Disc offset is one of the most important geometric characteristics, along with the diameter and number of bolted connections. Although there is still a slight discrepancy from the requirements that the company that manufactures and produces cars insists on.
To correctly measure the distance between the sheer (vertical) plane of symmetry of the wheel and the very surface of the disk to the vehicle hub in mm, you need to use the formula:
ET=a-b/2, where
a is the range between two verticals, the inner plane, and the surface adjacent to the hub
b - the entire width of the car disk.
In layman's terms, an ET's wheel offset is a measure of how far it looks out of the wheel arch. If the overhang is large, then the wheel will recede into the depth, and when its indicator decreases, on the contrary, it moves outward.
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- Null;
- negative;
- positive.
This value is often applied to the inside of the surface of any car disk, and their unit of measurement is expressed in mm. Other disk parameters are also applied, they mean the following:
- Width;
- Diameter;
- Disc PCD - the number of fastening bolts and the diameter of their location;
- DIA - diameter of the landing hole located in the center;
Minus or negative overhang
Naturally, this has a characteristic effect on the characteristics of the steering wheel, and hence on the maneuverability of the car as a whole. Vectors change, moments of force directly acting on various elements of the suspension. All this, of course, will make the entire chassis of the car work in a different mode, which is absolutely not taken into account by the manufacturer, therefore, when purchasing discs with a negative offset, it is better to consult with the store manager or specialist.
Large overhang (15,35,40,45) and its increase with a spacer
The suspension of a truck or passenger car is clearly standardized and calculated by the manufacturer and the designers who develop it. However, if you approach this tuning correctly, then as a result, the increased base of the car and its track can increase the stability of the car.
And also the wheels protruding beyond the edges of the car will be a plus when supplementing it with plastic modifiers. The main thing that needs to be clearly presented to the motorist is that the resource for which this wheel bearing is designed decreases in direct proportion to the difference in the distance between the offset disc and the native one recommended by the manufacturer.
To increase the offset of the disk, the so-called spacer element is used. It is installed tightly between the disc and the drum, or the hub, it all depends on the model and design of the car's brakes. The dimensions of these elements are of great importance, there are several types of them:
- Thicknesses up to 6 mm are considered small, while, often, the length of the native mounting bolt is enough to fix the disk together with the iron spacer in a quality manner.
- Thickness up to 25 mm. they already have a centering hub, which eliminates the option of destabilizing the balancing of the wheel parameter. The car acquires notes of a sporty, aggressive nature and the spacers installed on it are visually identified.
- The thickness of the spacer is from 25 to 50 mm, it is considered large enough. They are attached to the hub or drum not only with bolts, but also with studs. Bolts are recommended for VAZ cars, stud fastening for brands such as Niva or UAZ.
The spacer to increase the overhang must be made of durable metal. Therefore, before a motorist starts making them manually, it is worth considering the risks and consequences of their installation. Still, it is recommended by experts to purchase high-quality factory spacers and offset discs, which will be made of the desired steel grade, and also meet all the requirements of reliability and safety. Naturally, when choosing and refining the parameters of discs and spacers, it is worth considering the number of mounting bolts and their length.
Effect of rim width and offset ET on driving characteristics
Every car owner who is thinking about installing a disc with a non-standard offset should think about the consequences, and in particular, what can happen after installing them, and also what exactly the disc offset affects:
- Offset steering axle;
- Sharp wear of bearings, ahead of schedule;
- A radical change in the previous factory handling;
- Changing the life of tires and all parts and components of the suspension.
All these reasons are not just words, they are based on the laws of physics. After all, it is known that the mass of any four-wheeled mechanism as a whole is distributed to all its wheels. The point of application of force is directed to the base of contact of the road surface directly with the wheel.
Even if we theoretically assume that the chassis and suspension are absolutely serviceable, then the vector of the wheel axis will be laid through this base. The line of the shock absorber vector of the car located in the rack is also directed to the same point.
Installing offset wheels will change the vector of these forces, and hence their load. That is, the installation of non-regular disks will change the appearance of the car, making it unique and inimitable, but driving performance will deteriorate, and the wear of spare parts will increase significantly. Of course, if the manufacturer does not provide for such a replacement.
