Wheel spacers
03-28-09, 12:38 PM
#1
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Wheel spacers
Sad story!
I bought my BB calipers from Aliga long ago. I searched the e place and finally found a set of LS rims after a month. I questioned the seller about the year of the rims and was told they were 97 model year. Had some small rash but the price was right. Not free but right. After those puppies properly aged in my garage for a few weeks I went down to New Tire Place Local and bought a new set of Michelins for Baby. Mt and balance was included.
A couple more weeks and the shop lift had a hole in the sched and I got to install my BB's. Got it all together and the system bled and then went to mount the tires. #@%#**& rims hit the calipers. Got ripped off and had the old LS rims that don't clear. Took her back to stock and got back on the road.
Weeks later my local "America's Tire Store" had a sale on rims. % spokes and looked good to me but I am easy to please. Bought four of the "high fitment LS" rims and had my tires demounted and mounted on the new rims. Looked pretty good and I drove with them for a year according to the receipt.
Finally got a teen ager to come over and do the serious work and we installed the cakipers. You will never guess what we discovered....I mean NEVER! The rims didn't clear. #@&&^%*# and $$##%@& ! Back to ATS with a small QUESTION....WTF over! Mgr got out the records and showed me where ke had sold me High Fitment "SC" rims. Right in his record for all to see in black and white... "customer wants High Fitment for a 92 SC 400". One year was a little much for him to exchange but he offered to buy them back for cheap and sell me new ones for not cheap....pass for now.
Went home and stood there leaning on the car and wept. Teenager helper said "how about spacers, Mr. G?" From the mouths of babes, I swear. Now I don't like spacers and have never run them for safety reasons but these were "trying" times and safety is only worth so much consideration. RUSHED back downtown to the only tire store that stocks spacers and asked for a 1/8 incher. No joy...no got. 3/16ths? Also all out. But the computer here says we have some 1/4...want them? 8$ later and the rims fit and don't hit the caliper. God have mercy!
So to celebrate the new brakes I took teenager for a "ride". Showed him how an SC will downshift into low if you floor it at 58 MPH. WOW! Then off to my favorite on ramp for a demo of 75 in a 40 ramp speed limit and an exit at 85 onder throttle. Holy crap, Mr G this thing will really hold the road. So I am happy once again and all my "new" parts are on the car.
QUESTION: Am I safe with the 1/4 inch spacer?
Thanks,
John
I bought my BB calipers from Aliga long ago. I searched the e place and finally found a set of LS rims after a month. I questioned the seller about the year of the rims and was told they were 97 model year. Had some small rash but the price was right. Not free but right. After those puppies properly aged in my garage for a few weeks I went down to New Tire Place Local and bought a new set of Michelins for Baby. Mt and balance was included.
A couple more weeks and the shop lift had a hole in the sched and I got to install my BB's. Got it all together and the system bled and then went to mount the tires. #@%#**& rims hit the calipers. Got ripped off and had the old LS rims that don't clear. Took her back to stock and got back on the road.
Weeks later my local "America's Tire Store" had a sale on rims. % spokes and looked good to me but I am easy to please. Bought four of the "high fitment LS" rims and had my tires demounted and mounted on the new rims. Looked pretty good and I drove with them for a year according to the receipt.
Finally got a teen ager to come over and do the serious work and we installed the cakipers. You will never guess what we discovered....I mean NEVER! The rims didn't clear. #@&&^%*# and $$##%@& ! Back to ATS with a small QUESTION....WTF over! Mgr got out the records and showed me where ke had sold me High Fitment "SC" rims. Right in his record for all to see in black and white... "customer wants High Fitment for a 92 SC 400". One year was a little much for him to exchange but he offered to buy them back for cheap and sell me new ones for not cheap....pass for now.
Went home and stood there leaning on the car and wept. Teenager helper said "how about spacers, Mr. G?" From the mouths of babes, I swear. Now I don't like spacers and have never run them for safety reasons but these were "trying" times and safety is only worth so much consideration. RUSHED back downtown to the only tire store that stocks spacers and asked for a 1/8 incher. No joy...no got. 3/16ths? Also all out. But the computer here says we have some 1/4...want them? 8$ later and the rims fit and don't hit the caliper. God have mercy!
So to celebrate the new brakes I took teenager for a "ride". Showed him how an SC will downshift into low if you floor it at 58 MPH. WOW! Then off to my favorite on ramp for a demo of 75 in a 40 ramp speed limit and an exit at 85 onder throttle. Holy crap, Mr G this thing will really hold the road. So I am happy once again and all my "new" parts are on the car.
QUESTION: Am I safe with the 1/4 inch spacer?
