put wheel spacers on, lemme know what you think...........

[fiveliterbeater]

[mcrews]

what size

[fiveliterbeater]

well i wanted to get everyone's reaction if i could, and then disclose what size spacer i put on.

[alexzf6]

They seem to stick out a little far

[szh]

well i wanted to get everyone's reaction if i could, and then disclose what size spacer i put on.

It is not a look that I go for per se (since I am not into the VIP scene ), but if you like it, then good enough!

My guess is (assuming you started with the stock OEM Sport rims) that you have put on approx 10mm to 15mm (hmmm ... maybe 20mm too, I suppose) spacers - am I close or way off?

Z

[fiveliterbeater]

yeah i went 20mm. im putting on the sideskirts and front lip next month and in the meantime, im putting on the M45 sport coils so that the car will drop an 1/8 of an inch.i think it'll look better when i complete the body kit.

[New2Import]

Yeah those springs will make a difference on the look. You have alot of fender gap with the sport wheels. I would go with a 15mm though.

[07sportm35]

Yeah those springs will make a difference on the look. You have alot of fender gap with the sport wheels. I would go with a 15mm though.

1/8 inch lower making a difference on the look???

Take a look at the sport versus the non-sport with the same wheels...no noticable difference in my opinion.

It will handle a little better due to the increased spring rate mainly.

My guess would have been between 15mm & 20 mm due to the fact that 10mm would have required replacing studs. 25mm definetly sticks out and another on this site has verified that fact.

In person it is way more obvious + the visual improvement of the spacers...FREAKIN' HUGE I'm telling you guys!

Congrats, but if I were you I'd go with Tein HT's---The absolute most accurate (very level), smooth riding drop I have experienced to date.

Also, I still have my sport springs that were replaced with the Teins. I can sell them for cheap, but at the same time advice against it because of what I said in the previous paragraph.

If there isn't a snow issue GET THE TEIN'S!!!!

Oh yeah, the car looks great!
Modified by 07sportm35 at 8:49 PM 4/15/2009

[07sportm35]

One last thing fiveliterbeater (I am jealous of your V8).

I went with 15mm all the way around--you went with 20mm all the way around.

I wish I had gone 15mm + 20mm staggered. How 'bout you?

Care to trade a pair? We can both be staggered (assuming you went with Eibach or H&R spacers). The only way to go in my opinion.

[ken in az]

What size tires are those? for some reason they look wider than the ones on my car....

And definitely your car sits higher than mine, depending on how far the sport spring drop your car, the wheels will tuck in at the top making them look a little better but I don't think they look bad at all. Flush is good imo.

[ken in az]

Care to trade a pair? We can both be staggered (assuming you went with Eibach or H&R spacers). The only way to go in my opinion.

That's not a bad idea actually.

[fiveliterbeater]

hey 07M35sport, they r the H&R. if ur cool with it, we can trade if ur down so we can both have that staggered look. shoot me an email if u can so we can work out shipping details.

[fiveliterbeater]

What size tires are those? for some reason they look wider than the ones on my car....

they are the factory bridgestone potenza runflats 245/40/zr19

[07sportm35]

hey 07M35sport, they r the H&R. if ur cool with it, we can trade if ur down so we can both have that staggered look. shoot me an email if u can so we can work out shipping details.

Outstanding!

My regular e-mail is "[email protected]".

Lets converse through that (I don't have outlook engaged).

I'm ready when you are.

http://s30.photobucket.com/alb...4.flv

[ken in az]

http://s30.photobucket.com/alb...4.flv

url=http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c344/ ... CF0264.flv]http://s30.photobucket.com/alb...4.flv[/url]

Dude, you are a beast!

I'm right down the road from you

[fiveliterbeater]

Outstanding!

My regular e-mail is "[email protected]".

Lets converse through that (I don't have outlook engaged).

I'm ready when you are.

http://s30.photobucket.com/alb...4.flv

im ready now. i can have them off by 2marrow night and shipped out fri morning, but ill email you right now

[F1SportsFan]

Looks good, but I think it will look even better when you get the 15mm fronts.

