spacers looked down on??

i got a couple questions about what everyone thinks about spacers.

#1: are spacers looked down on as opposed to getting wheels that fit right the first time? i'm talking about spacers around like 25mm.
(in my opinion, anything over 20mm is like "damn man you should've done your homework before you bought your wheels", but when no spacers are needed to get the right look it has that "holy sht, wow" factor.) 

#2: in mod lists, do you factor in your spacer width to your offset? example, my rims are 15x9 +0 offset but when you factor in the spacers they're 15x9 -25 in front, 15x9 -35 rear. 
so in mod lists would you write 15x9 +0 then list the spacers or just 15x9 -25?

any help is appreciated. thanks!

EDIT: this is pertaining to new wheels not used/discontinued wheels that were bought from someone else.

ask yourself these questions...
 
have you ever thought about wheels that are discountinued and they got them used and they really like the wheel, but the offset isnt to perfect?? 
 
or someone gave them a really good deal on some wheels they couldnt pass up and they really needed wheels but couldnt afford to buy new ones and didnt have the right offset??

thanks for bringing that up!! i shouldve included it in my first post. i shall edit it. :biggthumpup:

Yes they are looked down apon just like Barry Bonds Homerun record.  Only time they are not looked down apon is with dish wheels with no lip.  I also think they are acceptable when the person now wants to run much more - camber then they initially planned to.
 
 
The problem is, people get wrong advice and they buy wheels that are too sunken in (clublexus cough cough) or  they see cheap used wheels and rather then being patient, they jump on the first oppertunity to get JDM wheels.
 
 
I personally think its stupid to factor a spacer into the offset of your wheel in your mod list.  The person should atleast note that a spacer was needed to get that offset.

[quote=widebody_Q;86838]Yes they are looked down apon just like Barry Bonds Homerun record. Only time they are not looked down apon is with dish wheels with no lip. I also think they are acceptable when the person now wants to run much more - camber then they initially planned to.
 
 
The problem is, people get wrong advice and they buy wheels that are too sunken in (clublexus cough cough) or they see cheap used wheels and rather then being patient, they jump on the first oppertunity to get JDM wheels.
 
 
I personally think its stupid to factor a spacer into the offset of your wheel in your mod list. The person should atleast note that a spacer was needed to get that offset.[/quote]
thats for sure. especially if they get a NEW set of wheels

i agree on the modlist thing. i was thinking that in the first place but i've seen some people do that so i was wondering.

Another way its ok to run them is if you are going for the aggressive staggered look where you have like 1' lip up front and like 4' in the rear.
 
Its difficult to find the perfect size used wheels because the person might have had a different suspension/fender mods/big brake kit/ tire size and car that the wheels were on.  Used wheels get alittle more slack.

meh.
Sometime you gotta do what you gotta do.
Not everybody can get the wheel specs just right the first time, either due to availability or overly conservative measuring the first time around (pioneering a new platform for example)

Okay...spacers.  There's even time to get spacers when you DO complete all the measuring.   Let me explain.  So you are going for max dish but the caliper clearance to run low disk is just 1mm off and the company only offers specific offsets which some wheel companies do.  In this case going to mid disk would lose you about 5-10mm depending on that's brands disk sizing. While staying with the low disk and adding a 3mm spacer only loses 2mm.  In this case if dish were the worry, I'd go with the low disk and the spacer to get just that much more dish.

With the face wheels or one piece deals, spacers are a must.  They usually don't make too many low offsets in these designs, and so yes, spacers are perfectly acceptable as are spacers to adjust the offset of used discontinued wheels.

I am not against spacers if you get your measuring wrong.  In fact I hate to see fitment that could be FIXED with spacers and make the car have a more complete look.  I don't expect everyone to be as good at measuring wheel offsets/sizes/disks/etc.  I know not everyone knows how to do it.  I also know that even if I posted a how-to people would still get it wrong and blame ME.  Which is the reason I haven't done so and it helps to keep my business unique and offer a service that others cannot.  I have to make a living you know..haha.  It's not a science..but it takes some practice.  Some people learn through trial by error, but that only works for that specific car/chassis.  

