12mm wheel spacers will add about 12mm backspacing for your wheels. Whether you upgrade to larger-diameter wheels or bigger performance brakes, keeping the backspacing correct will avoid most rubbing issues. If you put 12mm wheel spacers on each wheel, that adds a total of 24mm track width. That is not much for a vehicle. You don’t need to worry about the wheels hitting the fender after installing 12mm spacers.
Most 12mm wheel spacers are made of steel or aluminum. Different materials provide different mechanical characteristics which correspond to different vehicles and applications. Generally, for heavy-duty practical, steel spacers will do. For racing, drift, and performance upgrades, aluminum 12mm wheel spacers will be the best option. All in all, before choosing the correct wheel spacers for your vehicle, here is a short guide that may help you.
Before Purchasing 12mm Wheel Spacers
Knowing the pros and cons of these two types of 12mm wheel spacers will help you weigh the options. Steel wheel spacers are significantly stronger than aluminum ones. They are also much cheaper. For those looking for cheap but more durable 12mm wheel spacers, steel wheel spacers are the way to go. However, steel spacers are absolutely not fit for racing cars. Because they are much heavier than aluminum ones. Heavier weight negatively affects acceleration, agility, and fuel efficiency.
For two pieces of equal volume, aluminum 12mm wheel spacers are about three times lighter than steel ones. Lighter-weight aluminum spacers allow for better handling in most conditions. In addition, since aluminum alloy has good thermal conductivity, aluminum 12mm spacers will dissipate brake heat better than steel spacers. A good heat dissipation boosts the brake cooling efficiency, reducing brake thermal decay, and improving road safety. If you are a racing enthusiast, then aluminum 12mm wheel spacers are the route to go.
After Adding 12mm Wheel Spacers
As long as you use quality 12mm wheel spacers and installed them correctly, you can enjoy all the advantages that spacers can provide:
- 12mm wheel spacers will reduce the wheel gap, which improves the cosmetic and stability. Certainly, most cars look better when the wheel gap is not so pronounced and tires flush to the fender. If you’re trying to achieve a unique sporty appearance, consider a proper set of 12mm wheel spacers.
- 12mm wheel spacers will be helpful in upsizing your wheels. If you get a set of alloy wheels that don’t quite fit your car because of high offset, wheel spacers will make the offset lower. By pushing the wheel further away from the hub assembly, they avoid potential rubbing issues.
- To ensure a safe wheel rotation, you would need more backspacing for brake calipers. Big aftermarket brakes require more space between the wheels and the hub assembly. By creating more backspacing, 12mm wheel spacers clear big brake clearance issues effectively.
