Was starting a rear brake job and found this insert / spacer thing upon removing one of the rear wheels. What is it? What purpose does it serve and how to I reinstall the wheel and get this thing aligned?

 

It's a wheels spacer

Here you go

 

Also

http://www.ehow.com/about_5364943_pu...l-spacers.html

 

Awesome. Thanks for the quick reply. You guys are great!

 

Drop it in the recycle bin. You don't need those.

 

some one bought them to "poke" the wheel out more than it does to give "stance"...

 

So I don't need them? They are a pain in the tail to get realigned and get the wheel back on

 

You don't need them, give them away.

With wheel bolts you will have a harder time to get them to fit easily. With wheel studs it's easy to put the spacer on then wheel.

Spacers like this don't fit into the wheel hub so they are not hub centric.

Also any spacer that is thick will require longer than OEM wheel bolts so that there is enough threads to lock the wheel on the hub.

 

comments above are spot on ASSUMING you have OE wheels

looking at the pictures you hung I think you do

BUT if your wheels are NOT from MINI they MIGHT have a different depth/offset and NEED the spacers . . . so don't TOSS 'em until you drive a bit without them.

If you want to keep them ... to simplify hanging the tires while still using studs you need a wheel hanger tool

http://www.urotuning.com/Wheel-Hange...5-p/MN14WH.htm
EXAMPLE btw ... b4 u order check your correct size . . . .

OR do as I do and stick a stout phillips head screwdriver thu the top lug hole of the wheel from the outside .... reach around and hang the spacer on the screw driver ... place the wheel using the screw driver to locate a lug hole .... a little fidgeting from there makes everything come together ....

that's not a crazy spacer so I and I stress I would not worry about longer wheel studs

(you would NOT want to see the spacers on my 79!!!)

 

From the picture the OP posted it looks like the inside of an oem S Heavy wheel.

 

concur

looks like s-lites

comments above are spot on ASSUMING you have OE wheels

looking at the pictures you hung I think you do

 

One thought....
Do you have coilovers? Wider than stock rubber? or maybe a warped/bent suspension part.???...
The spacers might be to prevent or fix a rubbing issue....
They appear too thin really change the look of the car to "stance"....
I am guessing a prior owner spent $$ on them cause they had a need...
If you do not use them....look closely after a few miles for any rubbing....