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Wheel spacers advice please

Discussion of other cars non-Z4
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Pondrew
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Wheel spacers advice please

Post by Pondrew » Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:35 pm

I am looking into putting 10-15mm spacers on my other car, along with a 15mm lowering kit. This is purely for cosmetics and "stance". I have found good quality parts (Eibach for both).
The vehicle doesn't have adaptive shocks but does have torque vectoring (don't understand what that entails TBH). It also has an electronic LSD.

I have heard from an engineer friend that increasing the track could put excess strain on the drivetrain and suspension. Has anyone got any information on the mechanical pitfalls of spacers please?
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.

F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!

Pbondar

Wheel spacers advice please

Post by Pbondar » Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:53 pm

What car are you driving?

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Pondrew
Lifer
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Wheel spacers advice please

Post by Pondrew » Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:55 pm

Pbondar wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:53 pm What car are you driving?
It's a mk4 Focus ST estate Ecoboost
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.

F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!

Pbondar

Wheel spacers advice please

Post by Pbondar » Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:01 pm

Pondrew wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:55 pm
Pbondar wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:53 pm What car are you driving?
It's a mk4 Focus ST estate Ecoboost
Spacer issues to an extent are as you suspected drive train / suspension related...would suggest you speak to Focus SMEs :thumbsup:

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Pondrew
Lifer
Lifer
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Location: Spaldingski

Wheel spacers advice please

Post by Pondrew » Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:42 pm

Pbondar wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:01 pm
Pondrew wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:55 pm
Pbondar wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:53 pm What car are you driving?
It's a mk4 Focus ST estate Ecoboost
Spacer issues to an extent are as you suspected drive train / suspension related...would suggest you speak to Focus SMEs :thumbsup:
The fast Ford fraternity tend to have the common opinion of "don't worry; if it looks good do it". I don't roll like that. :)
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.

F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!

Pbondar

Wheel spacers advice please

Post by Pbondar » Mon Mar 29, 2021 10:13 pm

Pondrew wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:42 pm
Pbondar wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:01 pm
Pondrew wrote: Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:55 pm
It's a mk4 Focus ST estate Ecoboost
Spacer issues to an extent are as you suspected drive train / suspension related...would suggest you speak to Focus SMEs :thumbsup:
The fast Ford fraternity tend to have the common opinion of "don't worry; if it looks good do it". I don't roll like that. :)
People cut fast n loose on many cars with spacers...personally apart from re-dressing offset issues caused by non OE wheels I wouldn’t go more than about 10mm or so but others are obviously better design engineers :tumbleweed:

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Pondrew
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Location: Spaldingski

Wheel spacers advice please

Post by Pondrew » Mon Mar 29, 2021 11:57 pm

They are OE wheels; 19s. I will try to get some more technical info from the net and talking to people. Thanks anyway :thumbsup:
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.

F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!

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BMWZ4MC
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Wheel spacers advice please

Post by BMWZ4MC » Tue Mar 30, 2021 9:12 am

Anecdotally, I’ve used spacers on my ///M for more than a decade, during which time I’ve covered 60k miles including many thousands of miles on track using semi slick tyres. I found a little play in both front and rear wheel bearings on the driver’s side at over 70k miles and replaced them, but I’ve experienced no other mechanical problems that might be attributed to increasing the track.
Image
Z4MC - heavily fettled for track use
Lotus Exige - sensible daily driver on the mods slippery slope
Westfield SEiW - in hibernation
Modified RS4 Avant - back in Blighty
S2000 GT - gone

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Pondrew
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Wheel spacers advice please

Post by Pondrew » Tue Mar 30, 2021 7:52 pm

BMWZ4MC wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 9:12 am Anecdotally, I’ve used spacers on my ///M for more than a decade, during which time I’ve covered 60k miles including many thousands of miles on track using semi slick tyres. I found a little play in both front and rear wheel bearings on the driver’s side at over 70k miles and replaced them, but I’ve experienced no other mechanical problems that might be attributed to increasing the track.
Interesting. What size spacers have you been using, and what are the width of wheels/ tyres on the M? :thumbsup:
All good things come to those who wait. I'm really impatient which explains a lot.

F31 320i. Good car.
E89 20i Now fully dried
Z3 'free litre'. Project and a half. Complicated!
Mazda3 sold
Tatty old R56 Mini Cooper. Money pit!

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BMWZ4MC
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 6335
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2009 4:24 pm
Location: Back in the sunshine

Wheel spacers advice please

Post by BMWZ4MC » Tue Mar 30, 2021 10:47 pm

Over that time I’ve used 5mm, 12mm and 15mm spacers with four different sets of wheels (all of which are OEM width or wider, but with variable offsets). The track has been increased by at least 5-10mm since 2014 in order to clear my aftermarket suspension uprights.
Added to that are the additional loads generated through using sticky tyres and much higher cornering speeds than are usually seen on the road.
Image
Z4MC - heavily fettled for track use
Lotus Exige - sensible daily driver on the mods slippery slope
Westfield SEiW - in hibernation
Modified RS4 Avant - back in Blighty
S2000 GT - gone

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