Running HPDEs with front spacers...any concerns

LA-Bimmer · 04-19-2011, 01:04 PM

My friend is running his first HPDE in his 135 (his fourth event overall) and asked me about his set up. He runs the style 261 rim with 8.5" rears on all corners and 10mm spacers with longer bolts in the front. Should he have any concerns? I've never run with spacers before. Thoughts?

The HACK · 04-20-2011, 03:43 PM

The only concern is that adding a spacer basically adds an additional shear surface. If the spacer is not properly engineered, i.e. no additional hub centric extender present thus allowing the bolts to be tightened improperly, it will ultimately shear the bolt in half (but technically, you SHOULD feel the effects of it long before you lose your wheel on track at 120 mph.

One thing I would check, is to make sure if the spacer is thinner than 12mm that it does not use a built in hub extender but a separate piece like what Turner sells. And if it's bigger than 15mm that it is bolted directly to the hub.

Actually, screw that. I wouldn't run with spacers at all if I can help it.

aisthetes · 04-20-2011, 10:08 PM

If it's a high quality TUV approved piece, it's unlikely to cause a failure. Porsche sells spacers on their road cars under warranty as an option. That said, I agree that running no spacers is the optimal setup for use in a race track environment and personally wouldn't use them.

04-19-2011, 01:04 PM	#1
LA-Bimmer Lieutenant 21 Rep 543 Posts Drives: 2012 E92 335i Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Louisiana iTrader: (21)	Running HPDEs with front spacers...any concerns My friend is running his first HPDE in his 135 (his fourth event overall) and asked me about his set up. He runs the style 261 rim with 8.5" rears on all corners and 10mm spacers with longer bolts in the front. Should he have any concerns? I've never run with spacers before. Thoughts? Last edited by LA-Bimmer; 04-20-2011 at 05:00 AM..
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04-20-2011, 03:43 PM	#2
The HACK Midlife Crises Racing Silent but Deadly Class 1821 Rep 5,337 Posts Drives: 2006 MZ4C, 2021 Tesla Model 3 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Welcome to Jamaica have a nice day iTrader: (1)	The only concern is that adding a spacer basically adds an additional shear surface. If the spacer is not properly engineered, i.e. no additional hub centric extender present thus allowing the bolts to be tightened improperly, it will ultimately shear the bolt in half (but technically, you SHOULD feel the effects of it long before you lose your wheel on track at 120 mph. One thing I would check, is to make sure if the spacer is thinner than 12mm that it does not use a built in hub extender but a separate piece like what Turner sells. And if it's bigger than 15mm that it is bolted directly to the hub. Actually, screw that. I wouldn't run with spacers at all if I can help it. __________________ Sitting on a beat-up office chair in front of a 5 year old computer in a basement floor, sipping on stale coffee watching a bunch of meaningless numbers scrolling aimlessly on a dimly lit 19” monitor.
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04-20-2011, 10:08 PM	#3
aisthetes First Lieutenant 13 Rep 340 Posts Drives: 2013 M3 Competition Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Colorado iTrader: (0)	If it's a high quality TUV approved piece, it's unlikely to cause a failure. Porsche sells spacers on their road cars under warranty as an option. That said, I agree that running no spacers is the optimal setup for use in a race track environment and personally wouldn't use them.
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