You will be reducing the effective offset by adding the spacers. Google "offset and scrub radius" for some good info. For instance,

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f7...1609/#post14822

http://www.miata.net/garage/offset.htm

 

Good info. I use the miata.net links all the time.

But doesn't adjusting the camber also alter the scrub radius and thus allowing for a different offset and wheel width?

 

I'm getting a headache from all the tech talks =)...I just want my stock rims to look nice without drastically altering handling for the worst.

 

They won't make your car handle worse. There are PLENTY of people who track their cars with spacers. A lot of times they are used to clear BBK's, but they won't dramatically alter your handling for the worse.

 

It doesn't really sound safe to me. Why aren't the wheels resting on the spacers that you added on? Since the 5mm don't require extended studs, I'm sure you just slid the spacers over the stock studs. Do you have a pic?

And I think if you have to ask if it's safe for tracking, there's a good chance that it might not be.

 

Did you use the stock studs to test fit the spacers? Aren't those the ones where you need to pound out your stock studs and press the new suckers in?

 

If the wheels are meant to be centered by the hub (hub-centric), then there is no guarantee that they will be centered when only using lugs in this case (especially with stock hubs). So there might be high-speed vibration. Generally, it takes higher tolerances (both at the hub/lug and wheels) to get a good lug-centric mount that is smooth at high speeds.

These issues must come up all the time here, right? I know they did on the Subaru forums I used to frequent. I am amazed at how many aftermarket parts, like wheels and spacers, are sold with iffy features (like fundmental hub/lug incompatibility). Best to talk to someone who has done this on their S2K, who is experienced enough to know their stuff, and has thoroughly tested it. I am seeing a lot of possible red flags here...

Bottom line, there is a pretty good reason why the stock hubs have a machined centering lip, and why the stock wheels have a machined centering cone.

 

Oh okay, I get what you're saying now. Do you have centering rings? I have 15mm fronts and 20mm rear spacers and without the proper rings, they would just be sitting on top of the studs like in your case. Here are some pics.





I don't know if anyone makes extended centering rings in 5mm. I remember some people had issues with there not being enough hub for their rims to sit on with 5mm spacers. Not sure what they did to fix it though.

 

False. Adding spacers will not affect your alignment.

The spacers pictured above are the correct way to do it. Or you need extended studs so that there is enough thread engagement to ensure adequate preload on the wheel when torquing it down.

Also, you don't need to have the centering ring. It makes it easier to mount, but if you properly torque your lugs, no weight is taken by the centering ring, it's all carried by the shear in the friction between the wheel and hub face.

Adding spacers will mess with your scrub radius, it will pull more during braking or over uneven surfaces, but nothing major. It will also increase your track slightly, which will decrease weight transfer and increase cornering capability. It will also put higher loads in to your wheel bearings, so you may see premature wear, but nothing major, they will last 10 years instead of 15 or so if my guess.

 

as long as the car is not tracked or raced on, the spacers would work fine for the street. 5mm is the maximum size i would recommend on a stock stud. if the spacers come with their own studs then that would be ok to use. just make sure that the spacer and the wheels are torqued down properly in a proper sequence.