When it comes to wheel spacers, you've probably heard some nightmarish stories. Some people swear that they're the worst mod you could possibly do to your car while others say that wheel spacers are essential for proper fitment. Today we're going to look at the pros and cons of wheel spacers as well as tell you some of the things you need to be aware of when making your decision to pick up a set.
1. Pros
- Appearance
First and probably the most common reason people run wheel spacers is for looks. The wheel spacer will push your wheels further out towards the fender resulting in a more aggressive stance. Spacers are perfect for dialing in your fitment and getting that little bit of extra aggression for your build.
- Allow for Wider Tires
Wheel spacers also have a functional purpose. For those of you that want to run a wider tire for more grip on the track, wheel spacers can give you more space to upgrade to your bigger tire. It's not uncommon to see spacers on RWD cars that have a wide drag radial to allow them to fit the biggest tire possible.
- Achieve a Desired Offset
Finally, some people may not have measured for offset correctly when purchasing wheels. Wheel spacers can help those people achieve the fitment they were originally trying to get without having to get a whole new set of wheels. This can save you literally thousands of dollars.
2. Cons
- Increased Wear on Components
Wheel spacers can increase the amount of wear on your bearings, axles, and control arm components since they're increasing the leverage on those specific components. The further out you move your wheels, the more stress that all of those parts will experience.
- Breaking Wheel Studs
That additional wear can cause catastrophic failure in the form of snapping your wheel studs right off. As we mentioned before, you've probably heard some sort of horror story about this sort of thing happening. This is when you put too much stress on those components and they eventually give out.
- Spacers Being Welded On
Finally, we have a more bizarre but somewhat common issue. In some instances, wheel spacers have literally welded themselves on. This happens because you have two different forms of metal heating up and making contact with each other. This literally welds them to your wheel and car so they won't come off. This is when you start to see people taking sledgehammers to their wheels and causing even more damage.
Of course, most of these issues can be avoided. If you buy cheap wheel spacers, the materials they're made out of can play a big part in how well they hold up and if they'll get welded to your car or your wheels. Make sure to pick up a set that's made of a durable material and has a good reputation for build quality. We offer wheel spacers that do everything you need with less risk. You can pick up a set of our wheel spacers by clicking the blue button below!