So I don't think spacers are bad at all.  If you need them, please use them.  But don't say your wheels are 19x11 -7 if they are really 19x11 +13 and you have a 20mm spacer.  But DO list that you have a 19x11 +13 WITH a 20mm spacer so you don't screw someone into an expensive assumption.

elpresidente:

dang man you got it down/on the ball/know your shit/etc.!!

thanks for the reply man. i was actually waiting for your response cuz you seem to be knowledgeable on the matter. (i notice you critique everyone's fitment). i really appreciate your help. 

in my case, i was pretty much a noob with wheels when i ordered mine :pat:
i looked on the ssr website and chose the widest, lowest offset size. at the time i did not know ssr had customized offsets available. a;sjfa;.sjdf;afd! i know i'm stupid! i was only 17 at the time. haha.

heres what my ride looks like with the spacers (best pic i could find of the fitment):

[IMG]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a347/bbsukidesu/the%20box/DSC01626.jpg[/IMG]

[quote=elpresidente;86870]the company only offers specific offsets which some wheel companies do. [/quote]
i think every company offers custom offsets. every wheel i bought brand new were my own offsets. not the one they offered on thier websites.
 
from being a VIP obsessed, i learned how to measure offsets. its pretty easy once you figure out the mechanics of how your suspension works when being lowered and clearance of stretched tires etc. etc.

[quote=widebody_Q;86842]Another way its ok to run them is if you are going for the aggressive staggered look where you have like 1' lip up front and like 4' in the rear. [/quote]
 
this is what im going for this time

[QUOTE=antbo;87308]i think every company offers custom offsets. every wheel i bought brand new were my own offsets. not the one they offered on thier websites.
 
from being a VIP obsessed, i learned how to measure offsets. its pretty easy once you figure out the mechanics of how your suspension works when being lowered and clearance of stretched tires etc. etc.[/QUOTE]
When I bought my Anceltions they offered only up to -7 as lowest offset meaning I was going to have to run a spacer.  Yes..they offered everything inbetwen but that wasn't the problem.

I dont see anything wrong with spacers..either..I was luck enough to have waited for the right set of used wheels to buy that did not reguire spacers..
 
"Oh but waite  now I have so much camber in the back and none in the front..ok let me adjust my camber in the front to match the rear...oh I need some new front wheels with a more agressive offset..aaahh shooot they dont make this style of wheel anymore..I guess I will get some spacers..This happens a lot..THe first owner maybe did not want any camber in the front as a lot dont...its easier to just replace two tire at a time than all four..When I got my wheels I was like yes perfect fitment babie....over time as I was walking to my car from a distance I started to realize I did not like the look of the rear tires having so much camber to fit while the fronts where straight up and down..thats how it started for me with this new set of wheels...like I said it happens this way a lot especially when buying used wheels that are discontinued...

so what brand spacers are good? i think i got some cheap ones. they only cost me 60 for 20mm. there like some anodized orange ones. i heard bad about them, but they are experienced from drifters. i was told they should be alright im not drifting anyways. they tell me they get stuck on to the hub. so i think im just gonna spray paint the back of the so the 2 metals wont corrode against each other.

i have no problem with them. but thats why im ordering another set of AX's in a lower offset so i dont have to run spacers. 

its all about how you look at it. dont know if it was mentioned but say you bought some rims for a ucf1x with a low disk, and you want to put them on your ucf2x, now you gotta get spacers to clear the calipers.... it all depends on the application...

i try not to used them if is brand new special order wheels, i could see the point el point out on 2mm on the low disk caliper issue...but with big 25mm spacer. the correct set will have 25mm more on the lip versus 25mm extra caliper clearence. one more thing i would like to point out also is while going with an lower offset. recalculate them and go wider too if possible.

Whats wrong with having a 25mm spacer for caliper clearance and have 5" lip on a LO disk instead of 3" lip with a HI disk? I think its abnormal to have a car setup with big wheels and have a 3" lip in the front and a 6" lip in the rear. Running a spacer will never phase me. Having an abnormal amount of  lip on the front of a big caliper car will impress me over a hi disk setup special order "custom wheel setup" mumbojumbo anyday.

[QUOTE=Lexbubba;88633]Whats wrong with having a 25mm spacer for caliper clearance and have 5" lip on a LO disk instead of 3" lip with a HI disk? I think its abnormal to have a car setup with big wheels and have a 3" lip in the front and a 6" lip in the rear. Running a spacer will never phase me. Having an abnormal amount of  lip on the front of a big caliper car will impress me over a hi disk setup special order "custom wheel setup" mumbojumbo anyday.[/QUOTE]


not sure what you talk about is actually same size lip.

for example the work d3s wheels you have for sale, the front is 20x9.5 -16 high disk with a 105mm lip. if you go with a low disk and a 25mm spacer, -16+25=+8. according to the work wheel chart 20x9.5 +8 low disk is still 105mm.

