Proper size wheel spacers do not hurt your vehicle. Although quality spacers do not break easily when facing impacts, the wrong size spacers will cause the wheels to hit suspension parts, affecting the overall performance. That is why wheel spacer size is a crucial aspect of the overall safety and functionality of your vehicle. In the automotive market, wheel spacers are available in thicknesses from 3mm to 70mm. Knowing and understanding how much the wheel clearance comes into play when looking for new wheel spacers.
Pushing the wheels flush with the fenders is a common operation that most people will do. And it is proven to be safe and feasible. So, the wheel clearance is a good reference for proper wheel spacer size. If your wheel gap is about 1-inch (25mm), then using 1-inch wheel spacers (or a little thinner) will not damage any part of the suspension.
Proper Wheel Spacers Make No Hurts
Proper wheel spacers can always fit your vehicle without any problems. This means they are correctly installed with no rubbing issues. Precision directly affects wheel spacer quality, making them critical to performance. In short words, the higher the precision, the better the performance. Since spacers are components that contact with other parts, you absolutely need tight-tolerance ones. A wheel spacer with a high-quality surface is easier to sit flush up against the vehicle hub and wheel. So, there’s no obvious gap between them. This is helpful to avoid high-speed wheel vibration.
In addition to the precision, the rim pocket depth also determines whether wheel spacers will fit properly. Giving an example, if the depth of the wheel pocket is 25mm and the protruding OEM stud length is 45mm, then the pockets can contain the studs with a 20mm spacer (45mm – 15mm = 20mm). This also ensures the contact surfaces are neat, so there is no obstruction.
Wheel Spacers Make the Connection Firmer
When installed, wheel spacers become the connection point of the wheel and hub assembly. Hence, the wheel studs are among the most important parts which secure the wheels. Generally, the higher the tensile strength, the more impact load the wheel studs can withstand, and the safer they are. No matter how strong your brakes are or how advanced your all-wheel-drive system is, your tires are the only parts that contact the road. Therefore, using genuine quality wheel studs to secure the wheels is extremely important to ensure safety. And well-designed wheel studs will make your car perform as well as possible in every situation.
There are four common metric grades: 5.8, 8.8, 10.9, and 12.9. Each grade has a specific bolt strength. The higher number means the higher the tensile strength of the bolt. For most automotive applications, you will need at least metric grade 10.9 wheel studs. However, grade 12.9 wheel studs are much better and safer. The property class is expressed in raised or depressed numerals on top or on the side of the bolt head. Before purchasing a new set of wheel spacers, check the grade of the provided wheel studs first.
