Wheel Spacers

What are you guys thoughts on them? It seems like you read a lot of stories about dudes saying they are bad for one reason or another.

I'm talking about these ones, not the slip-on style ones.

http://prowheeladapters.com/vehicle-bolt-pattern-5x115mm-wheel-spacers-pair.html?gclid=CjwKEAiA_NmkBRCe3ubC1aWAtEcSJACxkkbqSt7v0gMJb_F31hYKgV4_aNRxvMyvmg4w-9MREbrz7RoC1APw_wcB

I feel like the Riv would look a lot more aggressive with a little but wider track.

They don't look to be hub centric, so I would pass on them. You want a centric set because it has the centering ring that takes pressure off of the wheel studs and helps keep the wheel centered on the hub. If you run 5x114.3 rims a lot of people claim you don't need the rings because the smaller bolt pattern keeps them in line, but I would still try and find them. Stock size is 5x115 with a 70.3mm bore.

Well I mean, yeah I'd find the right ones. I just meant that style.

What are the areas of concern?
Wheel bearing failure?
Studs snapping?
Rubbing?

You shouldn't have to worry about any of those if you're on the stock rims and you buy quality hardware. They might have a negative effect on the hub/bearing, but I can't say for sure.

I bought wheel spacers from these guys. Very very good quality stuff and really nice guy. He called me on the phone a couple days later to confirm my order and I'm glad he did because I wanted a hub centric spacer not a slip on and I accidentally ordered a slip on, he said its a common mistake on their site because if you really want a hub centric spacer you go to the custom adapters section.

http://www.motorsport-tech.com/

They have held up to many back road carving turns and curves around 80mph(just ask Jordon I took him with me one time lol) and through the snow. Made in the USA. Also its nice because apparently Grand Ams and Riviera have the exact same hub bore and bolt pattern so that helps my case. I have my spacer bolt pattern changed to 5x114.3 since thats what my aftermarket wheels are just for a more accurate fit even though its not that much of a difference.

But back to the quality. No vibrations, nothing. QUALITY work done here. Put them on for the first time, torqued them to the recommended specs that are included and drove 5 miles then re-torqued as recommended.

My spacers are a 22mm spacer, just enough to be more flush but not completely flush so when my suspension compresses it won't rub the sharp metal part of the fenders.

Here's the best pictures I could dig up of the difference. Have had them on for literally a little over a year, 13 months to be exact. No problems and they're still as tight as they where on day one.

Here's a before picture:




Here's a after picture:



Here's the picture of a couple of the spacers themselves.

Quote :

What are the areas of concern?
Wheel bearing failure?

This. We haven't tested many Rivs (if any) using hub spacers over the life of the bearing, but my experience with OEM and Timken bearings is they will last about 130k miles on average, without spacers. When you move the hub surface outward, the leveraged load to the bearings is increased, so the life will be shortened. How much shorter, I'm not sure.

I know its different brands but Porsches come stock with spacers. I've probably put around 15k miles on mine and my car is on 130k miles atm and I don't think my hub assemblies where replaced before I bought the car and so far mine have been fine.

Of course in the end it matters on how big of a spacer you get.

Tanker, nice review! And in my opinion, the car looks infinitely better with the spacers. With my wheels, all I want to do is .75" or 1"

TDavis wrote:

I know its different brands but Porsches come stock with spacers. I've probably put around 15k miles on mine and my car is on 130k miles atm and I don't think my hub assemblies where replaced before I bought the car and so far mine have been fine.

Of course in the end it matters on how big of a spacer you get.

If that's true of Porsches, it's a perfect example of German cars compromising durability for performance, unless they over-engineered their bearings to compensate.

The size of the spacer matters, but so does the weight of the car. Considering our Rivs have about a thousand pounds on your Grand Am - if your car uses the same hub, it might last forever even with spacers. On a 2-ton Riv, maybe a different story.

Sir Psycho Sexy wrote:

Tanker, nice review! And in my opinion, the car looks infinitely better with the spacers. With my wheels, all I want to do is .75" or 1"

In that case you'd need a 19mm spacer(around .75) or 25/26mm(around 1")

Good thing since thats the lowest you can go is 19mm from the selection, I'm sure you could go lower if you called them for a order.

I don't know if the stud sizes are the same but I know mine was 14x1.5.



BTW my 22mm hub centric/wheel centric spacers where around $260 for 4.

AA wrote:

TDavis wrote:

I know its different brands but Porsches come stock with spacers. I've probably put around 15k miles on mine and my car is on 130k miles atm and I don't think my hub assemblies where replaced before I bought the car and so far mine have been fine.

Of course in the end it matters on how big of a spacer you get.

If that's true of Porsches, it's a perfect example of German cars compromising durability for performance, unless they over-engineered their bearings to compensate.

The size of the spacer matters, but so does the weight of the car. Considering our Rivs have about a thousand pounds on your Grand Am - if your car uses the same hub, it might last forever even with spacers. On a 2-ton Riv, maybe a different story.

The Porsche 911 (997.2) comes with spacers that are 7 mm/front and a 15 mm/rear. It is mandated in Germany that all vehicles require enough space between the tire and fenders to accommodate tire chains. As a result, the wheel/tire package needs to be inset and the ride height slightly higher than what looks subjectively best. For the US, we don't have that requirement and they install the spacers. They have engineered the bearings to compensate.

Was hoping you'd chime in, Max. Good explanation, makes perfect sense.

Make sure the rings fit fairly tightly into your wheels, else you will get vibration at highway speed. Put a little grease on this cylindrical pilot surface to prevent them from seizing in place, but don't get any grease on the flat mounting surface or the lug studs - these should be clean and dry.The spacers in the pictures look like quality stuff, but it's hard to tell without seeing / touching them in person, and trial fitting them. By spacing your wheels out, you may find that you have a little more torque steer, and a little less stability under hard ABS braking due to a longer spindle length (affecting torque steer) and scrub radius (affecting ABS stability), but I wouldn't fret too much over your bearing life. It's usually potholes and curb bumps that take out a bearing unit anyway, rather than bending load. You'll want to check the clearance of your tires to the fenders at full lock turns. This will prob'ly be OK unless you're planning to use tires that are substantially wider than stock.

BTW, There are indeed places in the US that require chains in wintry conditions, and GM does indeed make sure that at least the base tire/wheel package accommodates chains.

Regards,
Big Don