The Complete Guide to Wheel Spacers

When upgrading your car's performance and appearance, wheel spacers are often an overlooked modification. However, they can make a big difference in your car's appearance and handling. This article will explain what KSP wheel spacers are, their pros, and how to choose the right ones for your vehicle.

What are Wheel Spacers?

Wheel spacers are metal or aluminum discs that are placed between the wheel hub and the wheel of your car. They are designed to push the wheel further from the corner, creating a wider stance. This improves the handling of your vehicle by providing a more stable and balanced ride.

Benefits of Wheel Spacers:

Improved Appearance: By pushing the wheels outwards, wheel spacers can give your car a more aggressive and sporty look. They can also make room for larger brake calipers and rotors, which can add to the visual appeal of your vehicle.

Better Handling: Wheel spacers can improve your car's handling by widening the track width. This can provide better stability when cornering and a more predictable and responsive steering feel.

Clearance for Suspension Components: Wheel spacers can provide the necessary clearance for these parts if you have aftermarket suspension components, such as coilovers or larger sway bars.

Choosing the Right Wheel Spacers

When choosing wheel spacers, selecting the right size and material is important. Here are some things to consider:

Size: Wheel spacers come in different thicknesses, typically ranging from 5mm to 25mm. The size you choose will depend on your specific vehicle and the desired stance. Choosing a size that will not cause rubbing or clearance issues with your fenders is important.

Material: Wheel spacers are typically made from aluminum or steel. Aluminum spacers are lighter and more corrosion-resistant than steel spacers, but they may need to be stronger.

Hubcentric vs. Lugcentric: Hubcentric wheel spacers have a lip that fits snugly onto the wheel hub, providing a more precise fit and reducing the risk of vibrations. Lugcentric spacers rely solely on the lug nuts to center the wheel and can be less accurate.

Can wheel spacers cause vibration?

Es, wheel spacers can cause vibration if installed incorrectly or if the wrong size or type of spacer is used. Wheel spacers are designed to push the wheels out from the hub, which changes the wheel's position relative to the suspension components. If the spacer is not properly centered on the seat or is not the correct thickness, it can cause the wheel to be slightly off-balance, resulting in vibrations while driving.

In addition, if lug-centric spacers are used, they can also cause vibration if the lug nuts are not torqued evenly. This is because lug-centric spacers rely solely on the lug nuts to hub the wheel, and if the lug nuts are not tightened finally, the revolution will not be centered properly on the spacer.

To avoid vibration caused by wheel spacers, it is essential to choose the right size and type of spacer for your vehicle and to ensure that the spacer is installed correctly. Hubcentric spacers are generally recommended as they provide a more fit and reduce the risk of vibration. It is also important to torque the lug nuts evenly and to have the wheels balanced after installing spacers to ensure a smooth ride.

Conclusion

Wheel spacers are a simple and cost-effective way to improve the stance and performance of your car. By widening the width, wheel spacers can provide better handling, clearance for suspension components, and a more aggressive stance. When choosing wheel spacers, selecting the right size and material for your specific vehicle is important.