Permissible deviation table for the most common car brands (Mercedes, Toyota, UAZ)
Each specific brand of car has its own tolerances, which are better not to violate.
| No. p / p | Automobile model | Permissible disc overhang, mm |
| 1 | chevrolet camaro | 38-50 |
| 2 | Chevrolet Corvette | 38-50 |
| 3 | Chevrolet Aveo 1.6 | 39 |
| 4 | Alfa Romeo 33 | 30-38 |
| 5 | Alfa Romeo GTV | 28 |
| 6 | Alfa Romeo 145 | 38 |
| 7 | Alfa Romeo 146 | 38 |
| 8 | Alfa Romeo 166 | 35-40 |
| 9 | Alfa Romeo 155 | 38 |
| 10 | Alfa Romeo 156 | 28-30 |
| 11 | Audi A4 | 35 |
| 12 | Audi A8 | 35 |
| 13 | Audi A6 | 35 |
| 14 | Audi 80 | 35-42 |
| 15 | Audi 100 | 35-42 |
| 16 | Audi TT | 28-30 |
| 17 | Audi Quattro | 35-42 |
| 18 | Audi A3 | 30-40 |
| 19 | bmw 3 | 15-25 |
| 20 | BMW 3 (E36) | 35-42 |
| 21 | BMW M3 | 18-20 |
| 22 | bmw 5 | 18-20 |
| 23 | bmw 7 | 18-20 |
| 24 | BMW 7 (E32) | 18-20 |
| 25 | bmw 8 | 18-20 |
| 26 | Citroen Berlingo | 15-22 |
| 27 | Citroen Jumper | 35 |
| 28 | Citroen Evasion | 28 – 30 |
| 29 | Citroen Xsara | 15 – 22 |
| 30 | Citroen Xantia | 15 – 22 |
| 31 | Daewoo Nexia | 38 – 42 |
| 32 | Daewoo Espero | 38 – 42 |
| 33 | Daewoo Lanos | 38 – 42 |
| 34 | Daewoo Matiz | 38 |
| 35 | Daewoo Leganza | 35 – 42 |
| 36 | Daewoo Nubira | 38 – 42 |
| 37 | Dodge Magnum 2.7 V6 | 24 |
| 38 | Dodge Avenger 2.0i | 35 – 39 |
| 39 | Dodge Caliber 2.0 | 35 |
| 40 | Dodge Caliber SRT4 2.4i | 40 |
| 41 | Dodge Caravan 2.4i | 35 – 40 |
| 42 | Dodge Challenger 6.1 V8 | 40 |
| 43 | Dodge Durango 3.7 V6 | 15 |
| 44 | Fiat Qubo 1.3 | 40-44 |
| 45 | Fiat Bravo 1.4i | 31 – 32 |
| 46 | Fiat Croma 2.2 | 35 – 41 |
| 47 | Fiat Doblo 1,9JTD 263 | 32 |
| 48 | Fiat Doblo 1.9JTD 223 | 32 |
| 49 | Ford Scorpio | 35 – 38 |
| 50 | Ford Cougar | 35 – 38 |
| 51 | Ford Explorer | 0 – 3 |
| 52 | Ford Escort | 35 – 38 |
| 53 | Ford Focus | 35 – 38 |
| 54 | Ford Focus 2 | 35 – 38 |
| 55 | Ford Fiesta | 35 – 38 |
| 56 | Ford Granada | 35 – 38 |
| 57 | Ford Galaxy | 42 – 45 |
| 58 | Ford Ka | 35 – 38 |
| 59 | Ford Mondeo 1 | 35 – 42 |
| 60 | Ford Mondeo 2 | 35 – 42 |
| 61 | Ford Mustang | 35 – 38 |
| 62 | Ford Sierra | 35 – 38 |
| 63 | Ford Scorpio | 35 – 38 |
| 64 | Ford Orion | 35 – 38 |
| 65 | Ford Puma | 35 – 38 |
| 66 | Ford Windstar | 35 – 38 |
| 67 | Ford Transit | 35 – 38 |
| 68 | Honda Shuttle | 35 – 38 |
| 69 | Honda CRX | 35 – 38 |
| 70 | Honda Accord | 35 – 38 |
| 71 | Honda Integra | 35 – 38 |
| 72 | Honda Civic | 35 – 38 |
| 73 | Honda Civic VTEC | 38 |
| 74 | Honda Concerto | 35 – 38 |
| 75 | Honda Jazz | 35 – 38 |
| 76 | Honda Prelude | 38 |
| 77 | Honda legend | 35 – 38 |
| 78 | Honda CRV 5 | 40 – 45 |
| 79 | Hyundai Pony | 35 – 38 |
| 80 | Hyundai Accent | 35 – 38 |
| 81 | hyundai coupe | 35 – 38 |
| 82 | Hyundai Lantra | 35 – 38 |
| 83 | Hyundai Sonata | 35 – 38 |
| 84 | Hyundai Excel | 35 – 38 |
| 85 | Kia Shuma | 35 – 38 |
| 86 | Kia Ceed | 38 – 42 |
