4 lug spacers, Yea, or nay Options

[ChrisReale]

I have room up front to push out my wheels about one inch. Where can I get 4 lug spacers? If I played my cards better, when I got my Panasports I would have had two made with a different backspacing to allow for the more room up front, but I was not wise. Are spacers generally considered ok for this? I know I would have to have longer lug bolts, or have longer studs put in. Anything else?

[Blake]

yeah, well, many of us have read all those books too ...

we also have 30 years of empirical experience with the car in question, not generalities.

a bearing capable of supporting an IMSA GTU 914/6 (10 inch or so wheels with racing slicks) on Daytona banking for 24 hrs will take anything we can dish out.  

At no point have I said what will or won't work; only that it requires reflection and a true understanding of both the risks and rewards. The whole crapstorm started because I preached erring on the conservative side. What is wrong with that hard-earned wisdom? People seem to have an exaggerated idea of the rewards and a under-appreciation of the risks of bearing failure on the street (y'know, that place where innocent people walk around and there are trees to hit).

Your "30 years of empirical experience" is crap if it's based on racing alone, as I previously noted. Even the quoted text indicates that the increased bearing loads are experienced in straight-line driving, where street cars spend most of their time. Cornering force reduces those loads. Last I checked, most racing involves a high proportion of cornering loads; not cruising straight. Also consider that those cars get new bearings several times a season, if not every race.

I stand by everything I have said and would ask that people please not get too worked up about my opinions, which are merely based on (1) actual catastrophic bearing failure while traveling at ~80mph, (2) a lifetime of too many short-odds bets that eventually caught up to me more than once, and (3) some real research into the subject of suspension tuning. I might not have direct 914 experience, but that is why EVERYTHING I have said has not defined "less" or "more"; simply that less is more. Just be conservative if you are guessing! Are you (or anyone besides SirAndy) really arguing this point?!?

If the factory used spacers to increase offset (track), then I will submit that is acceptably conclusive evidence. If people have gotten away with doing it themselves, then that bodes well but doesn't prove anything conclusively. The larger the sample, however, the more reliable the information. Given what has been said, I would agree that a one inch spacer might be a reasonable mod. I never said otherwise! Thanks to those who actually provided some data points. Everyone else needs to seriously evaluate their caffeine intake. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/boldblue.gif)