Wheel spacers are components that increase the amount of space between the wheel hub assembly and the wheel. However, is adding this particular accessory to such an important part of the vehicle safe? In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about how safe wheel spacers can be.
Are Wheel Spacers Safe?
Wheel spacers are typically regarded as safe because the weight of a vehicle isn’t carried by the wheel spacers when they’re present. Wheel spacers are just an expansion of a vehicle’s stock hub faces. The wheels of a vehicle still clamp to their corresponding hubs by the tight lug nuts on each wheel. The wheel spacers just put some distance between the wheel and the hub face. The weight of the vehicle still passes through its corresponding wheel hubs and axles on a vehicle.
High-quality wheel spacers that are properly installed should be safe.
What Are Wheel Spacers?
A wheel spacer can be a simple metal spacer that sits in between the wheel and the wheel hub, but it can also be a machined piece of metal that bolts to the wheel hub and wheel studs. Wheel spacers are meant to extend the wheel’s mounting point further away from the wheel hub.
Wheel spacers are used for several reasons. They could be added to a vehicle if the wheels are at risk of rubbing against the suspension or wheel well when the vehicle is turning.
Wheel spacers can also be also utilized when the wheel isn’t in its desired position relative to the fender. You might have noticed that some vehicles have wheels that are flush with their fenders. There are also vehicles that have wider fender flares with wheels still flush with their fenders.
These vehicles probably achieved these looks by using wheel spacers that move their wheels’ position further from their respective wheel hubs. Varying wheel positions achieve different looks because wheel spacers affect the vehicle’s stance.
You might need a wheel spacer if you replace your vehicle’s wheels with a new set that has a mounting surface closer to the wheel’s face. These are wheels that have a greater backspace or offset measurement.
Pros of Using Wheel Spacers
Wheel spacers just increase the gap between a vehicle’s wheels and their hub assemblies. However, using wheel spacers also brings with them some practical benefits.
Proper Wheel Fit
If you’re installing a new wheel with a different offset or backspace measurement, then you probably need a wheel spacer so that the wheel fits your vehicle’s wheel well.
Better Looks
Wheel spacers will push the tires out. This can allow you to align your wheels with the fender, giving your vehicle a cleaner look and wider stance.
Improved Traction
Since wheels are further away from the vehicle chassis, the vehicle will have a lower center of gravity. As a result, you might notice your vehicle will have better handling and less body roll.
Cons of Using Wheel Spacers
Despite seeming like a great add-on to any vehicle, wheel spacers have some disadvantages that you should know about.
Steering and Suspension Characteristics Change
One consequence of having the wheel further away from the wheel hub is heavier steering. The further the wheel from the wheel hub and steering components, the more force will be required to move the wheel because it’ll be mounted farther from the pivot point.
More Vibrations When Going Over Bumps
Another problem with a wheel spacer is that it moves the wheel to a wider position while leaving the rest of the suspension arms in place. Any road bumps will be amplified through the steering wheel, making the steering jerky and unpredictable.
Additional Wear and Tear
Stock wheel hubs are designed and tested to give the best performance possible for the original application. However, increasing the width of a vehicle’s wheelbase puts more pressure on each of these components. As a result, other components such as bearings, axles, and hubs can deteriorate faster than if wheel spacers weren’t installed.
Clearance Issues
Wheel spacers typically solve the clearance issues between your wheel and wheel well, but they can also lead to clearance issues between your wheel and fender. The clearance between your wheel and fender is reduced when the wheel offset is raised and a vehicle’s wheelbase is widened.
What Are the Categories of Wheel Spacers?
Hub-Centric
Hub-centric wheel spacers have a mounting flange in the middle of the wheel hub. Once the wheel spacer is tightened, this flange keeps the wheel spacer or the wheel aligned to the center of the hub. Hub-centric wheel spacers function in the same way as standard wheels and are perfectly safe to install on your car. This design mounts to the mounting flange and slides over the wheel studs. It also has a lip that fits around your vehicle’s hub. This design distributes the pressure on the hub, which is the strongest point.
Lug-Centric
To center a wheel or spacer to its corresponding hub, lug-centric wheel spacers require conically shaped lug nuts. When these lug nuts are tightened, the wheel is centered to its appropriate position and no room for misalignment exists. Since lug-centric hubs lack a centralized mounting flange, most lug-centric wheels or spacers have greater internal diameters. This type of spacer is unsafe since the manufacturer did not design the lug nuts to support the entire weight of your car.
Where to Get Wheel Spacers for Your Vehicle
Whether you’re looking to spruce up your ride or aiming for improved traction, a good set of wheel spacers can get the job done. And where else can you get the best ones other than CarParts.com?
Here at CarParts.com, we take pride in offering nothing but the best products for our customers. Carefully handpicked by a team of industry professionals, you can rest assured that our wheel spacers will deliver.
Find the right wheel spacer for your ride with our vehicle selector. Enter your vehicle’s specifications to start browsing direct-fit wheel spacers for your daily driver, and use the search filters to narrow down the catalog according to your preferred brand, price range, quantity, and more.
All our products come with a low-price guarantee, so you don’t have to worry about going over budget for your upgrades. Shop now, and check out securely with a few clicks.
We make sure that our products are made from the finest materials available, but if for some reason you’re unsatisfied with your order, we offer 60-day returns with a money-back guarantee.
Don’t miss out on the best deals on the market, and shop for wheel spacers right here at CarParts.com!
Shop this Project
Keep Reading: Related Posts
Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication.