| 87 | Kia Leo | 35 – 38 |
| 88 | Kia Clarus | 35 – 38 |
| 89 | Kia Sephia | 35 – 38 |
| 90 | Kia Concord | 35 – 38 |
| 91 | Kia Sportage | 0 – 3 |
| 92 | Kia Mentor | 35 – 38 |
| 93 | Mercedes Benz Sprinter | 45 |
| 94 | Mercedes Benz A Class | 45 – 50 |
| 95 | Mercedes Benz B Class | 47 – 52 |
| 96 | Mercedes Benz C Class | 43 – 47 |
| 97 | Mercedes Benz E Class | 48 – 54 |
| 98 | Mercedes Benz G Class | 43, 50, 63 |
| 99 | Mercedes Benz M Class | 46 – 50, 60 |
| 100 | Mercedes Benz S Class | 36 – 43,5 |
| 101 | Mercedes Benz SLK | 45 – 50 |
| 102 | Mercedes Benz 600SL | 18 – 25 |
| 103 | Mercedes Benz 280SL | 18 – 25 |
| 104 | Mercedes Benz Vito | 45 – 50 |
| 105 | Mitsubishi Lancer | 35 – 42 |
This is one of the simplest types of tuning. Why is this needed? There are many options. The most common reason is not liking the look. Let's say you want the wheels to look spectacular. To do this, the disk must be larger in diameter. Well, or you bought a used car, and the design of the rims categorically does not suit you. Perhaps you liked some specific wheels, but their dimension is not included in the list recommended by the car manufacturer. You can also change the wheels for reasons of practicality. But how can the installation of such wheels turn out in the future? Let's figure it out.
First, let's recall the key parameters of the wheel.
- 185 - tire profile width in mm
- 65 - percentage of tire profile height to width
- R - designation of a tire of a radial design
- 15 - bore diameter in inches
So, there are several ways to move away from the size of a regular wheel.
1. Wider tire
While maintaining the standard size, we increase the width of the tire profile while maintaining the percentage of height to width. In our example, we get 195/65 R15. It is important to know here that all cars are designed for the installation of snow chains with a size of at least 12 mm. Indeed, in some European countries, driving on mountain roads without chains is prohibited, and not a single self-respecting manufacturer will make a car so that it cannot be operated in the mountains of France or Switzerland. Therefore, an increase in the width of the tire profile is permissible in most cases by up to 24 mm. At the same time, the car will become a little softer on the move, and wider tires will improve braking performance.
2. Higher tire profile
We leave it the same, and increase the percentage of the tire profile height to width to 70. In our example, we get 185/70 R15. The outer diameter of the wheel increases by 20 mm, which is quite acceptable (remember the reserve for installing chains). Everything would be fine, but in our particular example, the factor intervenes that tires of this size are produced mainly for commercial vehicles and they are too rigid and expensive to install on a passenger car. However, in other dimensions, the situation may be different.