[New2Import]

1/8 inch lower making a difference on the look???

Take a look at the sport versus the non-sport with the same wheels...no noticable difference in my opinion.

It will handle a little better due to the increased spring rate mainly.

My guess would have been between 15mm & 20 mm due to the fact that 10mm would have required replacing studs. 25mm definetly sticks out and another on this site has verified that fact.

In person it is way more obvious + the visual improvement of the spacers...FREAKIN' HUGE I'm telling you guys!

Congrats, but if I were you I'd go with Tein HT's---The absolute most accurate (very level), smooth riding drop I have experienced to date.

Also, I still have my sport springs that were replaced with the Teins. I can sell them for cheap, but at the same time advice against it because of what I said in the previous paragraph.

If there isn't a snow issue GET THE TEIN'S!!!!

Oh yeah, the car looks great!

Modified by 07sportm35 at 8:49 PM 4/15/2009

Yes the look and feel. Here is a pic of mine. I sold him the springs. You see the rear really looks better. Fronts will be a little better. Now if you cant tell the difference something is wrong with your eyes.

[07sportm35]

Yes the look and feel. Here is a pic of mine. I sold him the springs. You see the rear really looks better. Fronts will be a little better. Now if you cant tell the difference something is wrong with your eyes.

Trust me when I tell you yours sits lower than your average "M" sport OEM stance. Looks good and almost level!

Mine came with sport springs and did sit much higher in the front than yours. I guess it varies from car to car...

And yes I do have glaucoma and my eyes are not 20/20.

[fiveliterbeater]

well if it doesn't improve the look that's fine; someday i'll save up money to put some Eibachs or maybe even some adjustables on someday. i guess as long as i get a more sportier feel, that cool for now.

[M35 Sport]

How much do the wheel spacers weigh??

[fiveliterbeater]

i think it's like 4.5 pounds per spacer

[07sportm35]

url=https://forum-attachments.sfo2.digital ... CF0264.flv]http://s30.photobucket.com/alb...4.flv[/url]

Dude, you are a beast!

I'm right down the road from you [/QUOTE]

Thanks Ken. Can't wait to see/hear your car in person.

Howdy neighbor!

[COinfinitM45]

Wanted to know if anybody did stagger their wheels 15mm front & 20mm rear? Pictures? Problems? Traction control issues (VDC) ? MPG changes?

Thanks!

[fiveliterbeater]

we are currently doing that, we just shipped each other our spacers. hopefully we should have everything in by wed or thur.

[szh]

Wanted to know if anybody did stagger their wheels 15mm front & 20mm rear? Pictures? Problems? Traction control issues (VDC) ? MPG changes?

Thanks!

If you stagger wheels, or move them "outward" by using spacers, without changing the width of the wheel/tire to compensate, you should be prepared for some handling changes. Although - depending on the amount of change - it may be imperceptible to most people.

When the contact patch center is moved from its nominal original position (by adding spacers to existing wheels without changing the width, changing the rolling diameter of the tire, dropping the car with different springs, etc.), this causes the travel arc of the wheel and tire on the suspension to be changed.

Visualize a line through the suspension that contacts the ground at the place where the tire touches the ground. This creates a specific design requirement on the movement of the wheels up and down when in dynamic motion (hitting a bump or going around a corner and having the car lean, etc.). If this motion does not follow the original design intent, then the handling of the car will be different for sure. Plus, this may also change the wear and tear on the tires and the suspension components.

In general, (and again, this is only a generality for most people), it is best to keep the specs within the original design parameters to get good results. So, when using spacers to move the wheel outwards, it is also good to increase the wheel width and tire width by the appropriate amount to keep the patch center contact point at the same location relative to the original. Using different staggers for front and back (again without thinking through the tire contact changes) will result in yet another factor in different handling characteristics. Whether this is good or bad is something only you can determine when making the changes!

