Wheel spacers safe for track?

[REDLINE]

Hi guys, just got a set of bonnos 12mm & 15mm spacers from bonnos. They seem to be quality pieces. Also got the accompanying extended bolts with them. Will running these spacers be ok for hpde events? Stock wheels/tires and suspension. Or will it be safer to run without them and put them back on for street use?

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[antonio88x]

I personally wouldn't run them. I know others swear by spacers, but you have to check the toque more often, or should at least. Also I don't trust the flatness of some spacers.

 

[kaj]

Spacers are fine but spacers that come with studs are not. I wouldn't trust the latter for long.
Buy a good set of extended studs, then you're good.
So you don't waste the spacers you bought, just knock the studs out and continue to use.

 

[REDLINE]

Ps. Forgot to mention that they are hub-centric

 

[Phantomx]

Our cars use bolts instead of lugs most spacers you get should also come with longer bolts. This is a debate that has “raged” on the internet for a long time LOL. Some people run them, installed and torqued properly, with no issues on or off track. There are a lot of variables. for our cars with our setup they seem to be a bit safer. Most are hubcentric (don’t get ones that aren’t) most come with proper size bolts for the size of spacer (don’t get one that doesn’t have those). if installed properly are they safe for daily use, yes, if wheels were falling off all the time we’d hear about it. Are they track duty, I would call and chat with the vendor who built the spacer and see what they say…

Do I know of a lot of local Supra’s with spacers and no issues, yes.
Would I personally run them? No but that is just me. I prefer to change to a wheel with the offset I want vs a spacer but not everyone will want to do that.

 

[Rocksandblues]

Run them
100% track duty. No issues 2.5 seasons

 

[NitroYellowMKV]

Anyone who say's a set of high quality spacers IE; Burger, Motorsports hardware, Future classic with the correct extended lug bolts or a stud kit is not safe for the track is just not right at all, and that is coming someone who gets custom wheels perfect offsets LOL, buy the right quality stuff, install it properly and you will be 250% fine.

 

[digicidal]

Shear strength of the bolts is really all that matters (assuming they're the correct length and torqued to specs). No real difference between the two otherwise... and in that case wheels alone have the same potential for failure.

The reason I prefer wheels with the offset I want already is a total lack of hassles when getting tires mounted. Some shops get weird about spacers and it pretty much comes down to the same misapprehensions presented here.

 

[nibble]

Typically, spacer itself is not an issue. However, because your bolt/stud is extended, there are more force applied. Hence, these bolts/studs should be replaced periodically. Also, because it's on higher load, if one fails the other will fails much faster.

In 2022, I saw a BMW M3 with 10 mm and stud kit had broken 3 of 5 studs on the track. the driver (DE3) claimed that he ran that set up for years without any issue and those were reputable manufacturer.

 

[razorlab]

Typically, spacer itself is not an issue. However, because your bolt/stud is extended, there are more force applied.

That's not how it works. In a proper setup, properly torqued, there aren't anymore forces applied to the bolt/studs themselves, they do not support the load. If they are loose, then they suddenly support the load, and can fail.

In 2022, I saw a BMW M3 with 10 mm and stud kit had broken 3 of 5 studs on the track. the driver (DE3) claimed that he ran that set up for years without any issue and those were reputable manufacturer.

Bolded the important part here. Studs/bolts are wear items from taking the wheels off/on and constant retorquing. I would never run the same studs/bolts for years on a car I tracked.

 

[Rocksandblues]

That's not how it works. In a proper setup, properly torqued, there aren't anymore forces applied to the bolt/studs themselves, they do not support the load. If they are loose, then they suddenly support the load, and can fail.



Bolded the important part here. Studs/bolts are wear items from taking the wheels off/on and constant retorquing. I would never run the same studs/bolts for years on a car I tracked.

We had ONE this season of track days. And he admitted he didn't check/tighten his lugs.

99/100 a newbie.

 

[nibble]

Typically, spacer itself is not an issue. However, because your bolt/stud is extended, there are more force applied. Hence, these bolts/studs should be replaced periodically. Also, because it's on higher load, if one fails the other will fails much faster.

In 2022, I saw a BMW M3 with 10 mm and stud kit had broken 3 of 5 studs on the track. the driver (DE3) claimed that he ran that set up for years without any issue and those were reputable manufacturer.

like i said, needs to be replaced periodically. even if it's from reputable manufacturer.

 

[romanLegion9574]

Also, consider the thermal expansion.

I have a buddy whose lugs came loose on his car (not a Supra) after he added spacers because his brakes got hot on a spirited drive.

You'll be generating far more heat on a track day.

Also, I'd recommend that you go for a wider set of tires and maybe lighter wheels if you're looking to track it and want flush fitment.

 

[kaj]

FWIW a lot of us have been tracking on spacers/extended studs with decently- powered cars because they are safe.
Also, Google something along the lines of "wheel spacers on race cars" and you will see a ton of race/drift/really/etc cars that use them. You're car doesn't know the difference between a spacer and lower-offset wheel.

 

[nibble]

FWIW a lot of us have been tracking on spacers/extended studs with decently- powered cars because they are safe.
Also, Google something along the lines of "wheel spacers on race cars" and you will see a ton of race/drift/really/etc cars that use them. You're car doesn't know the difference between a spacer and lower-offset wheel.

Absolutely used by many race cars but they do replace it periodically. some of them even every race if not every sessions in between. Even in installation manual of APEX wheel stud, it states that it should be replaced periodically. However, I do not know if other manufacturer states that but I'd assume they do.

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