3. Change the diameter of the disc
The story of a friend's car is very indicative. He bought a Kia Rio with a 1.6 engine and a 6-speed automatic. The regular wheels of the car had a size of 185/65 R15. The owner drove through the summer season and was not happy with the car's stiff suspension and insufficient ground clearance. Then he decided to change the behavior of the car, not by tuning the springs with shock absorbers, but by working with the wheels. In preparation for the next summer season, he used forged wheels with a diameter of 14 inches, completely matching the mounting dimensions.
There is noticeably more air between the disc and the tire. The outer diameter of the wheel has also grown (by 9 mm). As a result, the smoothness of the ride has become fantastic. When overcoming the bumps in the road, the car, which was not initially famous for its energy-intensive suspension, began to resemble super-comfortable cars of the log-shaped family on Russian roads. Soft, quiet, smooth. All the problems of dead Russian roads and hard Korean suspension have disappeared. He does not plan to drive, so he does not care about the possible deterioration in road holding at very high speeds.However, a decrease in the diameter of the disc is a very rare occurrence. Much more often it happens that the owner chooses wheels one or even two sizes larger. And "wraps" them in low-profile tires. At the same time, the overall dimensions of the wheel remain almost unchanged or grow within acceptable limits.
It looks impressive, but the smoothness of the ride suffers first of all. Yes, and there are much more chances to damage the wheel on a bad road, because the lower the height of the tire profile, the less the ability of such a tire to withstand shock loads. In everything you need to know the measure. Returning to our example, Rio and Solaris cars in expensive trim levels flaunt 16-inch wheels with 195/55 R16 tires. In this case, you can play a little with the dimensions. For example, a 195/60 R16 tire will fit in the wheel arch without any problems, since its outer diameter will increase by only 19 mm. The clearance will grow by a decent 9.5 mm, but you can forget about the softness of the ride provided by the 15-inch wheels of the basic modification.4. Increase the width of the disk and change the offset
A separate story when the owner of the car decides to install wider disks. Some people like it when the wheel protrudes a little beyond the arch. Please note that changing the dimensions of the wheel and tire can significantly increase the weight of the wheel assembly. Such weighting will negatively affect the life of the suspension elements and even the body, since large unsprung masses can cause resonant vibrations that the suspension is not designed for structurally. It is also important to remember such a parameter as wheel offset.
Those who like to change the offset of the rims, as a rule, tend to place the wheels wider. The aesthetic component of such changes is controversial, but the resource of the suspension elements will certainly decrease.
Consequences of increasing the overall dimensions of the wheel:
| pros | Minuses |
| Ground clearance increase. On our roads, every millimeter of ground clearance counts. If the bottom of the car is 5–10 mm further from the potholes, then there is less chance of damaging it on a bad road. | The wheel can touch body parts. If the width and diameter of the wheel grow no more than 24 mm from the maximum wheel size recommended by the manufacturer, then this problem is not terrible for you. You can't put chains on after that. |
| Economy improvement. Economy improves slightly on country roads, especially on vehicles with gearboxes that have few gears (4 or 5). | Increase in car roll. Yes, the roll will increase slightly, due to the fact that the center of mass is now slightly higher. In practice, this means a slightly lower limiting rearrangement speed. |
| Changing the speedometer and odometer readings. Regular devices always overestimate the readings. You can check with GPS. And with new, slightly larger wheels, the readings will come in line with reality. Plus or minus you decide. Still, such a discrepancy is made primarily for security reasons. We are for accurate instrument readings. | Decrease in dynamic characteristics. The new wheels are a little harder for the engine to turn, and they themselves are a little heavier. |
| Reducing wheel offset (when the wheels protrude more out of the wheel arches) provides a wider track, which increases the lateral stability of the machine. | Wide disc is easily damaged when touching a curbstone. In addition, if the width of the disk is much larger than the nominal one, the tire carcass does not work correctly. It leads to increased tire wear. |
| In most cases appearance becomes more aesthetic and catchy. | Strongly protruding from the arches of the wheel overload wheel bearings and make driving difficult. It is worth getting the front wheel on the roughness of the road, as the steering wheel literally pulls out of your hands. |
For calculations, it is convenient to use a tire calculator.
