Wheel Spacers

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Logan J on October 20, 2008 at 5:55pm

Can't help you but just wondering what wheels are you getting?

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Lourdes on October 20, 2008 at 6:42pm

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/WheelCloseUpServlet?target=runWheelS...

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by 451 Kahn on November 27, 2008 at 12:00am

I would go with a good quality brand that you can trust.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by smarttask on November 19, 2008 at 12:15pm

http://www.jazzproparts.com/H_R_Wheel_Spacer_MCC_Smart_s/3302.htm Hi have had spacers on the old Smart and have put them on the new turbo, in Italy we have
the bigger tires 175 and 195s on the back.
The car feels great, only problem is keeping the car clean.
15mm on the back and 20mm on the front.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Pete on November 29, 2008 at 12:12pm

I have a 451 Pulse, and fitted some 15mm spacers to the front wheels today. Or tried to -- everything fitted like a glove (the spacers are hubcentric, Delta-Mics) -- but on driving away there was a noise coming from the front wheels that sounded like a railway carriage going over joints in the rails. A sort or "de dum de dum, de dum de dum" noise.

So I dismantled them, checked for correct seating etc. (all appeared fine) and tried again. Same noise.

So I removed the spacers and replaced the wheels with the standard bolts -- noise gone! Any idea what might be causing this? The wheels are standard (175 tyres at the front), and the replacement longer bolts have the proper radiused (not tapered) seats.

All I can think of is that the 15mm outboard shift is putting an extra strain on the wheel bearings (if it is they that are making the noise) but that seems to me to be very odd.

Anyone got any ideas?
Pete

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by smarttask on November 29, 2008 at 4:05pm

451 Pulse Turbo 15mm on the back and 20mm on the front with no de dum de dum, de dum de dum" noise.
I think your problem is that you should have tapered longer bolts, mine came with the spacers, will take a photo tomorrow of a bolt and post it here............................Roger

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Pete on November 30, 2008 at 5:43am

Thanks Roger. My bolts too came with the spacers, and as you say it looks like it might be the bolts that cause the rumble/clicking noise -- looking carefully at the shoulders they are not identical.

Here are some photos I took this morning:

I think I'll send these photos to the supplier for their comment...
Pete

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by smarttask on November 30, 2008 at 6:42am

Hi Pete, they look OK to me but i will post a photo later of mine. On the end of the bolt, the end that screws in to the hub is the any sign that it was touching
anything. Other thing to try is to put the spacer back on one wheel and jack the front up and spin the
wheel, if there is no noise its not the length of the bolt plus you should be able to see if there is any movement in the bearings. I put the spacers on the new Smart 451 Pulse Turbo that i had on the old Smart 450 Pulse 700cc with no problem only trying to keep the car clean. I also put on wheel arch extensions on the back and am still waiting for the ones for the front. Let me know how you get on.
Roger

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Pete on November 30, 2008 at 10:30am

Hi Roger,

Just checked the bolts for chafing on their ends, and nothing visible. Doesn't surprise me though as these bolts are 15mm longer than the originals, so with a 15mm spacer they should not protrude any further into the hub. (Incidentally I did ask my supplier about matching, standard length bolts for the rear wheels with no spacer, but the shortest they have is 3mm longer, and that would be a concern with drum brakes!) And thanks for the promise of posting a photo of your bolts -- if that can show one alongside a standard bolt, it would help me.

With the wheel jacked up, there is no noise/clicking when spinning the wheel -- it only happens when driving i.e. when the wheel is loaded. I really should have done more testing, driving with a spacer on one wheel at a time, but yesterday it was about 3 deg C in the UK, so not the ideal weather for playing with cars!

Perhaps I should have mentioned that I have the same 6-spoke smart rims as you with 175 tyres at the front and 195 rear. What make/type of spacers are you using? As my photos show, I'm using the "simple spacer/longer bolts" type, though on my previous smart (599cc!) I had 195 tyres all round (on Artec rims) which required spacers on the rear, and these were of the type that bolted to the hubs separately, with extra threaded mountings for the wheel attachments. These were totally trouble-free but the "engineer" in me didn't like the design, so I went for the present setup. Perhaps this is a mistake...

Just for fun, here is a pic of both cars:

Thanks for your help so far,
Pete

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by smarttask on November 30, 2008 at 11:21am

Same here in Italy, cold and wet and snow on the hills. Mine look the same as yours except that the part protruding that the wheel sits on does not protrud as far, do the wheel, spacer and the hub all fit tight togeather.
Just been down to look at the make:- H&R presision hub centric wheel spacers from Germany made for Smarts, the head of the bolt is the same as the bolt taken of the Smart.

http://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/guides/h&rsuspension/h&a...;

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by parts4smarts on April 20, 2009 at 9:41pm

We sell spacers for smarts in various sizes.
If you are still interested/looking, please see our website at www.parts4smarts.ca.
thank you
harald

▶ Reply to This