Wheel Spacers on an E86

[Fred Smith]

I know, I know, done before plenty of times...

On the face of it

Front - 0mm to 12mm is the range, with 10mm or 12mm being the two main options if you don't want stock.

Rear - 0mm to 20mm is the range, with 15mm or 20mm being the two main options if you don't want stock.

I am minded to go 12/15 I think, but will do some more research. Anyone want to give some thoughts on upper limits of spacer size if running 18" MV2 or 19" Veeman wheels on SE suspension (and if I lower using Eibach?)

Also, what is the best wood to use if I want to try my hand at making my own?

[Pondrew]

Also, what is the best wood to use if I want to try my hand at making my own?

That IS a joke, right?

[Usel]

Plywood

[Fred Smith]

Also, what is the best wood to use if I want to try my hand at making my own?

That IS a joke, right?

I'd love any opinions on the rest of my post, not least the chances of bigger spacers leading to problems given my wheels (both now and in future).

I was thinking about starting a "best stupid questions" thread in the Lounge but thought I'd just chuck one here instead.

"I know with cars that gear boxes need to have the same number of gears as the engine has cylinders, but why?"

[Pondrew]

"I know with cars that gear boxes need to have the same number of gears as the engine has cylinders, but why?"

Maybe change the dosage of the tablets?

[Fred Smith]

Maybe change the dosage of the tablets?

Nah, if I take any less I'll be dangerous, and I'm not taking more.

[jacobpt]

I know, I know, done before plenty of times...

On the face of it

Front - 0mm to 12mm is the range, with 10mm or 12mm being the two main options if you don't want stock.

Rear - 0mm to 20mm is the range, with 15mm or 20mm being the two main options if you don't want stock.

I am minded to go 12/15 I think, but will do some more research. Anyone want to give some thoughts on upper limits of spacer size if running 18" MV2 or 19" Veeman wheels on SE suspension (and if I lower using Eibach?)

Also, what is the best wood to use if I want to try my hand at making my own?

I’ve just installed 15mm front and 20mm rear, also running MV2s. Really happy with the fitment, pretty close to the limit thought I’d say - I’m also on slightly lowered Eibach Pro Kit springs (30-40mm lower I believe) for reference

[coldel]

15 and 20 is perfect for lining the wheels up against the arches, I had standard sport suspension on my E85 with MV2s though. I got no rubbing or anything like that.

I had 12 and 15 on my E86 prior to that with 108s on and it looked good, but prefer the stance of the 15 20 setup.

[Fred Smith]

That IS a joke, right?

You know what... maybe it isn't.

I might knock up a couple of wooden spacers purely to test sizes... I wouldn't lower the car to the ground with wooden spacers on, let alone drive it, but they might help get a sense of how they'd look and fit with my wheels.

I would never have thought of doing that without making a joke first!

[coldel]

But surely with the car in the air you wont get a proper view of the wheels in the arches as there will be a massive gap between the arch and where the wheel hangs. And I certainly wouldn't want to risk dropping the car 'almost' to the full weight bearing without the wheels on properly.

Let me dig out a couple of pics of my two cars with both the 12/15 and 15/20 set up....

[Fred Smith]

But surely with the car in the air you wont get a proper view of the wheels in the arches as there will be a massive gap between the arch and where the wheel hangs. And I certainly wouldn't want to risk dropping the car 'almost' to the full weight bearing without the wheels on properly.

Let me dig out a couple of pics of my two cars with both the 12/15 and 15/20 set up....

Very good point! (Doh!!!) I like to think that somewhere between posting on the net and actually doing it that incredibly obvious point might have occurred to me! I hope so at any rate.

I've actually been looking and I think I might go 15/20... and on ebay it looks like you can get a pack of 4 no 12/15s plus a pair of 20s for not much more than a set of 15/20s... I might just buy 6 spacers and experiment.

[Mr Tidy]

FWIW if you do experiment and they are hub-centric spacers if you leave them on for any length of time you'll probably find you have to be pretty brutal to get them off! Based on my car that came with spacers fitted.

I'm not really a fan of spacers, but found a different solution by accident on my previous car when I bought a set of 18" E89 wheels that have different offsets to E85/86 wheels. The fronts sat 19mm further out and the rears 10mm which was enough for me.

[coldel]

Stick a bit of copper grease on the inside of the spacers to make them easier to remove, they do stick but nothing a rubber mallet doesn't sort out

[coldel]

My E86 with 108 wheels and a 12/15 setup

Before


After


Here is 15/20 on my E85 with MV2s (closest to your set up)


The 20s on the back definitely sit better in my view, right in line with the arches.

[Special Kay]

I know, I know, done before plenty of times...

On the face of it

Front - 0mm to 12mm is the range, with 10mm or 12mm being the two main options if you don't want stock.

Rear - 0mm to 20mm is the range, with 15mm or 20mm being the two main options if you don't want stock.

I am minded to go 12/15 I think, but will do some more research. Anyone want to give some thoughts on upper limits of spacer size if running 18" MV2 or 19" Veeman wheels on SE suspension (and if I lower using Eibach?)

Also, what is the best wood to use if I want to try my hand at making my own?

I’ve just installed 15mm front and 20mm rear, also running MV2s. Really happy with the fitment, pretty close to the limit thought I’d say - I’m also on slightly lowered Eibach Pro Kit springs (30-40mm lower I believe) for reference

I'd have to agree, those mv2s sit perfectly. They look great