max spacer size

[tandk22]

I know there has been talk on spacers, but is it bad to run 1" spacers on the rear and 1/4" spacers on the front if I replace the studs, since I want to buy these used wheels. I have a 69 camaro stock suspension front/ rear with a 9" rear end. Rear wheel is 18 x9.5 but the back space to outside of the wheel is 6" and I only have 6" of clearance from the mounting surface to the inside well. Front the back space is 5 1/4" to the outside of the wheel and I have been told 4 7/8" or 5" is optimal???? Sorry I seached for answers and could not come a conclusion about max spacers safe to run. My camaro will not be a race car but driven hard. thanks Todd

[JustinB]

If you need an inch, run a wheel adapter. You would bolt the adapter to your existing wheels studs and the wheel to the studs on the adapter. It will cost you a few more bucks, but I personally would not run more than a .5" spacer on any of my own personal cars. If you need adapters give Jon@DriverzInc a call, he can get them for you or have them made.

[tandk22]

Thanks

[DriverzInc]

If you need an inch, run a wheel adapter. You would bolt the adapter to your existing wheels studs and the wheel to the studs on the adapter. It will cost you a few more bucks, but I personally would not run more than a .5" spacer on any of my own personal cars. If you need adapters give Jon@DriverzInc a call, he can get them for you or have them made.

Good advice, and thanks for the referral JB :cheers:

[Apogee]

Just my thoughts, but wheel spacers are not inherently bad things (a slip-on rotor is a spacer if you think about it), however there are limits to that line of reasoning. I agree with Justin that spacers up to 1/2" thick are not the end of the world, just be sure to use a good quality 6061 aluminum spacer, not some piece of junk, universal, die-cast unit that practically cracks when you just look sideways at it. If you are running spacers, you should also seriously consider upgrading to larger wheel studs as they will allow higher lug nut torque specifications and therefore greater contact pressures between the wheel and hub (thorugh the spacers, rotor, etc).

Well designed adapters are good solutions for applications that require 1" or thicker spacers. The key word there is "well designed" as there are a lot of junk ones out there for cheap...and you get what you pay for in my experience. You can make slightly thinner adapters in some instances, 7/8" isn't out of the question, but you start to run out of room for the internal set of lug nuts.

The 1/2" to 1" range is sort of a no man's land for spacers/adapters, so avoid it if you can IMO.

Tobin
KORE3