@norm: I do agree that longer studs are safer, there's no question about that. I just gave my input because I have driven my car roughly 1500miles with the same spacers and I haven't had any problems...yet. That being said I have been thinking about changing the rear wheel studs.
@67t5ponycoupe: I don't see the problem with running wheel spacers properly either.

A while back I inquired about what options there are for replacing the rear wheel studs, because I have the exact same adapters as sixty7restocoupe, but I felt I didn't really get solid responses. How long are the stock rear wheel studs? How do you remove them? I imagine after being torqued for 40+ years and with the stickiness-effect of surface rust/corrosion they would not want to be removed. And how are new ones installed?

 

You have to remove the axles, then they can be pressed out of the axle. You may be able to hammer them out, not sure. Install is the reverse of removal.

 

I would not use wheel adapters period. Your better off finding wheels that fit properly.

 

Wheel spacers are one of those things that polarize people. Most that think they are not safe have not run them and disagree with them in pricipal, I respect that. I have run them with longer wheel studs and I think they are safe and work fine. I changed out the my wheel set and I'm no longer running them only because I was not happy with the tire to fender clearance. If they were not safe there would not be companies out there making them due to liability issues. The rear studs can be changed at home. Remove the wheel and drum and you can beat the old studs out with a BFH. To get the new studs in you pull the stud into the axle with and old lug nut, a washer and a pneumatic impact wrench.

 

I know a few people that have had issues with wheels spacers. If there is no way around it, I would only go with thin ones. The ones he just got seem way too thick to me.

As far as what was just said about they must be safe, because companies make them goes, I don't believe that at all. There are still those stupid twist in front coil spring lift things and thin aluminum lift blocks at the store. Those should never be allowed on the shelves. There are numerous products like this that are just poor ways to do something.

 

I am running wheel spacers with my 05 wheels and have been for the past 3 years almost. My car is a daily driver and I havent ran into any problems. I put some blue lock tight on the threads every time i pull them off and I keep them tourqued properly. I was even just thinking about going a little wider in the rear. Guitarman and i have been talking about spacers for a while now and I am running 1.25's on my rear and 1.5's on the front, so I think I will go to 1.5's on the rear too just because I think it looks better. If the studs end up too short I will just get some longer ones.

I dont race my car but I do love to drive it.

 

And I'll bet that it divides fairly predictably along 'appearance' vs 'hardcore performance driving' lines. You can "get away with" lots of things that aren't ideal if you never drive very hard.

I know for a fact that lug nut torque can relax slightly during just a single autocross event. That's unusually hard driving, to be sure. But it's only about five minutes total for the day.
Enough torque relaxation + spacers = FAIL (literally as well as in figurative/slang usage).


I hope that people realize that you'd run the old lug nut on with the cone side facing out . . .

A definite improvement on this method is to use a pair of small thrust washers under the nut, with some lube between them (and a little on the threads. That makes more of the applied torque go toward pulling the stud through, and is easier on the threads. Don't forget to clean the lube off the threads afterward, otherwise your torque spec for the lug nuts when you put the wheels on will apply too much tension on the lug.


Norm

 

Agree on all points there Norm but you would never Autocross race with spacers on, you would never get through tech inspection.

 

Actually, you can. SCCA Solo rulebook for 2010, Street Prepared, Section 15.4.B reads in part . . . "Wheel spacers are permitted."

However, I'm sure that Section 3.3.4 "Vehicle Operating Condition" could be used to override 15.4.B, class legality of spacers notwithstanding, in cases where the spacer details were poor or the outward spacing extreme.

At first, I figured they wouldn't pass tech either, so I looked it up before posting above. I *think* that the intent of allowing them in SP (and by extension, Street Mod) is to allow a means of moving the wheel outward by the minimum amount necessary to avoid hard wheel contact with suspension pieces or other fixed car objects. Something like 1/8" full contact spacers would probably pass muster without second thought by tech.


FWIW, I don't agree with that part of 15.4.B, and any car I've ever owned I've driven hard enough on a regular basis to be more than just a little leery of the things. Lost a full-diameter wheel cover off a 14" steelie wheel once - purely due to the wheel flexing enough in a corner to let it escape into the weeds. No bumps involved.


Norm

 

I am sorry but I just don't see how wheel spacers could come loose from torque relaxation if they are torqued down properly with locktite (assuming that the wheel studs protrude through the lug nuts adequately). The only way I can see this happening is maybe on a track with very sticky tires and lots of hp/tq, in which case you ARE better off not running wheel spacers. Maybe after a reaaaaally long time of street driving the torque relaxes, but if that much time passed before you check them that is neglect anyways. My $.02 is that with longer wheel studs, sixty7restocoupe or anyone else is perfectly safe running 1.5" wheel spacers, assuming they are torqued with locktite, and checked every 1500 street miles or so. Like he said, Boogerschnot and I have been running the same brand spacers on our 69's and neither of us has had problems of any sort.