I have just orderd some wheel spacers for the front of my 914. They are 4 X 130 20mm spacers. These should bring the front wheels to about the same track as the rear, filling in the front wells. I am just doing it for looks.

My question is the stock lug bolts are 38mm R14 ball seat. With these spacers I need to add the 20mm length. The closest I have found are radusadirect.com and they are 58mm R14 ball seat. I was about to order until I read some threads that stated studs and nuts are better???

what is the benefit? Are the 58mm bolts dangerous??

opinions???

p.s.

this is a street car only with factory fuches. (not a track car)

studs will keep you from driving the car as you will have to have them pressed into the rotors.

We all know which way you are going to go knowing that. :-)

Zach

Joe - I'm curious how this turns out for you. I too don't like the way the front tires are recessed so far into the body. Where'd you find these spacers? Make sure to post some pics (before / after) when you get 'em on.

Adding that much spacer will effectively soften the front end and therefore will increase oversteer.
If you can get the right length lug bolts and the price is reasonable go ahead and do it that way. It won't be any more dangerous than using long studs.

United Kingdom

http://machine7.com/

I will post before and after shots as well as how long these babys take to get to me

Joseph

11 days from time of order to sitting on my desk. And they are sooooo shiney

still waiting on my longer lug bolts, then I will pop em on.

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Wow those look fantastic.
Let us know how they fit. Mine are flat, w/o that ring. 914 wheel spacers are not a common find.
I have the screw-in "racing studs" that used to be sold on the bmw racin web page, but I am not sure it they still are there. DON't get the screw in studs that use an allen head on the bolt, they work but many sources claim they are weak. Mine have 3 years, 10 AX races, and about 5k miles on them w/o worries.

Is this the type of bolt you're using?

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I have 16 of these if you're interested.

I have already orderd custom length bolts from Rad USA Direct, very nice guy. They are cutting me bolts for all 4 wheels. Thanks for the offer though

Bolts just came in the mail. I have 8 bolts 38mm and 8 bolts 58mm

They are a great company, easy to deal with and fast.

Joe,

Take pics of how the spacers fit on the hubs (before putting the tires on) as well.

Scott

Deal

Joe,

Too much fun looking at the car now that the spacers are installed to give an update?

I would suggest that with those spacers you go down to the local hardware store and buy a 6 inch bolt (same threads) and cut off the head...then round over the end that you cut and put a slot in it for a screw driver.

Use that to hang the wheel and spacer while you put in the rest of the bolts....or you may end up going nuts in the process.

Rich

I used 930 wheel studs when I was doing a project like this, maybe not the chearpest studs, but proven and easy to find.

Holidays have been too busy, to give my car any attention. I caught a summer cold with a terrible cough

and my 3 week old kitten got strung up in a soccer net, went to the ER and may have to get her front leg amputated

I have not been here in a while.



update once i feel a bit better (sorry)

Don't apologize - figured you're like me when it comes to putting new parts on the car (they need to be on the moment I get them).

Hope the kittie & everything else is OK...

Oh no! Which kitty? The bold one or the more timid? How did the vets go?

Kitten gets to keep her leg!!!



She is at the vet again today, the fourth visit since the incident. They are going to remove a large section of dead tissue, and then bandage her up. We have been giving her antibiotics every day, washing the leg, saline injections, and keepeing her away from her brother

I am feeling better, and will be installing these spacers tommorow.



p.s. Zach it was the tortoise color timid one.

Great NEWS!!!!

OMFG
These things fit like a glove! I mean there is not even a hundredth of an inch. The press on and then you have to tap them gently all the way around until they are completly tight against the rotor. They dont budge, and with the ring on there, the tire mounts just like it always did. No fuss.


I highly recomend these for any 4 lug teener out there. They are bitchin


The Before Shots

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Install Shots

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Front Before

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Front After

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Another Before

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Another After

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Rear tire clearence on my car is tight, im rockin 205 60 R15s
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Front Clearence before is rediculus
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Front Clearence after.... matches the back
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Last Shots

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And the Kitty Update

Car looks great with the spacers!! I'm going to have to do this to mine.

Looks great Joe.... you should get a commission from the company that we're all about to buy those spacers and lug nuts from.

Nice to see the kitty is OK too.

So I took it to the track this morning

The steering seems to be more responsive, and i could not tell any difference on a straight shot. Once I got it up to 70 mph the steering wheel had a little more vibration. Nothing anyone eles would notice, but you can tell on your own car. It goes away at 85+ and boy are these cars fun to drive.


I was remembering the garage that balanced my wheels really struggled to get it done. Was a one man garage and he couldnt believe that 205s would fit the rim. I am pretty sure he used duck tape over the weights to hold them on and I am not sure if all of the weights are still intact.

I will take my wheels to a real tire shop to have them balanced properly.

Does it make sense that i would notice the vibration a bit more with spacers assuming the wheels are not balanced perfectly??

Yes,
Increasing the scrub radius will tend to make vibrations feel worse.
I would also expect the front steering effort to be slightly higher, and the front grip to increase by moving the wheels outward.