Legal aspect
By law, non-standard wheels are prohibited. Therefore, any experiments with the dimensions of tires or wheels are illegal. An exception is if the new dimension is allowed to be installed by the manufacturer. However, in reality, not everything is so scary: if the rims on your small car are not welded to a width of 12 inches, if the diameter is not 19 or more inches, then such wheels will not arouse the interest of traffic police officers. But with obtaining a diagnostic card, problems will already arise.
But what if you put bigger wheels? - examination of the RFOnce again I say hello to you, dear friends! Today, the topic of our conversation will be a very unusual detail, which some people don't even know exists.. Remember how while walking around the car market, your eyes are procrastinating on spectacular wheels from any foreign car. And it seems that there is money, but it does not seem possible to install them on the good old classics, so we move on, ignoring the thought of buying them. But if you only knew that special spacers to increase disc offset easily cope with this problem, perhaps in the evening, your car showed off in front of passers-by original discs.
Purpose of spacers
I understand that some of you are now at a loss, they cannot understand what is at stake, what kind of magical detail is this? In fact, everything is simple! Tell me two reasons that prevent us from installing, for example, on the Zhiguli, the disks of another car, and everything will immediately become clear? I hope it didn’t take long to think, this is a different mount and offset of the rim.
Spacers are metal pancakes that are mounted between the disc and the drum or hub. Thus, with their help, it becomes possible to correct the installation of the wheels, as well as take care of the normal distance between the disk and the body. Agree, a small but very important detail. In addition, spacers can significantly improve the stability of the car, because it is not in vain that most of the tuned cars are equipped with a similar part.
Types of spacers between the disc and the hub
But before you buy wheel spacers, you need to decide what exactly is preventing you from installing certain disks. Based on this, your final choice will depend on the inspection of various types of spacers. Which, in turn, are distinguished by several criteria.
Product thickness
The size of the spacer is of great importance for each of their buyers. This characteristic should also concern you, of course, if there is interest in this part. In the implementation, you can find three types of spacers of various dimensions:
- Small - have a thickness of not more than 6 mm. Thanks to miniature forms on almost all cars, installation is carried out directly on the native mount, since the length of the mounting bolt is enough to fix the rim together with the spacer. Often used in sports tuning.
- Medium - up to 25 mm thick. They do not have any imbalance due to the centering hub, which is present in the design. A vehicle equipped with this type of spacer can be easily identified visually. The car takes on some sporty notes, it becomes more aggressive and all due to the extended track.
- Large - up to 50 mm thick. Based on their design features, they are attached to the hub in two different ways: bolts with which the spacer is actually screwed (the best option for VAZ cars), as well as mounted studs and nuts (UAZ or Niva).
The main thing here is to understand that the thickness of the spacer is the main characteristic that affects the increase in disc overhang, so this point needs to be taken seriously. But oddly enough, not the only one. There is another parameter that distinguishes spacers from each other.
Hub installation method
There are spacers for installation, which you will not need anything other than a regular mounting kit. You can also find more complex designs, for example, with a centering hole. A spacer of this type greatly facilitates installation and fastening, and even performs the function of centering the disk.
- The spacer without re-centering for the disc is a product that significantly reduces the overhang of the disc. To install it, you do not need to change the number of mounting holes or the mounting method. The spacer is mounted on a regular mount between the disc and the drum.
- Spacer with change of centering for the disc - with its help, you can not only significantly reduce the overhang of the disc, but also change the internal centering hole. For its installation, longer fixing bolts are used.
In any case, armed with the above information, you will definitely find your own option, which sooner or later will need to be installed on your passenger car. How to do this and what mistakes it is better not to make, I will tell you further.
Disc spacer installation technology
In principle, installing a spacer is no more difficult than a regular wheel, but despite all the simplicity, you should not forget about some rules:
- One wheel - one spacer - the temptation to install another part on top of the existing one will be, but you should not do this! Thus, you will not only increase the load on the bearing and some suspension elements, but also create an undesirable imbalance that can easily lead to an accident, even when driving at minimum speeds.
- Properly performed installation process - fastening bolts or nuts must be tightened in the correct sequence. Remember how to spin a wheel? Everything is the same here: first of all, we bait the bolts by hand, then in a diagonal way, we gradually tighten all the available elements until they stop. Ideally, carry out the procedure using a torque wrench, thanks to which it will be possible to get rid of the imbalance.
