Question about wheel spacers

I realize this might be odd, but I have a very specific vision in mind for my 1992 Volvo 245. Other people might not think it's all that cool, but I'm doing it for me - not them. So bear with me, if you will.

I just bought tires for the car, went with a lower profile than usual. I am running 14" black Volvo steelies with 195/60r14 - yes, they are small, but I like the look, the smaller sidewall to eliminate some flex, etc.

What I don't like is how far my wheels sit inboard, so I am considering getting spacers (the adapter style with studs, not the slip-on wheel spacers) to push them farther out towards the corners. The idea is to improve appearance and, hopefully, handling. I will also be lowering the car soon.

I realize that doing factory steelies on a lowered car, and pushing them to the corners, is not your average customization. It's not going to appease the "status quo" car guy. But this is something I've been wanting to do since my 1979 Corolla - just a real simple, improved handling, bare-bones thing. As Woody Allen said, "The heart wants what the heart wants."

Any suggestions on what size wheel spacer/adapters to use? Anyone have some they want to part with? I was thining 20-25 mm in the front and 32 mm in the rear might be good?

Wheel spacers are not the best for handling, they increase the strain on your wheel bearings due to the lever advantage (or disadvantage in this case) of the hub. They also change your toe measurments, although only slightly. I woud recommend sticking with the stock wheel offset, it was chosen by the engineers who designed the cars for a reason

Volvo offered a rear spacer kit for the rear that was 20mm and came with longer wheel studs. SAM in Sweden sold them about 15 years ago. I used them with my stock 240 turbo wheels and 195 60 15 tires. Gives you a little idea of what you can do with what you have.

That would be a big improvement, just to have the front and back more similarly spaced.

ratmonster said:

The idea is to improve appearance and, hopefully, handling. I will also be lowering the car soon.

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Not. So, you're going for the broke-ass suspension Honda look, it seems?

Here ya go...


FWIW; poking the wheels is gonna give you some major scrub radius, and make it steer all twitchy and stuff.

Poking the back only is gonna make it push in the turns.

reed said:

Volvo offered a rear spacer kit for the rear that was 20mm and came with longer wheel studs. SAM in Sweden sold them about 15 years ago. I used them with my stock 240 turbo wheels and 195 60 15 tires. Gives you a little idea of what you can do with what you have.

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Stock:


20mm Volvo spacers:


You need to trim the fender lip to run 195/60-15 with Virgo wheels and 20mm rear spacers. I believe Volvo recommends removing either 7mm or 10mm (can't remember). With 32mm rear spacers you will need to cut the lip past the spot welds. I assume with spacers as big as 25mm on the front you will also have to cut the lip off the front wheel or run flares or something. And probably toss the front fender liners.

Stock studs can handle a 5mm spacer, maybe a 10mm depending on the wheel and lug used. Anything more than that and you will need extended studs or to use adapter style spacers.

Remember that wheels in a non-stock position (ie running spacers with stock offset wheels) will affect the handling significantly, as well as putting extra load on the wheel bearings. It took me a long time to get used to the way the car turns with just the rear spacers.

lookforjoe said:

Not. So, you're going for the broke-ass suspension Honda look, it seems?

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I'm going for wider track, which I happen to like the look of. Based on your sig pic, it looks like you like wider track too. So I'm not 100% sure what you're getting at. But styling is beauty, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Neptune, I like how your car looks. It's a lot cleaner with the rear matching the front. Could you describe a little more about how it changes the steering?

Redwood Chair, pushing in the turns meaning it's gonna want to "walk" in the turns? Like it's going to want to continue to travel outward in the arc of the turn?

I'm not as expert as Redwood but "pushing"=understeer=more steering input needed to stay on track. Or in other words - the opposite of drifting, or in other words - NO FUN!

If you want performance, think about what a professional race team would do. Run spacers? Likely not, for all of the reasons listed above by me and 3 other people. If going for handling, a wider track, even when done properly, is going to be one of the absolute last things on the list. It makes very very little difference on stock everything else and is not really a concern with these cars. If you're just going for looks, I'm all for it. It can look good with some wheels but with others, it can have the adverse effect.

PDXBryan said:

I'm not as expert as Redwood but "pushing"=understeer=more steering input needed to stay on track. Or in other words - the opposite of drifting, or in other words - NO FUN!

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It'll turn sideways and leave the road instead of going around the corner, but you'll look beautiful doing it !

Redwood Chair said:

It'll turn sideways and leave the road instead of going around the corner, but you'll look beautiful doing it !

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there's a reason why the track with is narrower in the back vs front on cars


but FUK factory engineers

Jack said:

there's a reason why the track with is narrower in the back vs front on cars


but FUK factory engineers

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Car and driver & road and track test drivers used to give the cars rave reviews for going through the cones and the numbers they put down backed them up in spite of the underpowered engines.

That said cut dem sprangs, sky dem A arms, fight dat bump steer, and then kerplunky down ~$3K to almost get it working right again.

That is until you try to transport a full complement of passengers and luggage...

EventuallyAyrton said:

If you want performance, think about what a professional race team would do. Run spacers? .

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What do you know about professional race teams do and do not do?
I don't mean "rich old fat amateurs who are so fat they can't squeeze into the car so they hire skinny pretty boys" and basically race to spend lots of money for meaningless events and where the REAL competition is in the bars and lounges where they lobby the rules.
REAL professionals?

If I can show you stright from a aprts list spacers, will that make you stop talking?

Or maybe you actually DO know...so lay down some foundation for your statement.
"I worked on this team from xxxx- to xxxx as a ______ and "

the the fuk out with your logic sir

cut them sprangs, trow them spacers on, remove trim, remove interrior and paint the centers gold


INB4 CRUSH

John V said:

What do you know about professional race teams do and do not do?
I don't mean "rich old fat amateurs who are so fat they can't squeeze into the car so they hire skinny pretty boys" and basically race to spend lots of money for meaningless events and where the REAL competition is in the bars and lounges where they lobby the rules.
REAL professionals?

If I can show you stright from a aprts list spacers, will that make you stop talking?

Or maybe you actually DO know...so lay down some foundation for your statement.
"I worked on this team from xxxx- to xxxx as a ______ and "

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I know of many baja etc race teams using spacers

ratmonster said:

That would be a big improvement, just to have the front and back more similarly spaced.

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You can't tell. Not a BIG..anything...not unless you get on your belly and squint and pretend*
So that's a lie.
Lying is a sin..
On your knees and pray forgiveness for lying.


*well you believe in other complete fantasy stuff, why not belive you can see a BIG improvement.

jack said:

the the fuk out with your logic sir

cut them sprangs, trow them spacers on, remove trim, remove interrior, drop 2k on rimpz and paint the centers gold, and make Ben rich.

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ftfy x 2

John V said:

You can't tell. Not a BIG..anything...not unless you get on your belly and squint and pretend*
So that's a lie.
Lying is a sin..
On your knees and pray forgiveness for lying.


*well you believe in other complete fantasy stuff, why not belive you can see a BIG improvement.

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But John he'll look BEAUTIFUL sliding slideways right off the road on 195-60-14 ?h3@p chinese tires.