Correcting wrong offset with spacers question

[jinks 0]

Hi - I've got some BBS split rims off a Mk4 golf GTI - same ones that used to be on the Mk3 anniversary but 6.5 inches instead. They've got new 195 rubber on them and are great except that the offset is too low (or maybe high?!) and they sit inside the arches a bit. Not too much but they're also pretty close to the calipers and without wanting to look like a kart of some sort I'd like to correct the offset with spacers and as it's going to cost i'd like to get the size exactly right so the tyres don't rub but end up sitting just inside the arches. Are there any clever wheel afficionados out there who just happen to know what spacers I need and where to get them from? Would these ones from ebay be any good? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ALLOY-WHEEL-SPACE ... 0183656563

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Jinks

[CazzaVR 0]

What's the offset of the new wheels. Standard VR offset is around 43. If it's 5 more, just get 5mm spacers. If it's 10 more, get 10mm spacers etc etc.

[Philuk 0]

be careful with spacers, make sure you can still sit the wheel on the HUB that sticks out from the car, if you cant DONT use them. This is dangerous, I see it all the time with where i work people just put spacers on not thinking about what they are doing.

 

Just imaging the wheel without the spacer sits nicely onto the centre hub on the car, you put a spacer on that is thicker then the hub and you are putting the entire weight of the wheel onto the wheel bolts/nuts. this means, ie doing 60mph and you have to jump on the anchors, the car is still wanting to do 60mph but the wheels are stopping with great force.

 

The car litterally rips the wheel nuts off which results in an accident usually. if you have to use some sort of massive spacer then i would advise you use the hub centric spacer kits which sit onto your hub but also give you another "ledge" as such to put the wheel onto.

 

In other words, they might be £50-£100 but how much did 1) Your car cost and 2) how much is your life worth. most people who come into the shop think im babbling on when i say this but its sooooo dangerous what some people can do without meaning to :)

 

i would just hate to read in a few weeks/months/years even that you have binned your C or even worse killed yourself because the wheels came off the car :(

 

but end of the day i cant make you do it. and looking back at what ive just put, what an essay!!!

[jinks 0]

Thanks guys - those are very helpful answers. I don't actually know the offset but can of course find out. After reading your reply though Philuk i think i might leave well alone and just live with it.

Cheers,

 

Jinks

[paul20v 0]

be careful with spacers, make sure you can still sit the wheel on the HUB that sticks out from the car, if you cant DONT use them. This is dangerous, I see it all the time with where i work people just put spacers on not thinking about what they are doing.

 

Just imaging the wheel without the spacer sits nicely onto the centre hub on the car, you put a spacer on that is thicker then the hub and you are putting the entire weight of the wheel onto the wheel bolts/nuts. this means, ie doing 60mph and you have to jump on the anchors, the car is still wanting to do 60mph but the wheels are stopping with great force.

 

The car litterally rips the wheel nuts off which results in an accident usually. if you have to use some sort of massive spacer then i would advise you use the hub centric spacer kits which sit onto your hub but also give you another "ledge" as such to put the wheel onto.

 

In other words, they might be £50-£100 but how much did 1) Your car cost and 2) how much is your life worth. most people who come into the shop think im babbling on when i say this but its sooooo dangerous what some people can do without meaning to :)

 

i would just hate to read in a few weeks/months/years even that you have binned your C or even worse killed yourself because the wheels came off the car :(

 

but end of the day i cant make you do it. and looking back at what ive just put, what an essay!!!

hubcentrics i have to agree with but the ripping the wheel off because of no spiggot is a bit xtreme a lot of after market wheel have plastic spigots the wheels are held on with the bolts not the spiggots the spiggots are for aligning the wheel to the hub otherwise they would not use plastic spiggots on a lot of after market wheels :)

[Philuk 0]

hubcentrics i have to agree with but the ripping the wheel off because of no spiggot is a bit xtreme a lot of after market wheel have plastic spigots the wheels are held on with the bolts not the spiggots the spiggots are for aligning the wheel to the hub otherwise they would not use plastic spiggots on a lot of after market wheels

 

im talking about if you dont use hub centrics, and if you use standard spacers that take the wheel so far out there is no hub for the wheel to centralise on :), plastic spiggots are given with id say 90% of wheels now. but they take alot of the weight of the car off the bolts :)

[tallpaul1977 0]

spiggot rings are used when the bore of the alloy is different to the cars centre bore i.e vw centre bore is usally 57.1, but you may have a wheel that is 60.1, so you use a spiggot ring to make sure the alloy wheel sits on the hub correctly or you get vibrations when you do 60mph. Some alloys are purpose made for that brand of car and so they will be a direct fit onto your hub and no need for the plastic spiggot rings.

 

If you want to use a large spacer, do use a hub centric spacer, its the only safe way to do it!