Quote:
Originally Posted by Ghetto2315
Obviously going with out any spacers is the best option but are there are any real serious negatives of using spacers regardless of size?
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My understanding:
There are a few negatives. First, you need longer bolts with spacers which increases the stresses in the bolts due to the increased bending forces and doubled shear points. Second is that you need to rely on two "friction" surfaces to hold the wheel in place instead of only one. Both of which increase the chance of a failure (minimal for street use, IMO).
Then, if you use spacers that alter the wheel center position relative to the hub (as opposed to using a spacer that brings an offending wheel back to OEM specs), you will affect how the suspension behaves. For example, I installed 15mm spacers in the front of my E92 M3 and I have clearly lost some steering feel because of it. This would also impact how the wheel bearings are loaded and could lead to premature wear (which could end up being negligible over the life of the car).
Naturally, the larger the spacer and/or the larger the change of the wheel to hub position relative to OEM spec, the greater the impacts.