Wheel spacers have become one of the most common aftermarket accessories today. Millions of people are trusting them to provide better stability to their vehicles. Still, many people question the safety issues of installing wheel spacers.
In this article, we will explain what wheel spacers are and get into their pros and cons. After reading, you will have a better idea of this add-on accessory and to better decide whether you need to get wheel spacers for your vehicle.
What are Wheel Spacers?
A wheel spacer is a part that increases the space between the wheels by bolting between the wheels and the mounting hub. This way, anyone can give their vehicle a visibly enhanced look by increasing the gap between the wheels by the desired distance.
Another important thing about the wheel spacers is you can change the entire pattern of the wheels by getting these wheel spacers. However, it depends on the type of vehicle you have and whether it can support the vehicle load by changing the wheel’s positions.
What are Wheel Spacers Made of?
Most of the wheel spacers are made of high-quality aluminum for trucks and SUVs. It is because this metal can hold more weight and provides ample strength for overall vehicle stability.
Experimenting with other materials to make wheel spacers can cause safety issues. The only reason you can not use steel is that it weighs more than aluminum and requires more metal to provide the required support.
Pros and Cons of Wheel Spacers
This list of pros and cons of using wheel spacers will give you an idea of whether you should go for them or not.
Pros
- Lets you Fit Wider Wheels
If you are someone with a soft spot for larger wheels or tires, wheels spacers let you do it with minimum modifications. It won’t only improve the vehicle’s look but also gives you better control of the vehicle. If you have an off-roader, you would want to replace the stock wheels by using the wheel spacers.
- Improves Brakes Quality
Another benefit of using wheel spacers is you can improve the performance of your brake system. It works by letting you use wider brakes that work better on wider wheels (using wheel spacers). Adding the wider brakes after the wheel spacers ensures they do not rub against the wheel wells to avoid damage.
- Improves Handling
No doubt having wheel spacers can improve the handling of your vehicle as it offers more area to manage the vehicle’s weight efficiently. Apart from this, you also get a much better grip on the road with the wider wheels.
- Easy to install
Using wheel spacers is the easiest solution to get wider wheels with minimum modifications. You only need a few tools to do it yourself. However, there can be some alignment issues, and getting professional help is recommended.
Cons
- Affects Ride Quality
Every car manufacturer keeps ride quality in mind when introducing new models. The stock wheels are designed to provide the best riding experience to the user. However, altering the wheel size can affect the ride quality and the vehicle may not be comfortable for long rides.
- Takes more Effort to Steer
Even if you have a power steering vehicle, you will have to put in more effort to move the wheels. It’s because using the space wheelers increases the space between the wheels and it has to cover more area to steer now.
Are Wheel Spacers Safe?
There’s always confusion among car owners about the safety of wheel spacers. To find the right answer, you must understand how they work.
The main thing to understand is wheel spacers can affect the weight-bearing capacity of a vehicle. With the stock mountings, a vehicle is designed to hold the weight of all the car parts. However, when you make modifications to that mounting (to install wheel spacers), you may compromise the safety of the vehicle.
To avoid this issue, you must find the most compatible wheel spacers that are tested by the manufacturer on compatible models. By doing this, you can ensure you have all the safety measures done before using your vehicle again.
So overall, the safety factor comes in when you upgrade your vehicle with wheel spacers without following the procedure the right way. Always find compatible wheel spacers after making sure your vehicle can support wide wheels.
Should I get Wheel Spacers for my Car?
Getting wheel spacers is a completely personal choice and you can always use your vehicle without getting the wheel spacers as well. However, there are some clear benefits like better stability, control of brakes, and vehicle weight management by getting the wheel spacers.
However, the main factor is the compatibility of the wheel spacers with your vehicle. Not every vehicle is suitable for wheel spacers and installing them there will do more harm than good. Thus, if you have any other vehicle other than an SUV or truck, you must make sure it can support the increased space between the wheels.
There are some downsides like steering issues which must be considered while getting wheel spacers.
According to some experts, getting wheel spacers on a perfectly-fine working vehicle can impact the user’s performance.
How to Find Compatible Wheel Spacers For your Vehicle
You can easily find compatible wheel spacers for your vehicle online. Many platforms offer high-quality compatible wheel spacers for a specific vehicle. The easiest way is to get them from professional auto parts sites like SuncentAuto, Carparts, and Autozone, which lets you buy wheel spacers that are designed specifically for your vehicle.
All you need is to select your vehicle model on the website and select from the results.
You can also use marketplaces like Amazon and eBay to find wheel spacers online. Just make sure to check the reviews and the photos submitted by the buyers.
