Looking for proper wheel spacers

GranDamned · 05-08-2007, 02:26 PM

With the f-bod brake swap up front my rims no longer clear the caliper, so i orderd 15mm extended lugs and I just need a vendor that has spacers that will fit the hub right (70.3mm) with a 15mm thickness. Any help is much appreciaced!

AaronGTR · 05-08-2007, 10:19 PM

Define proper. In a proper world you don't use wheel spacers at all because they place extra stress on the studs, and the wheels are centered on the studs, not the hub. It's kinda strange that your wheels won't clear them since the stock wheels will clear that mod. Most larger wheels have more clearance. I would get wheels that fit correctly over the brakes. In case you're dead set on the spacers though... a 10 second google search turned up this. http://www.ezaccessory.com/5_x_4_1_2...hick_p/602.htm
That's the same as a 15mm spacer with a 115mm 5 bolt pattern, and the center will fit over our hub. Make sure those wheel studs are hardened though. Personally I'd go with ARP chromoly wheel studs if I had to go with spacers.

GranDamned · 05-09-2007, 07:37 AM

Nah I have wheels with a chrome lip, and to do that the spokes have to dive in about 1-1/2" and they just take up too much space. As far as lugs go, the ones I got are chrome moly, and finding spacers isn't a problem, but from what I've heard from ben at 60v6 that if it doesn't fit center on the hub it will snap lugs. The hub bore on the one in that link would be waaay to big. I need a 5 x 115 stud pattern 1/2" thick even a 73 (+/-2mm) hub bore would be fine.

AaronGTR · 05-09-2007, 04:24 PM

Thats my point. Our car uses lug centric wheels, not hub centric. The hub is not designed to support the wheel because it has no way of centering it. The lug nuts center it and the studs support the weight. You are much more likely to snap a stud by using a 5x114.3 bolt pattern instead of a 5x115 because when you tighten the lug nuts to center the wheel you get some sideways pressure on the stud because the lugs aren't sitting exactly perfectly in the cone. They are pressing harder on one face of the seat.

It's the same thing using spacers but not as bad. Since the wheel is out farther, it has more leverage and places more load on the studs. Like I said though the center hub is not meant to support the wheel so it wouldn't do you any good to find exact sized spacers and you probably won't find any for just that reason. They are made with a large hole so they'll easily fit multiple makes of cars. You're gonna have to just get spacers that fit and try them with the studs you ordered. If one ends up cracking then you have two choices... change the brakes back or get new wheels. That's one of the pitfalls of modifications. You have to make sure things work together and you might have to change something you already modified. I planned ahead and bought wheels with lots of backspacing because I knew I planned on getting larger brakes.

GranDamned · 05-11-2007, 09:09 PM

thanks aaron, very informative. guess im gonna have to keep my fingers crossed and hope theyll hold up

AaronGTR · 05-12-2007, 02:34 PM

Yeah, if your wheels are 5x115mm bolt pattern (instead of 5x114.3) and you tighten the lug nuts in the proper star pattern that should keep the load even on all the studs so hopefully they should be ok. Like you said, cross your fingers.

05-08-2007, 02:26 PM	#1
GranDamned GAGT - Newbie Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Hernando, Florida Posts: 14 Vehicle: 99 Grand Am SE 3400	Looking for proper wheel spacers With the f-bod brake swap up front my rims no longer clear the caliper, so i orderd 15mm extended lugs and I just need a vendor that has spacers that will fit the hub right (70.3mm) with a 15mm thickness. Any help is much appreciaced! __________________ http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...n420/gasig.jpg

05-08-2007, 10:19 PM	#2
AaronGTR BlingWithBallz AKA: Aaron Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Detroit area, MI Age: 43 Posts: 12,254 Vehicle: 2000 Grand Am GT1 2dr	Define proper. In a proper world you don't use wheel spacers at all because they place extra stress on the studs, and the wheels are centered on the studs, not the hub. It's kinda strange that your wheels won't clear them since the stock wheels will clear that mod. Most larger wheels have more clearance. I would get wheels that fit correctly over the brakes. In case you're dead set on the spacers though... a 10 second google search turned up this. http://www.ezaccessory.com/5_x_4_1_2...hick_p/602.htm That's the same as a 15mm spacer with a 115mm 5 bolt pattern, and the center will fit over our hub. Make sure those wheel studs are hardened though. Personally I'd go with ARP chromoly wheel studs if I had to go with spacers. __________________ The few, the proud, the boosted! 13.788 @ 103.73 mph (3/2011) 320 whp and 300 ft/lbs torque. (3/2011) See it here. the total package. Last edited by AaronGTR; 05-08-2007 at 10:22 PM.

05-09-2007, 07:37 AM	#3
GranDamned GAGT - Newbie Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Hernando, Florida Posts: 14 Vehicle: 99 Grand Am SE 3400	Nah I have wheels with a chrome lip, and to do that the spokes have to dive in about 1-1/2" and they just take up too much space. As far as lugs go, the ones I got are chrome moly, and finding spacers isn't a problem, but from what I've heard from ben at 60v6 that if it doesn't fit center on the hub it will snap lugs. The hub bore on the one in that link would be waaay to big. I need a 5 x 115 stud pattern 1/2" thick even a 73 (+/-2mm) hub bore would be fine. __________________ http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...n420/gasig.jpg

05-09-2007, 04:24 PM	#4
AaronGTR BlingWithBallz AKA: Aaron Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Detroit area, MI Age: 43 Posts: 12,254 Vehicle: 2000 Grand Am GT1 2dr	Thats my point. Our car uses lug centric wheels, not hub centric. The hub is not designed to support the wheel because it has no way of centering it. The lug nuts center it and the studs support the weight. You are much more likely to snap a stud by using a 5x114.3 bolt pattern instead of a 5x115 because when you tighten the lug nuts to center the wheel you get some sideways pressure on the stud because the lugs aren't sitting exactly perfectly in the cone. They are pressing harder on one face of the seat. It's the same thing using spacers but not as bad. Since the wheel is out farther, it has more leverage and places more load on the studs. Like I said though the center hub is not meant to support the wheel so it wouldn't do you any good to find exact sized spacers and you probably won't find any for just that reason. They are made with a large hole so they'll easily fit multiple makes of cars. You're gonna have to just get spacers that fit and try them with the studs you ordered. If one ends up cracking then you have two choices... change the brakes back or get new wheels. That's one of the pitfalls of modifications. You have to make sure things work together and you might have to change something you already modified. I planned ahead and bought wheels with lots of backspacing because I knew I planned on getting larger brakes. __________________ The few, the proud, the boosted! 13.788 @ 103.73 mph (3/2011) 320 whp and 300 ft/lbs torque. (3/2011) See it here. the total package.

05-11-2007, 09:09 PM	#5
GranDamned GAGT - Newbie Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Hernando, Florida Posts: 14 Vehicle: 99 Grand Am SE 3400	thanks aaron, very informative. guess im gonna have to keep my fingers crossed and hope theyll hold up __________________ http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...n420/gasig.jpg

05-12-2007, 02:34 PM	#6
AaronGTR BlingWithBallz AKA: Aaron Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Detroit area, MI Age: 43 Posts: 12,254 Vehicle: 2000 Grand Am GT1 2dr	Yeah, if your wheels are 5x115mm bolt pattern (instead of 5x114.3) and you tighten the lug nuts in the proper star pattern that should keep the load even on all the studs so hopefully they should be ok. Like you said, cross your fingers. __________________ The few, the proud, the boosted! 13.788 @ 103.73 mph (3/2011) 320 whp and 300 ft/lbs torque. (3/2011) See it here. the total package.

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