Thanks,
John
03-29-09, 08:07 AM
#2
good story...
maybe you should be writing articles and not working on cars
there is nothing wrong with spacers as long as they are bolt on spacers. some porsche guys run up to a 2" bolt on spacer at the track with no issues.
btw how do you manage to buy all of these different things and never test fit any of them? with the money you spent on a set of LS rims, crap rims, and another set of crap rims, AND spacers, you could have bought yourself a nice set of rims that fit right. for all hell you could have bought several sets of supra TT wheels. i found a set locally for 300 WITH tires
my friend ran thin spacers on his mk3 for a while with no issues. i wouldnt use slip-on spacers unless you get longer studs and even then i would rather opt out for either right wheels or worst case scenario, bolt-on spacer.
maybe you should be writing articles and not working on cars
there is nothing wrong with spacers as long as they are bolt on spacers. some porsche guys run up to a 2" bolt on spacer at the track with no issues.
btw how do you manage to buy all of these different things and never test fit any of them? with the money you spent on a set of LS rims, crap rims, and another set of crap rims, AND spacers, you could have bought yourself a nice set of rims that fit right. for all hell you could have bought several sets of supra TT wheels. i found a set locally for 300 WITH tires
my friend ran thin spacers on his mk3 for a while with no issues. i wouldnt use slip-on spacers unless you get longer studs and even then i would rather opt out for either right wheels or worst case scenario, bolt-on spacer.
03-30-09, 04:43 PM
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Spacers,
Ok! I am a little relieved. I don't seem to be breaking new ground here.
5Speed,
You are O SO RIGHT! Too soon lod and too late smart. And "If I had known then what I know....it would have been a different story".
The rims I first bought came from Fla and I live in OR. I took the guys word that the rims fit a 97 LS. He lied and I took the big weeny.
I specified LWS high fitment LS and got high fitment SC. Took to long to learn that so had no warranty. Rats!
TT suspension onto a SC lowers the car an inch. Ask anybody.
Tein H springs onto a Supra TT lowers the car one inch. Ask Tein or consult their charts. Drat!
1 plus 1 equals 2. But mine dropped 3 or 4 in the rear over the stock SC. Nobody has an answer for me on that...so far. Others that have done it say it works very well. I am not on that list.
The adjuster kit was a godsend. All is well now as far as ride height is concerned. Front is a little high but we will see. Handles like a dream and rides really well also. Finally arrived!
The brake lines that I bought a year ago that were for a LS 400 have the wrong fitting. I checked at NAPA and found that they ARE NOT called out for a Lex LS 400. ******ed by the fickle finger of fate once again. Not to worry, they are cheap but not common.
Can't "try" the fit of the rims till the calipers are on. Can't install the calipers till the rims are bought. That happened twice. Trust got me once, miscommunication the second, and mistake the third. I'll try to do better next time. Honest I will.
I don't think I write any better than I wrench...probably worse.
I am running those slip in spacers. Seems like a bad idea to me also but many seem to not be having difficulty. I still want the correct rims.
Hey! I will buy those TT rims NOW. Where are you located? Thanks for your input...really.
John
5Speed,
You are O SO RIGHT! Too soon lod and too late smart. And "If I had known then what I know....it would have been a different story".
The rims I first bought came from Fla and I live in OR. I took the guys word that the rims fit a 97 LS. He lied and I took the big weeny.
I specified LWS high fitment LS and got high fitment SC. Took to long to learn that so had no warranty. Rats!
TT suspension onto a SC lowers the car an inch. Ask anybody.
Tein H springs onto a Supra TT lowers the car one inch. Ask Tein or consult their charts. Drat!
1 plus 1 equals 2. But mine dropped 3 or 4 in the rear over the stock SC. Nobody has an answer for me on that...so far. Others that have done it say it works very well. I am not on that list.
The adjuster kit was a godsend. All is well now as far as ride height is concerned. Front is a little high but we will see. Handles like a dream and rides really well also. Finally arrived!
The brake lines that I bought a year ago that were for a LS 400 have the wrong fitting. I checked at NAPA and found that they ARE NOT called out for a Lex LS 400. ******ed by the fickle finger of fate once again. Not to worry, they are cheap but not common.
Can't "try" the fit of the rims till the calipers are on. Can't install the calipers till the rims are bought. That happened twice. Trust got me once, miscommunication the second, and mistake the third. I'll try to do better next time. Honest I will.
I don't think I write any better than I wrench...probably worse.
I am running those slip in spacers. Seems like a bad idea to me also but many seem to not be having difficulty. I still want the correct rims.
Hey! I will buy those TT rims NOW. Where are you located? Thanks for your input...really.
