Quote:
Originally Posted by scanspeak
What are the downsides of using the spacers, if any?
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Here's my list:
Bad:
- Puts more stress on wheel bearings, will shorten lifetime.
- Can create rubbing with the tires and fender if the car is lowered.
- You risk marring the paint with the crap your tires blast up, usually more a problem in bad weather states.
- Suspension geometry is changed, which can be both good and bad thing.
- Possible to induce vibration if the spacers aren't properly designed for the wheel/hub mating surface (can be beveled), usually happens for 10mm spacers, while larger or smaller are fine.
- You'll need to run longer bolts, but not too long.
Good:
- After a drop you'll naturally camber negatively and the wheels will tuck in, looks terrible with factory wheels and their conservative offset.
- Creates wider track width and thus better roll resistance and a dynamically more stable car (although I wouldn't run spacers at the track).
- Looks better (but not too much poke lol).
IMO this is what you do for your factory wheels after lowering the car...but if you get aftermarket wheels, get the correct offset so you don't need to worry about them. I run spacers on my winter wheels and they slightly annoying to deal with.