thick boy wheels, worth the hassle?

[2manyturbos]

a summary of what everyone else said.


even with wheels that’ll fit the wheel well without any modification are gonna need spacer as far as what i’m seeing (if you have any recommendations please throw them my way)

Spacers can be simple spacers that change the offset. They can also be a spacer that changes the bolt circle. With the Corvette wheel I have to assume you are thinking of using the latter. If you have the appropriate studs installed and hub centric spacers that also locate the wheel on center, that will work with much less risk involved. Losing a wheel is no joke.

 

[Jack]

Not without issues. People run spacers because they aren't building their vehicle from scratch. You end up with 2 sets of fasteners and a piece of aluminum taking an incredible load it was never intended to carry. Way too many means for a failure.

I disagree
Wheel bearings will have more load but spacers will be fine

 

[LaneLikesHis244GL]

Spacers can be simple spacers that change the offset. They can also be a spacer that changes the bolt circle. With the Corvette wheel I have to assume you are thinking of using the latter.

bit of both, just wanting something that can support a good tire width and still look decent

 

[2manyturbos]

I disagree
Wheel bearings will have more load but spacers will be fine

You keep believing that until you see someone eject a wheel and tear their quarter panel off the car. I'm referring to spacers that incorporate the existing studs and have a 2nd set of studs pressed into the spacer to adapt to a different wheel pattern. Those are not fine, in any universe. The wheel bearing won't have any more load unless the distance from the center line of the wheel to the mounting face of the hub is changed.

 

[LaneLikesHis244GL]

You keep believing that until you see someone eject a wheel and tear their quarter panel off the car. I'm referring to spacers that incorporate the existing studs and have a 2nd set of studs pressed into the spacer to adapt to a different wheel pattern. Those are not fine, in any universe. The wheel bearing won't have any more load unless the distance from the center line of the wheel to the mounting face of the hub is changed.

guys stop fighting what’s a good spacer to run

 

[JohnMc]

Spacers can be made with good studs and the proper type of aluminum, and can be as strong or stronger than the aluminum wheel itself. Nothing inherently wrong with the concept f a spacer.

Then you can have cheap ass crappy studs and some soft aluminum incorrectly machined so there's no meat hanging everything together.

So yeah, cheap spacers can be a menace. Properly made ones sholud be as strong as the wheels that bolt to them.

 

[LaneLikesHis244GL]

Spacers can be made with good studs and the proper type of aluminum, and can be as strong or stronger than the aluminum wheel itself. Nothing inherently wrong with the concept f a spacer.

Then you can have cheap ass crappy studs and some soft aluminum incorrectly machined so there's no meat hanging everything together.

So yeah, cheap spacers can be a menace. Properly made ones sholud be as strong as the wheels that bolt to them.

GOOD BRAND NAME PLEASE JUST GIMME A NAME

 

[Jack]

You keep believing that until you see someone eject a wheel and tear their quarter panel off the car. I'm referring to spacers that incorporate the existing studs and have a 2nd set of studs pressed into the spacer to adapt to a different wheel pattern. Those are not fine, in any universe. The wheel bearing won't have any more load unless the distance from the center line of the wheel to the mounting face of the hub is changed.

That’s what I’m talking about

If t6 aluminum spacers can survive multiple Baja races on a trophy truck they’ll be fine on a street car

It’s nothing new

 

[Jack]

guys stop fighting what’s a good spacer to run

Stay out of it

 

[LaneLikesHis244GL]

Stay out of it

i’m sorry papa please don’t lock me in the basement again

 

[Jack]

GOOD BRAND NAME PLEASE JUST GIMME A NAME

For what application come up with a plan and wheels then we can waste our time

i’m sorry papa please don’t lock me in the basement again

Wrong dad

 

[LaneLikesHis244GL]

For what application come up with a plan and wheels then we can waste our time

i’d assume a brand would make more than one dimension spacer but yessir

Wrong dad

still haven’t found him

 

[2manyturbos]

That’s what I’m talking about

If t6 aluminum spacers can survive multiple Baja races on a trophy truck they’ll be fine on a street car

It’s nothing new

Dumb ass shit done by racers is nothing new, that's a fact. Aluminum fatigues quickly. Those trucks you speak of are torn down and inspected after every event. Anything I am going to drive on the edge or fly needs to have a predictable life cycle. Even forged wheels have a life cycle when put to hard use.