John
03-30-09, 07:13 PM
#6
im using my tt wheels as "winter wheels right now and since it summer my friend stole them to use on his roller chassis mk3 supra. that same guy stole my track BBS's for his s14. and my stock 97+ wheels i sold for 100 bucks with tires to a friend with an LS400.
....so out of 4 sets of wheels i had about a month ago im left with just one that on my car and its on Falken FK615...and it snowed in Chicago this weekend
thank god i was in florida the whole week.
time to drive the winter beater infinity
....so out of 4 sets of wheels i had about a month ago im left with just one that on my car and its on Falken FK615...and it snowed in Chicago this weekend
thank god i was in florida the whole week.
time to drive the winter beater infinity
03-31-09, 05:22 PM
#7
I just installed my LS400s today with 15mm spacers. They barely clear my HP Evos, but it's enough not to cause any issues. I have the bolt on Ichiba spacers. I wouldnt worry about it.
Also, I think your car dropped more than the desired amount was because you have a heavier SC400.
Also, I think your car dropped more than the desired amount was because you have a heavier SC400.
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03-31-09, 06:04 PM
#9
I just installed my LS400s today with 15mm spacers. They barely clear my HP Evos, but it's enough not to cause any issues. I have the bolt on Ichiba spacers. I wouldnt worry about it.
Also, I think your car dropped more than the desired amount was because you have a heavier SC400.
Also, I think your car dropped more than the desired amount was because you have a heavier SC400.
Since when is the SC400 that much heavier?
03-31-09, 06:13 PM
#10
I thought the added weight, not to mention more forward placement of the V8 and auto trans over the front wheels would provide that drop.
I just did some research, and it looks like the V8 is lighter than the 1jz/2jz. I guess I'm full of crap. Woopsie.
I just did some research, and it looks like the V8 is lighter than the 1jz/2jz. I guess I'm full of crap. Woopsie.
03-31-09, 06:18 PM
#11
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tavarish i applaud your modesty and the fact that you accepted you were wrong ... and no you are not full of crap, ignorance is fixable, being full of crap is not!
and to be honest with you, i thought the 400 was heavier too!
and to be honest with you, i thought the 400 was heavier too!
Last edited by drft_n_sc; 03-31-09 at 06:25 PM.
03-31-09, 06:36 PM
#13
I guess it just seemed that way because the engine bay looked more cramped. I never did a side by side comparison of the engines, so I'd be lying if I had any data to support my claims. On a side note: I hate my W58. lol
03-31-09, 07:06 PM
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On the topic of 1uz placement and weight vs the Toyota I6 motors..
The 1uz is nearly 200lbs lighter then my 7m it replaced. the 7m is a hair lighter then a 2jz, odd weight fact, the 1uz is 7lbs lighter then a S14 SR20, that's always a fun fact when people ask why i put the heavy 1uz in my corolla and not a light weight sr20 or 3sgte.(3s weights a lot more then a SR)
the rear of the 1uz and 2jz in a SC chassis sit at the exact same place, but the 1uz is around 6" shorter then the 2jz so the front of the motor is about 6" further back then the front of the 2jz. setting the center of the motor weight around 6" further back in the car and nearly 300lbs lighter.
another factor in all this is center of gravity on the SC chassis with both motors. the iron block Inline 6 has its weight much higher up then then V8, so the 1uz provides about a 3" lower center of gravity of the motor.
The 1uz is nearly 200lbs lighter then my 7m it replaced. the 7m is a hair lighter then a 2jz, odd weight fact, the 1uz is 7lbs lighter then a S14 SR20, that's always a fun fact when people ask why i put the heavy 1uz in my corolla and not a light weight sr20 or 3sgte.(3s weights a lot more then a SR)
the rear of the 1uz and 2jz in a SC chassis sit at the exact same place, but the 1uz is around 6" shorter then the 2jz so the front of the motor is about 6" further back then the front of the 2jz. setting the center of the motor weight around 6" further back in the car and nearly 300lbs lighter.
another factor in all this is center of gravity on the SC chassis with both motors. the iron block Inline 6 has its weight much higher up then then V8, so the 1uz provides about a 3" lower center of gravity of the motor.
Last edited by JakeBreyck; 03-31-09 at 07:12 PM.
03-31-09, 07:22 PM
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wow very interesting!!
and all this from a question about spacers!!
I wonder why there's not more 1UZ Supras out there, it seems like it woud be a common swap, is it because the aftermarket support for the 1UZ isn't really there??
and all this from a question about spacers!!
I wonder why there's not more 1UZ Supras out there, it seems like it woud be a common swap, is it because the aftermarket support for the 1UZ isn't really there??