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Bessy

Affordable Wheel Spacers...interest needed.

66 posts in this topic

I've asked Marchanna about making up some wheel spacers, we'd need to find about ten members that would be interested in at least a pair. I'm thinking 20-25 mm, just want a little added width. I'm sure they will be just as good quality as the $200+ Eibach or H&R parts but at a 10th of the cost we're hoping.

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1 Bessy (Andrew) One, maybe two pairs.

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I think the problem is in the anodizing. Even my Eibach 25s were corroding after one winter, and they are anodized. Stainless spacers would be way too heavy for our little bearings.

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At $25-30 a pair non-anodized I'd be interested, as I'll just powder coat them myself.

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If every one prefers aluminum, I can get them anodized in a way that they won't corrode. I have a supplier whose anodizing lasts decades - he has a piece of black anodized aluminum outside his shop nailed to a post next to the road - it's been there for 30 years and hasn't corroded or faded yet. Minimum batch cost is $150 and that includes about 500lbs of aluminum. We can also get a variety of other colours done, but they would all have to be the same colour unless people want to individually pay the minimum batch cost.

This anodizing will likely outperform powder coat, and it won't affect the spacers dimensionally.

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I would be interested in a 25mm pair. Any chance of making 10 or 15mm spacers?

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They can be faced down to whatever thickness you want. I've got a metal lathe in my garage so, if need be, if anyone needs a very specific size we can make that happen.

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I'd be interested if I can do this mod myself:
1) Do I need longer wheel bolts if I decide on a pair of 10mm spacers?

2) How do you install these? Remove the wheels; fit spacers against the wheel hubs; put the wheels back in place and I'm good to go?

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The thinner ones work that way, but with thicker ones it would be better to have six holes, three countersunk and three threaded. Three shallow-head bolts then hold the spacer to the hub while the normal wheel bolts thread into the spacer.

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Making a six hole threaded spacer will be considerably dearer due to additional machining operations and special bolts.

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Well, if you're going to do something, it's wise to consider doing it properly.

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I don't think that method would give any better result. It would have the advantage of a short stud, but the disadvantage of the fastening the wheels to the aluminum spacer. Usually the type of spacers your describing are not hub-centric, such as with ATV's, but these would be hub-centric.

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Why would they not be hub-centric? Are they being designed to fit a huge variety of cars with three-bolt hubs? ;)

My Eibach spacers are as I describe above, and they are indeed hub-centric. Fastening the wheels to the spacer should make no difference, as the majority of forces get transferred to the hubs or axles by spacer, rather than lateral deflection of the wheel bolts.

eibach-wheel-spacers-30mm-122-p.jpg

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Those are nice! I see how they overcame the issue with threading into aluminum - steel inserts.

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I honestly don't know if my specific spacers have steel inserts. I grabbed that pic off google.

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Nope, mine are threaded aluminum. The only trouble I've had is galvanic corrosion around the edge adjacent to the surfaces that mate with the brake drums. The ferric staining is superficial.

image.jpg

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How old are yours? I'm guessing the steel inserts when a more recent improvement. The galvanic corrosion can compromise the threads, and Eibach can't guarantee/control whether or not their customers will use nickel plated bolts indefinitely.

At any rate, it looks like they're holding up well. High quality anodizing makes all the difference in the world.

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Strength is compromised by longer bolts and a simple spacer, and with only three bolts to begin with... I saw a front wheel come off a car at highway speed once, and every once in a while I think of it and torque my wheel bolts.

10 or 15 mm should be done with longer bolts as there isn't the rigidity or thread engagement you want for six holes and that much spacer is probably OK, but 25 mm should be six holes. My spacers have steel inserts for the threaded holes. Overkill I expect, an aluminum thread should be fine for the loads involved. Don't leave it installed for years though, it'll seize.

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I suggest you also fit rear spoilers to enhance the boy racer look of your Smart cars.

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I suspect if aluminum threads can handle the loads in a 6 bolt config, so can the min. yield of longer bolt in a 3 bolt config. Either way, both the Sila and Athena 20mm spacers use a 3 bolt method with longer bolts successfully.

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Your spacers won't remain affordable if you complicate their design. Stick with 3 holes and long bolts. Bolt clamping force is same regardless of length. A 6 bolt design is more likely to rattle loose.

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