gs4to4

I want to install wheel spacers for the back of my lex. I have the stock 17 inch wheels with 245-45-17 tires.
Please tell me which size to get, and as much info on wheel spacers as possible. Thanks

David GS400

iTrader: (1)

Wheel spacers are a bad idea. Save up for wider wheels and tires. Spacers put undue stress on the rear spindles and lugs. Spacers are just for looks; but if you really have to have them try Rod Millen.

Mean Gene

RMM has decent spacers & they won't sell ya anything that might be dangerous. They have 2 sizes & I recall being told that the 25 mm was the widest that they recommend. Choose wisely! Here's a link: www.rodmillenstore.com. The spacers R under the category "Accessories".

gs4to4

Hey Mean Gene, how are ya?
Thanks again for the stereo, it still works great!
I don't want my car to look real crazy with the back wheels sticking way out of the body, but if it had a bit of a wider stance from the back, I think it would look a lot better. Will they worsen the ride at all? And if I get only the 25 mm, will that stress out the car or give me any drawbacks?

Mean Gene

4 - Wondered how the headunit worked out for ya! The only pair of spacers I ever used didn't seem to worsen the ride but allowed me to run a wheel that the manufacturer didn't have in a fitment for my bolt patter - a 1985 RX-7 ( GSL-SE ). It was the first year that Mazda put the 13-B in the RX so some of the suspension parts were new sizes. Was even considering running some RMM spacers to clear the front GS calipers so I could use their brake upgrade but just grew happy with the braking performance eventually. Just don't go overboard with the width (25 mm should look OK ) & I think U'll be fine - might want to make a habit of periodically checking the lugs though just to be on the safe side. Heck, I check mine monthly as it is!

gs4to4

If I get 15mm, you think that would be safer? On the other hand, will that even be noticible?

Mean Gene

15 mm would put a little less stress on things but I don't think either width is dangerous. If I converted correctly, a 15 mm spacer will only push the wheel out about a little more than 9/16" so the 25 mm would give ya right around an inch. I'd say the 25mm would be more worth the money as I agree with U that the 15 mm might not be noticeable. I only like to see spacers used as a last resort - why not just bite the bullet & get new shoes for your baby? I know - I'm awfully free with YOUR money, huh!!??

gs4to4

ha ha,
I should have bought some nice 18s at first, but I should have done that before I spent $900 on stock 17's and recently another $800 for new tires. The rims that I like all cost about 3,000 plus another $1,400 for Teins to make the setup look just right. Afterwards, I would have to get the Ltune body package, the exhaust, and ofcourse, the SRT intake +TC. Am I up to $10,000 yet?

Thats why I asked about the wheel spacers. I thought it could be just a little upgrade that will make my car look better and seperate it from the rest.

GlobeCLK

iTrader: (5)

alot of racecars in Japan use it so i don't know about using spacers will kill the car......... I think some N1 racecars and some JTCC racecars have them...

paulcars

If the 25mm spacers are added will the rear need to be re-aligned?

Mean Gene

Paul - If the spacers are of high quality & aren't warped, probably not but I've ALWAYS found it a good idea to realign things after any suspension changes. Heck, I even do a 4 wheel job after rotating the wheel/tires. To save some money, just try & schedule the spacer addition at about the same time that an alignment is due.

arbuckj

Don't do the spacers, i posted this in the is300 forum a while back after talking to some engineers at my work.

Well it happens to be that I work for a fastener company. After some research I found out that you need to take the diameter of your stud which is usually 12mm and divide that by the pitch of the thread on the stud which is 1.5 so you need roughly 8 or more engaged threads on the nut or you risk the chance of the nut stripping right off the bolt and your wheel is flying off. So if you have a 12mm diameter stud, you need 12mm worth the thread, 12mm worth the thread divided by the pitch equals 8, well anyway you get the point. We could find the studs anywhere for the Lexus so we just grinded down the calipers .025-.050 and the wheels fit on fine!!

Lexus leaves just enough room to get 8, if you try to count the turns by hand when you put the bolt on, the first 2 don't count since they are not engaged. Spacers are not a good way to go. it's not the fear of the bolt coming lose, it is the fact that the bolt will STRIP off.

gs4power

Good advice. However, there are spacers that include a new set of studs to support the wheels, allowing the required # of engaged threads.

arbuckj

Good deal!