would make for the strongest rim?

 

yes its cheaper to go with the spacers. Also you can freely swap wheels around.
For you is much more practical . Unless you want to have an arsenal of rims and tires. Specific for front and rear.

If you want the same wheel base all around, i would go with the off set.