- Control check - after driving a good ten kilometers, do not be lazy and once again make sure that all fasteners are properly tightened.
Well, you understand, right? Installing spacers with your own hands is easy. And even when faced with models of sophisticated design, everything is intuitive. However, before proceeding with the installation of the spacer, you still need to choose, namely, a reliable manufacturer. For a beginner, it will be quite difficult to figure it out, so we will continue to talk about manufacturers. You know firsthand how things are with the quality of goods sold in our country.
Disc spacer manufacturers
No doubt, such details as spacers for disks can be made by yourself, but is it worth it? Purely my personal opinion, purchasing a factory part that will definitely meet all the requirements for reliability, and hence safety, is the right decision. Moreover, despite the unusualness of the product we are discussing, worthy manufacturers exist. Here are at least these:
- H&R Trak+ - USA;
- Hofmann and Schiessler - Germany;
- Bimecc - Italy.
Of course, other brands can be found on the windows of a car dealership, but it is difficult to judge their quality, many reviews are rather ambiguous. Here you need to understand that any microcrack in the structure of the spacer entails a break in the product, and this, in turn, has serious consequences. The wheel, after all, fly off on the go and an accident cannot be avoided. Therefore, it is necessary to give preference to exclusively proven brands, which are the manufacturers from the list.
As you yourself understand, the main ingredient in the manufacture of a spacer is metal. But, ordinary steel is not suitable here, in an environment of increased loads, forging or rolling is needed. The latter is generally considered an ideal option due to the distinctive features of rolled metal, such a spacer does not even require balancing. A cast part will never be so perfect, and its density causes a lot of criticism.
Of course, many factories often ignore this requirement, using the most common iron, hence all the hardships. Here's another reason to be careful when choosing a spacer. If, nevertheless, your car market is so boring that there should not be an assortment of car accessories. And you had to choose from what is, consider a few nuances:
- The product should have exactly 4 holes for mounting bolts - the spacer will not last long on three bolts.
- All mounting holes must be at a normal distance from each other, that is, not mated.
- Spacer No. 176 - if you liked the spacer on the body of which this number flaunts, put this part aside. It's probably made from low quality materials. The fact is that the number 176 means that you have Chinese products in your hands, but I think everyone has heard about goods from the Celestial Empire.
In any case, be careful, if you are not sure about the manufacturer, think a hundred times before buying an unknown brand spacer.
How do spacers affect running gear life?
Another completely logical question that worries every motorist is whether the new part will affect the performance of the chassis? I will tell you this, everything again depends on the purpose for which the product was purchased. For example:
- If you only needed a spacer to fit the mounting holes of the disc to the drum, don't worry! The adaptation of the wheels does not adversely affect any element of the running gear.
- In the case when you want to stand out from the crowd and change the departure, everything does not look so rosy. Here you need to understand that you can’t argue against the laws of physics, and believe me, when it comes out of the equation that a constant additional load of almost 20 kg is carried out on the edge of the tire, it’s unrealistic to do without consequences. In fact, there is a bit of optimism: by choosing the right spacer, you can limit yourself to exclusively more frequent replacement of the wheel bearing. But this is if only suitable!
Please note: the service life of a wheel bearing decreases in direct proportion to the difference in distance between the displaced mounting location and the native position of the disc base.
Where to buy good spacers?
Agree, spacers are a car accessory, the acquisition of which can be difficult. Such a product can not even be found in a noble car market, then what to do? As in most other life situations, the Internet will help! Practice proves that if you live far from the metropolis, most products are ordered by the seller via the Internet. Thus, you have to not only pay the purchase price, but also pay the seller for his work. For many, for example, it is easier to do this work yourself, but save money.
I won’t deny it, it all depends on the demand for the goods, but here you yourself understand that there is no full house as such. The price, which starts from a thousand rubles (25 mm) and the lack of awareness of such an accessory among domestic drivers, are the two main reasons for this. But be that as it may, there is a way out, but finding it is not so easy. There are not so many services that sell spacers of the above brands in Russia.