Finally, if the wheel/tire/spacer combo (particularly the rotating weight added by the spacer) is heavier than original, then you can also expect performance and mileage differences - the amount depends on how radical a change you make. My opinion on spacers has always been: don't use them ... it is better to get the right wheels and tires, if you really want to move the location of the surface of the wheel with respect to the fenders.

And, as always, this is an opinionated topic ... Your Mileage May Vary.

Z

[07sportm35]

You make excellent points S. I commend you on being called out and maintaining a complete degree of dignity, despite the person crossing the line on a another thread.

It's all a matter of how much degradation in performance, compared to the obvious visual improvements.

As you know, most people on this site do not even do what you smartly suggest-even with aftermarket wheels. And they also run the risk of vibrations with "non hubcentric" wheels.

People don't generally advertise "ill" effects. You just see them shrinking their wheels after the initial thrill.

For me so far, there is a very slight almost non-existent degradation in handling. Ride quality is outstanding...

And GOD does it look alot better!!!!

Point well taken though.

[szh]

Thanks!

BTW, I don't have any problem with people making changes to their cars - it is, after all, their car and they can do what they wish. I just want them to understand the ramifications of doing so, before spending too much money or time on a particular modification.

In many/most cases, the trade-off will be acceptable (e.g., looks for performance ... or whatever the goal is) to the owner making the change.

FWIW, my own personal goal is simple: keep it running as close to new as possible ... for as long as possible. So, looks are secondary. Except when the cost is low enough ... e.g, I would spend on Zaino, but not on wheels ... plus the Zaino should enhance the longevity of the paint.

Z

[ken in az]

szhosain - I think that disclaimer should be put at the beginning of any wheel and tire thread just so people know what they are getting into.

Technically since you are moving the wheel outward you are increasing the leverage at that wheel which increases the forces transmitted to the suspension and wheel hub and bearing.

When using spacers or even an ill designed wheel that moves the center of force outward generally you will have a lower stance which gives a lower roll center, and you should have a softer ride.

I noticed 1 of the 2 - a lower stance, for some reason I felt the ride was the same or just a touch firmer than stock. That could be attributed to the shock valving opperating in a fresh portion of the shock body yielding slightly better dampening.

Also something that happened when I added my spacers, the tracking of the road surface was reduced. What I mean is that when you come up to a stoplight where the raod surface has been beaten up pretty badly from large trucks and 18 wheelers and it now has "ruts" worn in if you will, the car seems less affected by them. My theory is that the track width of the car is now wider which more closely matched the width of the larger trucks that caused the "ruts" so the car is now riding on a ~flatter~ portion of the rut. Thats the only thing I can come up with since the forces transmitted though the suspension and steering should be increased.

[07sportm35]

szhosain - I think that disclaimer should be put at the beginning of any wheel and tire thread just so people know what they are getting into.

Technically since you are moving the wheel outward you are increasing the leverage at that wheel which increases the forces transmitted to the suspension and wheel hub and bearing.

When using spacers or even an ill designed wheel that moves the center of force outward generally you will have a lower stance which gives a lower roll center, and you should have a softer ride.

I noticed 1 of the 2 - a lower stance, for some reason I felt the ride was the same or just a touch firmer than stock. That could be attributed to the shock valving opperating in a fresh portion of the shock body yielding slightly better dampening.

Also something that happened when I added my spacers, the tracking of the road surface was reduced. What I mean is that when you come up to a stoplight where the raod surface has been beaten up pretty badly from large trucks and 18 wheelers and it now has "ruts" worn in if you will, the car seems less affected by them. My theory is that the track width of the car is now wider which more closely matched the width of the larger trucks that caused the "ruts" so the car is now riding on a ~flatter~ portion of the rut. Thats the only thing I can come up with since the forces transmitted though the suspension and steering should be increased.

Wow. I thought it was just in my head--but I also noticed a improvement in tracking as well with the spacers. I do however believe you lose a tiny bit of road feel/handling.

Taste great, less filling...

Interesting topic.