[QUOTE=REV-01;88642]not sure what you talk about is actually same size lip.

for example the work d3s wheels you have for sale, the front is 20x9.5 -16 high disk with a 105mm lip. if you go with a low disk and a 25mm spacer, -16+25=+8. according to the work wheel chart 20x9.5 +8 low disk is still 105mm.[/QUOTE]

Yes If were talking about going from HI to LOW. I was explaining if you wanted to go from a low disk with the same offset to a hi disk you will loose lip over it. So my example of 5in lip on a low disk compared to 3in lip on a high pad is what is the issue. If you use a spacer to get it to clear the caliper it's harder then just "buying what's suppose to be there" and more impressive to people that lip size matters. Take my nsx for example the lip in the front is like 2" and the rear is 4" it looks funny that the lip on the front is so small.

[QUOTE=Lexbubba;88953]Yes If were talking about going from HI to LOW. I was explaining if you wanted to go from a low disk with the same offset to a hi disk you will loose lip over it. So my example of 5in lip on a low disk compared to 3in lip on a high pad is what is the issue. If you use a spacer to get it to clear the caliper it's harder then just "buying what's suppose to be there" and more impressive to people that lip size matters. Take my nsx for example the lip in the front is like 2" and the rear is 4" it looks funny that the lip on the front is so small.[/QUOTE]


it will work only that way if the size of the spacer being used is less than the difference between disk. if the spacer used is bigger than the difference between disk than it will be cheaper just to get the correct disk wheel from the beginning.

spacers are fine, I used spacer adapters with absolutely no problems.

absolutely dead on center, no shaking no wobbling or anything.

[QUOTE=REV-01;88959]it will work only that way if the size of the spacer being used is less than the difference between disk. if the spacer used is bigger than the difference between disk than it will be cheaper just to get the correct disk wheel from the beginning.[/QUOTE]

Keep in mind some wheel manufacturers HI disk is still not enough to clear some calipers. So in this case you have no choice but to use a spacer correct? Depends on what the customer wants. Say if they want more lip in the front and don't mind running a spacer, then whats wrong with them ordering a lo disk and running a 15mm spacer to clear their caliper? If they want something that will just fit their car without doing any modifications then order whats applicable.

I always build custom wheels for my cars, so this is not an issue.

But I am a wheel snob.

[QUOTE=Lexbubba;89101]Keep in mind some wheel manufacturers HI disk is still not enough to clear some calipers. So in this case you have no choice but to use a spacer correct? Depends on what the customer wants. Say if they want more lip in the front and don't mind running a spacer, then whats wrong with them ordering a lo disk and running a 15mm spacer to clear their caliper? If they want something that will just fit their car without doing any modifications then order whats applicable.[/QUOTE]

i totally understand what you mean. what i am saying is it doesn't make sense to order low disk plus spacer if it is same size lip as the the high disk. because it is easier/cheaper to just get the correct disk and don't have to spend extra cash for spacers.

[QUOTE=REV-01;89363]i totally understand what you mean. what i am saying is it doesn't make sense to order low disk plus spacer if it is same size lip as the the high disk. because it is easier/cheaper to just get the correct disk and don't have to spend extra cash for spacers.[/QUOTE]

So your trying to say for example a 9.5 wide rim with a 25et would have the same lip size no matter if it was high or low disk?

[QUOTE=Lexbubba;89364]So your trying to say for example a 9.5 wide rim with a 25et would have the same lip size no matter if it was high or low disk?[/QUOTE]

looks like you didn't understand what i mean from the beginning...you agree with me from high to low and now i will make a example from low to high.

on dtr-projects ucf10 with the dh, 19x9.5 +15 low disk, according to the fitment chart the lip size is 110mm. now let say he is tired of the ucf10 and bought a ucf20. he needs 25mm to clear the stock 4pot brakes. 

so the fitment now is 19x9.5 -10 low disk with a 110mm lip. lip size is the same of course since is the same wheel. 

now let say a different customer come in and want to buy a brand new set of dh for ucf20, i would order 19x9.5 et-10 high disk. according to the work wheel chart it is at 111mm. which is only 1mm difference, and he doesn't need to spend more $ on spacers.

i can make another example of what you meant small spacer with low disk is more than a high disk that i also agree with too.

let say the above example it doesn't require 25mm spacer, it needs only 10 mm.
then the fitment is 19x9.5 +5 because of the 10mm spacer. 110mm lip
if i order 19x9.5 +5 high disk, according to the work offset chart it will only have 96mm, which is 14mm less lip than the low disk + spacer.

so that is the example of what you mean lowdisk +spacer is more lip than high disk you talk about. which is also the same as what me and elpresidente talk about 2mm on a low disk issue and what i said about if the spacer's width is less than the next up available disk.

but don't forget most wheels have a regular disk also, a 19x9.5 +5 regular disk according to work offset chart it is 113mm lip.