Spacers

[Giggs11]

Hey guys, what are the best brand spacers for 650 Xdrive and the best size

[gunner12]

i just ordered monday from burger read goods things about them was between them and matt schneil i ordered burger because they gave me all in one pkg spacers and extended lugs was easier that way for me. i got 15 for rear and 10 for front. easiest way to figure size is take a level and butt the end against fender make sure level bibble is centered and then measure fom edge of tire to level that will give you a measurement to start from then if you want a wider stance would be a bigger spacer or opposite for narrower

[Giggs11]

Thank you , and the ones you order a car specific correct?

[gunner12]

oh yes

[jonM511]

anyone have pics of Burger spacers on their GC?

[Errowen]

Originally Posted by Giggs11

Hey guys, what are the best brand spacers for 650 Xdrive and the best size

Seriously: none. Spacers alter the steering geometry including scrub radius, and increase the bearing load, for looks.

[upstate650]

Originally Posted by Errowen

Seriously: none. Spacers alter the steering geometry including scrub radius, and increase the bearing load, for looks.

Mild spacers are a non-issue. And separating the tires an additional 10-20 mm has an infitesimal effect on steering geometry. Same thing goes for bearing load. 100s of thousands of people run spacers for 100,000 miles and never have an issue.

[Errowen]

Originally Posted by upstate650

Mild spacers are a non-issue. And separating the tires an additional 10-20 mm has an infitesimal effect on steering geometry. Same thing goes for bearing load. 100s of thousands of people run spacers for 100,000 miles and never have an issue.

I think it depends on how you like to drive and what you consider an "issue." The engineering problem is straightforward. Using a spacer alters the scrub radius – the distance between the centre point of the contact patch and the steering axis - which has quite dramatic effects on steering. Modern cars are designed with very little scrub radius – typically between 5 mm negative or positive. (I haven’t been able to find the OEM scrub radius for the F06 and would be grateful if someone could provide it – my assumption is that, like most strut systems, it will be 5 mm negative, meant to aid in straight line steering in the event of brake failure at one front corner during an emergency stop.)

Before power steering was universal, we needed a large scrub radius to assist in dry steering (the wheel rolls through an arc when the steering wheel is turned, even if the car is standing still). However, a large scrub radius (positive or negative) acts a lever amplifying the effect of wheel forces on the steering linkage. This results in increased steering effort (perhaps not relevant with power steering) and, more importantly, it exponentially amplifies the steering effect of road shocks which shows up as increased bump steering and tramlining. I don't consider those effects "infinitesimal" because I like a car to go where I point it. Camber and toe-in can be adjusted to compensate, but those alterations will have other steering effects.

[bravo261]

Esoteric information noted, but in the overall scope, a 10mm spacer will have a negligible effect to the common driver, which i assume we all are.

there must be a million technical arguments against lowering a car and slapping larger wheels on it, but i'll always be forging ahead with that dumb choice

[Errowen]

Originally Posted by bravo261

...there must be a million technical arguments against lowering a car and slapping larger wheels on it, but i'll always be forging ahead with that dumb choice

Question of whether the cons outweigh the pros is personal and different for different people.

BTW, a long, long time ago I put some wide, large offset wheels on an Austin Healy Sprite - looked amazing. The front passenger side wheel bearing seized around Kicking Horse Pass in the Rockies, causing the axle stub to shear. A great looking wheel went thundering down the highway, taking the brakeline with it, and I thought "I wonder who lost that?"

I got the car stopped at the side of the road -- body friction can be effective braking. The half-ton immediately following me passed on, came back half and hour later with my wheel, which I understand had rolled down a steep gorge (people are so good!). Several other drivers stopped and a couple congratulated on my great driving. I should have been kicked in the ass for my blissful stupidity in putting the wheels on in the first place. Oh my - I loved that car!