Wheel spacers, yay or nay?

[spicyHam]

Hurro peoples,

I've been told that one of the things i could do to my legacy to improve it's visual punch is to fit spacers to the factory wheels to widen the track a bit. My questions on this are:

1. Does this exist for B4 legacies?

2. Is this possible for factory rims and won't fuck up the steering/etc + Is it legal?

3. Where can i buy it / how much?

thanking you.

[Scoobydoo]

You can do it and it's legal, but requires certification.

[petrolheadjman]

I say yay

[Ryan]

Yeah mine had to be certed when it came in the country due to wheel spacers, but doesn't have them on now.

[spicyHam]

Do'h! Thanks government cronies, turning a cheap mod into a 500 buck+ affair..

I was looking on trademe and saw this on an auction for one set:

"IN ORDER FOR A BOLT ON SPACER TO BE STREET LEGAL IT NEEDS TO HAVE A HUBCENTRIC RING! IF YOU WANT TO USE SPACERS ON YOUR ROAD CAR DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON CHEAPER SPACERS THAT HAVE NO HUBCENTRIC LOCATOR RING - AS THEY ARE NOT LEGAL FOR USE ON THE ROAD LIKE OUR ONES ARE!!!! "

^Is the shouty man right, or do you need certification either way? But here i am thinking that if you kept it conservative, and don't drive like a knob and get pulled over... how many cops would actually know/notice ?

auction link: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Car-parts-accessories/Wheels-tyres/Other/auction-323914253.htm

[Koom]

Yeah shouty man is correct. You need spacers that have the spigot just like the hub.

http://www.lvvta.org.nz/stdWheels&Tyres.pdf

pg 16

[Ryan]

I'd be more worried about failing warrents, rather than the cops who probably wouldn't notice

[Guest]

two minutes with a rattle gun and the spacers are off wheels back on. warrant time - no problem!

[spicyHam]

@Koom - doesn't that page you linked prove that the shouty man is INcorrect? As it refers t those requirements on Low volume (i.e. certified) vehicles only.

As for warrants - 1. They could be removed before the WOF 2. I get WOF's at a garage who could'nt really give a damn - i hate the testing station. But you are right if its not legal it is risky.

[Guest]

You will also blow out whel bearings a lot quicker with the spacers on.

[Joker]

change wheels for ones with better/desired offset...

[D-Style]

I had 15mm bolt on spacers on my Blitzen (got them off Davebro when i was working in welly a few years back)

Only problem was with the rear. Had to roll the guards, and then rotate tyres to stop them rubbing.

But my car was lowered.

Passed 4 Wofs with them on and never got pulled up. (they were painted black and to the untrained eye you wouldnt spot them)

go to the legacy Pics thread and theres photos of my old car in the first few pages.

[Koom]

 spicyHam said:

@Koom - doesn't that page you linked prove that the shouty man is INcorrect? As it refers t those requirements on Low volume (i.e. certified) vehicles only.

Exactly! Because bolt on spacers are not legal without a cert and you won't get a cert without the spigot on them. Read the modification thresholds also available on the lvvta site. I wouldn't ever trust spacers to line up perfectly concentric with the hub when just relying on the studs. There's too much movement.

[spicyHam]

Ok, your post was confusing because when I said 'is he right', i was assuming that he was saying they were legal without a cert.

So i think the conclusion is nay for spacers then.

On that note, what offset for afm mags would be good to achieve a similiar effect? (and what is factory? 38?)

[Joker]

any spacer legally requires a cert

simple really - sorry

[GravelBen]

Running a different offset will affect handling too whether its done by spacers or different wheels. Exactly how much and in what way will vary depending on details - I haven't tested it on a Subaru but going from ET45 to ET35 on an MX5 you could feel the difference in scrub close to full lock, and slightly more tendency to follow bumps.

Depends how fussy you are I guess, and to be fair many drivers wouldn't even notice.

[PhatRS]

 Koom']

[quote name='spicyHam said:

@Koom - doesn't that page you linked prove that the shouty man is INcorrect? As it refers t those requirements on Low volume (i.e. certified) vehicles only.

/quote]

Exactly! Because bolt on spacers are not legal without a cert and you won't get a cert without the spigot on them. Read the modification thresholds also available on the lvvta site. I wouldn't ever trust spacers to line up perfectly concentric with the hub when just relying on the studs. There's too much movement.

I think they have justt amended this to be a bit stricter, you used to be able to run centering nuts (tapered ones) with no spigot and be ok. Now looks like you have to have the spigot no matter what.

Handling does go a little funny with large spacers, lots of bump steer and the like and can take a bit of playing with alignment to minimise it. I do run pretty big spacers tho (25mm) and wide rims (18x9.5 +38mm) but I have got it to a point where it is nice to drive on the street even if you do notice bumps more.