General Wheel spacers

[mosfidelity]

I recently mounted 20mm wheel spacers (hub centric) all around on my cross. If anyone else is thinking of doing the same, I get a little rub in the plastic wheel arches when turning. I reckon the diameter of the wheels is a couple of mm too big, so the normal 4x4 might not get the rubbing. Otherwise 15 mm at the front might also do the trick.

I know a lot of people are against spacers. This is for the fraction of Panda drivers that think the wheels are too far towards the centerline of the car.

On the (rail)roads here in Norway, the car tracks a lot less with the spacers. I barely have to hold the steering wheel anymore.

 

[R1NGA]

I too think the stock 4x4 looks a little odd with the wheels so far inboard. 20mm was always going to be touch and go in terms of rubbing I think, but 10 or 15mm would be fine and would help address the problem nicely. The additional wear on the wheelbearings (particularly at the 10mm end of the scale) would be minimal and spacers in general can improve the handling a little, particularly in a relatively tall and narrow car like the Panda. Less so on a Caterham Se7en however....!

 

[deeyup]

Any pics of before and after?

Prometeo make a 15mm kit for the Panda
click here

 

[babbo_umbro]

Any pics of before and after?

Prometeo make a 15mm kit for the Panda
click here

The spiel on the site also mentions that you increase the spacing between the wheels/tyres and suspension components if you do a lot of mug plugging.

 

[gar074]

Really tempted by those spacers! The Panda could certainly take them visually, as it looks odd to my eyes, especially from the rear. What are the cons?

 

[deeyup]

The cons would be maybe slightly more wear on the wheel bearings as the pressure is no longer straight down, but offset a little. On saying that, the bearings have to put up with lateral forces as we go around corners, so how much more wear is debatable.

The only other thing is your car insurance. They may well say they wont cover that 'modification'. Or they may add an additional premium, They may not load at all?

 

[theshootist]

I like those spacers too.

And I noticed a nice alloy sump guard too.

It mentions model 139 and model 169 Panda - I have a 2014 4x4 - will that be a 139 or 169 ?

 

[theshootist]

I like those spacers too.

And I noticed a nice alloy sump guard too.

It mentions model 139 and model 169 Panda - I have a 2014 4x4 - will that be a 139 or 169 ?

Ok - I figured out which model I have - the 139.

Looked on ebay re spacers - bewildering variety - any advice whether 15mm is best or if 20mm too much ?

Saw an Italian set from REPARTOCORSE - anybody used them ?

 

[Dan at Adrian Flux]

Hi,
If you have any problems with insurance at all for wheel spacers then please feel free to drop me a line.
Regards,
Dan.

 

[R1NGA]

Ok - I figured out which model I have - the 139.

Looked on ebay re spacers - bewildering variety - any advice whether 15mm is best or if 20mm too much ?

Saw an Italian set from REPARTOCORSE - anybody used them ?

You're right, they do mean 319 when they say 139 - a typo. 20mm is too much in my view but 15mm should be fine. eBay is indeed awash with cheap and nasty 'universal' wheel spacers and 99% of the should be avoided at all costs. Any spacers you buy must;

- be made from quality aluminium or steel
- be machined to very accurately mount over the wheel-centre'ing hub
- themselves have a similar hub-centric 'lip' to hold the wheel 100% central
- be perfectly machined in terms of depth to hold the wheel accurately
- ideally be anodised to prevent alloy-steel corrosion where they mount up
- come with high quality lengthened wheel bolts

.... which is EXACTLY what the Prometeo spacers are like. If you can't tick all the above boxes with any spacers bought off eBay, then you will have nasty wheel wobble at higher speeds and the car will be ruined. Moreover, mounting the wheel back on the hub without a proper hub-centric spacer is an arse and you won't thank yourself at 10pm on a wet Friday night as you sit in the mud and road-snot of a layby trying to get the wheel and bolt holes to line up....

Just sayin'.....!

 

[theshootist]

You're right, they do mean 319 when they say 139 - a typo. 20mm is too much in my view but 15mm should be fine. eBay is indeed awash with cheap and nasty 'universal' wheel spacers and 99% of the should be avoided at all costs. Any spacers you buy must;

- be made from quality aluminium or steel
- be machined to very accurately mount over the wheel-centre'ing hub
- themselves have a similar hub-centric 'lip' to hold the wheel 100% central
- be perfectly machined in terms of depth to hold the wheel accurately
- ideally be anodised to prevent alloy-steel corrosion where they mount up
- come with high quality lengthened wheel bolts

.... which is EXACTLY what the Prometeo spacers are like. If you can't tick all the above boxes with any spacers bought off eBay, then you will have nasty wheel wobble at higher speeds and the car will be ruined. Moreover, mounting the wheel back on the hub without a proper hub-centric spacer is an arse and you won't thank yourself at 10pm on a wet Friday night as you sit in the mud and road-snot of a layby trying to get the wheel and bolt holes to line up....

Just sayin'.....!

Cheers R1NGA

Have you used Prometeo ? Do they have a UK stockist or do you hav eto buy from Italy ?

 

[R1NGA]

Cheers R1NGA

Have you used Prometeo ? Do they have a UK stockist or do you hav eto buy from Italy ?

Yes, No and Yes! Use Google Translate and mail them direct, as per their website. Adriano Verrelli is the chap who was very helpful to me. Nicely engineered stuff, that's for sure. If I still had my pervious 169 model 4x4 I'd have a go at their manual locking/engaging unit for the 4x4 setup - looks beautifully made.

 

[theshootist]

Cheers R1NGA - will do.

 

[theshootist]

Spacers added.

16mm on front and 20mm on rear.

I think it looks much better now.

 

[oyumurtaci]

Any rubbing during cornering through bumps yet? I'm curious as to what the tolerances really are in the front wheel wells. And I completely agree, it looks fantastic (and probably corners a bit better too).

 

[theshootist]

No rubbing etc at all. Tried it on full lock over pot holes etc.

Corners fine - have a new puppy ( 11 weeks old ) in a bed / cage in back so I am being smooth and reasonably slow on corners and roundabouts at the moment.

Looks sooooo much better :slayer: