Spacers or longer A arms

[Kevin Box]

A slight mis-calculation with my rear wheel offset means that I need to take either of the following actions.

1 Build some spacers to bring the wheel into the correct position for the existing suspension design - If I head down this track I would custom build them so inner and outer ends are properly spigoted.

2 Lengthen my rear suspension arms. (Make new longer ones)

The reason for the cock-up is I bought some wheels on ebay and screwed up the offset calculation. The difference is approx 35mm. DOH !!!

Option 1 lets me retain the original design but I am not so keen on spacers even though the actual forces on the axle etc would be no different than if I had the correct offset.

Option 2 Is a little more work but longer arms may give a better suspension deign.

I'd appreciate any comments as I know this is an interesting topic.
Fronts - I have not checked yet but will get on to that.

 

[Bill Musarra]

Kevin,
I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination. What I want to say is what I consider the obvious. If you lengthen your A arms, your axles will then, not be long enough, as the mating surfaces on the inside of the hubs will be moved outward. So you would also have to lengthen your axles.
The only things I think you can do are 4.
1. Lengthen your axles along with your A arms
2. Add spacers to the wheels. This doesn't sound so good to me, but what do I know. I am sure someone will express what I feel is wrong.
3. Alter the width of your wheels, which probably would make them too wide for the tires you have(assuming you have them), which means you would have to buy new tires as well.
4. Sell the wheels with the offsets made known to the buyer. I am sure they will fit something correctly, and reorder the wheels with the correct offset.
Maybe there are some other options that others will put forward.

Bill

 

[Randy V]

The Spacers would be the least expensive route...

Longer control arms would mean that the suspension geometry is now changed and there are a number of other factors to consider.

Longer arms may require larger diameter/thickness tubing for the additional stress -
Axle length -
Spring rates -
Anti-sway bar rates -
Camber gain -

I've thought about using spacers on my own car.. Not sure that I will or that I won't at this point..

 

[Kevin Box]

I had not considered the extra effect on the Springs & Shocks but everything else is not too difficult apart from new axles.

Maybe I will build spacers to progress my build and look at changing out the wheels.
I was thinking of taking out the existing studs and replacing them with long capscrews threaded into the spacer and long enough to go through and act as studs. I think the capscrew will be 80mm overall with (10mm Axle flange, 35mm spacer and 35mm for wheelnut) The spacer can be zero clearance (or slight interferance) on the axle spigot so no movement. I wll machine the spacer to be a close fit in the Mag wheel also.

If anyone has built these before I would appreciate a comment.

Thanks KB

 

[Randy V]

These were the type of spacers / adapters I was looking at.. Not so sure I would want studs that were 35mm longer as they would have a greater tendency to stretch.

WheelAdapter.com > Wheel Spacers