But I was not too lazy and got for you, one of them - www.prostavka.ru. An excellent online store that cooperates with the best spacer manufacturers in Europe. Here you can also pick up spacers for VAZ disks, in general there are a lot of positions in the catalog. By the way, there are also options for alloy wheels.
Well, that's all, now my duty to you is fulfilled! After all, you have not only learned what car spacers are for increasing disc offset and information on how they are mounted. In addition, you received information about where you can buy them, and even without leaving your home. I hope by spending my time on all the clarifications, I saved yours a lot! See you soon!
Almost any rims you like for a car can be installed on your own car. Even if the mounts do not always match, then spacers will come to the rescue to increase the offset of the disk. With their help, it will be possible to correct the installation of the selected wheels.
The widened track of the car in this way will help to increase the stability of the vehicle. Also, these additional pancakes can be an indispensable addition for mounted tuning, when plastic modifiers are hung on a car.
It is customary to distinguish several types of this wheel corrector, which differ from each other in the following parameters:
- part thickness;
- hub mounting method;
- design features of the product.
Pancakes are considered minimal if they are 3-6 mm thick. Small overall dimensions allow them to be installed almost always on regular mounts. The length of the bolt or stud with its threaded part is enough to fix the wheel in its “native” places.
These designs are useful in situations where a non-original overhang is required. After all, if you keep the offset in such wheels, then the caliper will rub against them. Also, it is customary to install a spacer to increase the offset of a rim with a thickness of up to 6 mm during sports tuning of a vehicle.
Medium and large dimensions
The conditional division between these sizes is as follows:
- an interval of 12-25 mm is referred to as an average parameter;
- an interval of 25-50 mm is a large size.
Inserts up to 25 mm thick are manufactured without imbalance. This is due to the centering hub, which is structurally the base surface for processing. It is visually easy to notice cars with such elements. They give a sporty, slightly aggressive look to the car by increasing the track.
You need to know that the installation of wheel spacers is recommended when installing arched expanders and body kits.
Modifying elements with a thickness of more than 25 mm are manufactured with two design features. In the first case, bolts are used to fix this product on the hub of the car. To the fixed washer, and not to the hub, the rim is screwed with standard automotive bolts.
In the second case, the design of spacers with built-in studs is used. This type is appropriate for mounting wheels on hubs with studs and nuts. Such a bar is fixed to the hub through the studs and fastened with nuts. From above, the wheel is hung on the spacer studs and also fixed with nuts. No extensions to stock studs are required.
Installation
You can not install more than one spacer on the hub to increase the disc offset; it is made by hand or bought in a car shop. Otherwise, an imbalance will be created on the hub, which can lead to an accident at any speed.
Homemade wheel spacers
Serious overloads can be experienced by the bearing. In some cases, it can withstand only a few weeks with serious overloads, and then it will fail. At the same time, traction, levers and other suspension elements are overloaded.
Work on installing spacers must be carried out in compliance with the rules for tightening wheel bolts or nuts. First, all fasteners are baited by hand, and then diagonally tightened to the stop. This operation is recommended to be carried out using a torque wrench in order to control the tightness and get rid of imbalance.
How to make the right choice
In addition to making spacers with your own hands, there are products that are made in the factory. Their quality is guaranteed by the factory and confirmed by relevant documents. The most popular companies in this area are foreign trusted firms BIMECC, Schiessler, Hofmann, H&R TRAK+. For home-made products, it is recommended to use blanks from rolled products or after forging.
You need to be aware that cast blanks for the manufacture of spacers can contain a large number of voids with poor quality or low professional casting, which will lead to an imbalance in the final product.
Consequences of low-quality wheel spacers
It is also undesirable to purchase these products from unknown companies, because they can be made using technologies that are not always suitable, for example, powder pressing, which is unable to withstand heavy loads.
If home-made production was used, then it is desirable to balance the resulting product on the stand. It is also impossible to allow a decrease in the number of wheel mounts when using these elements.
Conclusion
When using wheel spacers, it is necessary to strictly observe the safety measures for their installation, because the life and health of the driver and passengers depend on this. At the time of purchase, you need to check the accompanying documents for the products. When the inserts are made independently, then their final work in their place should not lead to a hard increase in load and rapid wear of the suspension elements.