 

[towerymt]

17x11, 295/35/17, wheel adapters, below image...

I saw a wheel come off a GTI once. They didn't torque the lug bolts (no wheel adapters)

I saw a wheel BREAK off a Civic once. 4-spoke, I think magnesium center, I forget the manufacturer...the wheel broke across the 4 spokes and came off, leaving a hunk still bolt to the hub.

I wasn't driving, but I was on the lemons team as an arrive-and-drive at a race at Sears Point, our car lost a wheel. The nuts holding the adapter became loose and the adapter + wheel fell off. It was re-attached using 5 'new' lugnuts, same wheel studs. Tightened securely (I hesitate to say 'torqued' as I doubt a torque wrench was used, but maybe), and the car raced the rest of the day + Sunday with no issues.

And I raced quite a few races in 24hr lemons with wheel adapters and corvette wheels with zero problems like lost wheels or broken studs or anything at all. We had one wheel bearing failure on the front, but there literally was no inner grease seal when we took it apart, so the cause was clearly lack of lubrication, not some change in load.

 

[towerymt]

Wheel adapters can let you down, but if you are meticulous with installation, they are reliable in my experience.

If you have iron calipers on the front, then by all means use my method of a screwdriver stuck in the vane of the rotor in order to torque the front lugnuts to attach the adapter. If you have an aluminum caliper....probably best to find another method.

 

[towerymt]

The 17x9.5 GM wheels have really high offset I think, like 56mm. There may be some meant for earlier cars that have lower offset, like 38mm.

17x11 offset is also kind of high, plus the wider width, means you're going to need a couple of inches of spacer. And those wheels are heavy.

I would keep looking.

 

[2manyturbos]

I have seen all the above. The point I'm making is I would not introduce another means of failure if it can be avoided. Proper offset wheels with the correct bolt pattern eliminates the need for spacers and having to remove wheels just to check whether the bolt circle altering spacers are still tight on the hub. It's one thing to run a spacer on a 200 hp Volvo and a completely different scenario when the horsepower and torque delivered gets in to the 500+ range.

 

[Jack]

I have seen all the above. The point I'm making is I would not introduce another means of failure if it can be avoided. Proper offset wheels with the correct bolt pattern eliminates the need for spacers and having to remove wheels just to check whether the bolt circle altering spacers are still tight on the hub. It's one thing to run a spacer on a 200 hp Volvo and a completely different scenario when the horsepower and torque delivered gets in to the 500+ range.

Proper wheels are ideal

Trophy trucks have well over 1000hp and loads of torque

If spacers can be avoided that’s best
Properly used and made ones are totally fine

 

[cosbySweater]

id personally be more worried about cheap knock off wheels with no steel inserts then any wheel spacer

 

[mikep]

what would you recommend for thicker wheels? less offset?

“Wider” is the word you are looking for in wheels.
“Thicker” is what you want those axles to be when you do a proper launch.

They can also be a spacer that changes the bolt circle.

That’s an adapter.
Spacer is just a round shim.
But yes, adapters are a weak point. And some are worse than others.

guys stop fighting what’s a good spacer to run

Look for proper wheels. Read some older threads.
If you find a set up that needs spacing, read some threads about longer studs. Install, add spacers, bolt wheel/tire combos on.

The 17x9.5 GM wheels have really high offset I think, like 56mm. There may be some meant for earlier cars that have lower offset, like 38mm.

17x11 offset is also kind of high, plus the wider width, means you're going to need a couple of inches of spacer. And those wheels are heavy.

I would keep looking.

Correct.
I have 4 of the 9.5” x 17 wheels, plus “properly sized” adapters.
Two of the adapters are really thin where the gm pattern studs go through. I would need better spacers.
I can measure the spacers and wheel offset if needed.
BTW, the rear fender lips were hammered by the previous owner of this 245. The rears do not look like they will clear with tires at near ride height (1” lower, 450# ish wheel rate all around)