wheel spacers

[random hero]

ORIGINAL: Fen

Really!? Well if that's the case every day is indeed a school day. I had always thought Porsche, especially in the 80's, were an engineering company as much as a car maker. Why didn't they just use wheels that fitted the car?

the early mobels had a small alloy spacer that just slides over the studs and just sits on the disc,i think its about 15mm but im not 100% sure on the exact size. Surprised you didnt know that fen !!!!

 

[Fen]

In my defence I've never had an early car. In fact I've only ever been in a non-Turbo or S2 once, and that was as a passenger in 1998. [&:]

 

[random hero]

ORIGINAL: Fen

In my defence I've never had an early car. In fact I've only ever been in a non-Turbo or S2 once, and that was as a passenger in 1998.[&:]

Let you off this time then [],but i agree with what you say why didnt they just make the wheels to fit the car,the fronts have a sort of spacer which bolts to the hub on topof the disc with the studs attached to the spacer rather than the disc sitting over the studs !!!

 

[MonkeyRacing]

The standard spacer on my '83 is 21-22 approx with 65mm studs & i'm just being a cheapskate by contemplating shims! Shims are £25 - £30 via Ebay & the spacer/stud kits seem to be around the £100 mark. I thought initially i'd try shims and just stick them on Ebay again if i wasn't happy & go for the kit. I obviously had concerns about a lack of stud length as i know all too well what it's like to lose a rear wheel in transit (due to a garage failing to tighten wheelnuts beyond finger tight but thats another story......!)

 

[John Sims]

I assume Porsche used spacers on the early models so that the same wheel would fit on the front and the back. But if that were the case why didn't they make the hub so that it accommodated the correct offset?

I admit I shied away from the spacer on top of spacer question as I wasn't sure if Porsche did one until I checked PET.

 

[Steven944]

Ae you sure the early cars had spacers on the back ? I'm pretty sure mine has no spacers and never has. The original cookie cutter wheels were 7x15 all round, so wouldn't have needed spacers surely ? I'm now on 7 and 8 x 16 Fuchs, and still no spacers required. I'd have thought that spacers would only be needed if changing to wheels of different offsets.....hmm....

 

[944Turbo]

I think the spacer looks like part of the hub and you may only discover them if changing the rear discs / working on the handbrake. I would guess they were used when the 924 went to 5 stud hubs or when the 24 became a 44, to make existing porsche wheels of the day fit. Whilst I have seen what I believe to be the spacers I have never removed them.
Tony

 

[random hero]

If the spacers haven't been taken off in a while they tend too stick on and look like part of the disc but if you look carefully you will see them !!!

 

[TTM]

There are 17mm spacers listed the "tequipment" chapter of PET (1998-on for "Boxster" and "Carrera"), though there is of course no mention if they are made by Porsche or some supplier.

 

[Big Dave]

Early 44,s defo had rear spacers fitted,, ive got some in my garage...
There 20ish mm.
I was going to fit them to my S2 , on the front along with the 65mm studs, but i managed to get some bolt on spacers at the right price...[][]

 

[MonkeyRacing]

Oh what the hell think i might just take the plunge with the proper bolt on spacers.

What do we think 15, 18 or 21mm spacers? Could go further next is 26mm but i think thats a step too far!

 

[Diver944]

If it's purely for cosmetic reasons so that your existing wheels fill the arches a bit more then simply measure the clearance between your tyre and the wheel arch and buy a spacer correspondingly from somewhere like:

http://www.jasmine-motorsport.co.uk/
http://www.design911.co.uk/
http://www.type-911.co.uk/

Be aware that increasing the track of your car will affect the handling and also put more strain on your wheel bearings and axles

 

[J.C944TurboMan]

I just recently bought some from Jasmine and they are really good quality . I used a metal ruller and measured from the edge of my tyre to flush with the wheel arch and ordered that size , allow a few MM for the inner lip on the rear wheel arch

 

[944 man]

Make sure that you buy hubcentric spacers. The wheels weight is borne by the hubcentic lip, not the wheel studs. Non hubcentric spacers are an accident waiting to happen. You really need spacers which incorporate new studs: to save cost you can fit the long studs with matching spacers from the rear of an early car onto the front, so that you only need to buy them for the rear. The exchange rate is poor now, but the parts you need can still be bought relatively cheaply from Canada/America.

Simon

 

[J.C944TurboMan]

How do these spacer's messure up ? £90 for a pair but as you say , it is very important to fit good quality spacers and they are very light too.

 

[rav]

I can ask my PCGB on Monday. I am desperate for a set of 15 -18mm spacers. Didnt realise Porsche made them.

 

[Mike_Pollock]

Early offset cars have them - 15mm I think - as standard.

Often corroded on to wheels so you dont notice!

Can be "difficult" to separate!