wheel spacers? what are they for? why would someone use one?
11-01-2001, 09:15 AM
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European Car Magazine "article" on them......
<ul><li><a href="http://www.europeancarweb.com/features/0601w_spacers.shtml">European Car Article: H&R Trak+ wheel spacers</a></li></ul>
11-01-2001, 09:24 AM
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They are used to modify the wheel offset to make the wheels fit over the brakes and suspension...
The offset is the number of millimeters, from the wheel center, that the mounting point is. For instance, if the wheel is 100mm wide, and the face of the wheel that the lugs bolt through is 10 mm toward the outside of the car from center, you have a +10 mm offset. If the mounting point was 10 mm toward the inside of the car, you have a -10 mm offset.
As for should you use them, the general answer is maybe. You see, if wheel manufacturers custom make the wheel in offsets to fit our car, you don't need them. However, some people try to put wheels made to fit another vehicle on theirs, and hence need wheel spacers to make it fit. Generally, I would not use generic wheel spacers on our car as we have wheel bolts and not lugs. They are not real quality pieces, and to put them on our car I think, in my opinion, is not advised. However, several manufacturers, like Ottenger, didn't want to remake castings for wheels to fit our car. So these few manufacturers made high quality wheel spacers that they permanently attach to the back of the wheel before they ship them to your dealer if you order those wheels for the S4. It's a very high quality spacer (have personally seen one on an ottenger wheel) and they are permenantly (not sure how, could be TIG welded)to the back of the wheel. These wheels come with special longer bolts to be used, and the whole package is specifically made for each other and tested. That is the only type of spacers I would use.
Hope this helps.
As for should you use them, the general answer is maybe. You see, if wheel manufacturers custom make the wheel in offsets to fit our car, you don't need them. However, some people try to put wheels made to fit another vehicle on theirs, and hence need wheel spacers to make it fit. Generally, I would not use generic wheel spacers on our car as we have wheel bolts and not lugs. They are not real quality pieces, and to put them on our car I think, in my opinion, is not advised. However, several manufacturers, like Ottenger, didn't want to remake castings for wheels to fit our car. So these few manufacturers made high quality wheel spacers that they permanently attach to the back of the wheel before they ship them to your dealer if you order those wheels for the S4. It's a very high quality spacer (have personally seen one on an ottenger wheel) and they are permenantly (not sure how, could be TIG welded)to the back of the wheel. These wheels come with special longer bolts to be used, and the whole package is specifically made for each other and tested. That is the only type of spacers I would use.
Hope this helps.
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