Car owners who are going to install alloy wheels face one problem- on sale, as a rule, parts with other geometric characteristics are offered. Is it possible to install them, and what is it fraught with?
Light alloy wheels have both pros and cons. Their design is much more diverse, with them the appearance of the car acquires individuality and the car looks richer and"sportier". Lighter discs reduce the weight of the unsprung elements of the chassis, so the suspension, together with the wheels, “tracks” road bumps more accurately, respectively, the contact of the wheel with the road is better maintained. But if the discs are not matched correctly, the behavior of the car on the road may deteriorate. Criteria for selection - the geometric characteristics of the disk, encrypted in the marking.
What does geometry affect?
The width and diameter of the disc (7.5 and 16) determine what size tire can be used. Tire manufacturers allow disc width deviations within±0.5 inch (very rarely - up to 1 inch).
Installing a larger diameter wheel on a car is often only possible in combination with the installation of lower profile tires (for example, instead of 175/70 R13- 175/65 R14) to obtain a minimum increase in the outer diameter of the wheel (in the named case - +8 mm), otherwise the wheel may touch the wheel arch. In addition, the speedometer and odometer are calibrated to a specific wheel diameter.
Permissible difference in the diameter of the circle on which the holes for the bolts are located,- no more than tenths of a millimeter. If it is larger, it will be difficult to properly fix the disk, since it will need to be centered by alternately tightening the bolts (nuts). If the diameter of the central hole does not match, the disc is not put on the hub. If the hole is slightly smaller, it can be bored out, but this procedure should be entrusted to qualified specialists (high accuracy is required). For discs with a large center hole, adapter centering rings are sold (often included with discs).
Departure around the head
The term "departure" adjusts to the fact that the wheel "flies", i.e. protrudes outward. In fact, with an increase in reach, the wheel moves to the middle of the car (it hides more inside the wheel arch), and with a decrease, it moves outward. This indicator, together with the width of the disk, affects not only the ability to "place" wheel into the standard wheel arch, but also changes some characteristics of the suspension: travel, wheel turning radius, break-in shoulder (PO), and affects the vehicle's handling.
The main problem when installing rims with different"native" departure - a different behavior of the steering, suspension and the car as a whole due to a change in the running-in shoulder, i.e. the distance from the line of intersection of the central plane of rotation of the wheel with the road to the point of intersection with it of the axis of rotation of the wheel (see Fig.). If the point of intersection of the axis of rotation of the wheel with the road is on the inside of the plane of rotation of the wheel, then they say that the running-in shoulder is positive, if on the outside it is negative. The value and sign of the break-in shoulder affect the force on the steering wheel and the ability of the car to "hold its course", that is, to move steadily in a straight line. Therefore, the departure should not differ by more than 5 mm from the "native".
Other pros and cons
When using discs with a reduced offset, the track increases, the car stands more confidently on the road, and turns better. Since the total wheel travel is slightly increased with equal sizes of levers and suspension springs, comfort is slightly increased. The lighter weight of the wheel makes it possible to slightly improve the dynamics and reduce fuel consumption in variable modes.
But excessively protruding tires from the wheel arches will throw dirt on the sidewall of the body and side windows. Steering angles may decrease as the tires rub against the wheel arches. The load on the hub bearings and suspension parts will slightly increase, which reduces their service life.
Increasing the offset leads to the displacement of the wheel inside the arch. As a result, the disc may rest against the brake caliper or suspension parts, and the wheel simply will not fall into place. If it is nevertheless established, the track will decrease, which means stability will decrease and, again, at extreme turning angles, the wheel may touch suspension parts or fender liner.
How to be?
In order for the car to be not only beautiful, but also safe, it is better not to abuse the width of the disk and the reduced reach. In any case, observing precautionary measures, it is necessary to carry out a thorough"Test Drive" new disks to feel how the behavior of the machine has changed.
| Deciphering the marking | |
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| Advantages and disadvantages of different types of disks |
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Alexander Landar
Photo by Andrey Yatsulyak
