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Just upgraded from an R56 JCW to a full-blown GP2, trying to figure out my wheel situation... I'll be running snows on the GP2 wheels in the off-season (don't really like the design but need to retain the wheels for resale purposes) and was hoping to use my Breyton GTS-R's as summer wheels. I have to run a 5mm spacer on the JCW to clear the calipers, but based on my fitment testing yesterday it looks like I'm going to need more like 15mm to clear on the GP. I like the wheels - they're light and look awesome - but 15mm seems like a lot of spacer to me... Has anybody had issues running something that large? The Breyton's are a 40mm offset, too, so they'll probably protrude obnoxiously...
I ran 18x7. 43et wheels with 215/49/18 tires with 11mm spacers. No rubbing with GP2 Coilovers all the way down, I did rub a little when, I lowered it another 30mm with KWV3's You will be good
mQubed Motorsport, Manic Tuning Dealer
__________________ 2013 GP2 #295, 270whp/310wtq, KO4 47mm Turbo, 18" NM Wheels, Alta intake, Manic Stage III+, HFS-3 Meth, 30% E85 Blend, Forged IC, Alta Hot Pipe, P&P/Ceramic Exhaust Manifold, m3 Extreme Ceramic DP, Vibrant mid res, 4" Double walled Tips, WMW/KW V3 CO, Alta Rear CA, CREE Fogs, Black out F/R Rings and Gas Cap, M7 CF Front Splitter, and No Stickers. MORE TO COME!! Previous 04Triple Black 17% Alta, MM Air/H2O, CAI, OBX Header, FBT Head, Shrick Cam, 234whp
Note with 15mm spacers you will need long wheel studs or long wheel bolts.
Try not to use the add on spacers that don't require changing studs or bolt length, they are not as durable.
To reduce the wheel poke you can use a little more negative camber by adding front adjustable camber plates and rear adjustable lower control arms. But excessive negative camber will wear the tires inner tread blocks during street use. Excessive rear negative camber may increase understeer.
As I understand it the GP has about -2 degrees up front from the factory (there's definitely visible negative camber), and we all know the rears are well into negative territory too. I'm not so much worried about rubbing / poke as I am longer term damage to the wheel bearings, etc - plus I'd have to run something close to 15mm on the rear to maintain the car's inherent balance, so all 4 wheels would be involved. I just don't know what the general consensus on spacer width is for these cars... My school of thought has always been no spacer or a little as possible, so 15mm seems like a lot to me. But that's just me.
15mm is not that much, otherwise there would be no 30 or 40mm spacer.
But you need long wheel bolts or studs to use a wide spacer.
For street driving 15mm spacer is not that bad for the wheel bearings.
In general, wheel spacers are for fitment and clearance but some use them for looks only.
When possible use no spacer by having a wheel with the right offset to start with, but this is not always possible due to the generic offsets for most mass produced wheels. Custom wheels offer any offset so that would be the best choice for fitment.
Could go either way, its very close. I would get the wheels on first and then get the spacers so you can measure. Its going to be 6mm inboard with no spacer from ET 48 to et 52 . 17mm will get you closer.
I have been running 15mm spacers on my GP1 for about 70,000 miles (about 7 years) with no problems. I currently have 92,500 miles on the car with original bearings, ball joints, bushings. I am using the stock GP1 wheels 18x7 et52 so with the 15mm spacers about a 37mm offset.
I did convert from the stock lug bolts to studs and nuts. The ECS kit with long black bolts looks good (weren't available when I got spacers).
On my 2013 JCW I run a 16mm spacer in front with none in the rear on 7.5 wheels mounting 235/40/17 all around. Car is lowered 2 inches. No problem with rubbing and handling is fantastic!
On my previous 2006 MCS I ran 20mm spacers all around, no lowering
and 225/45/17 on 7 inch wheels and it would rub with 4 riders @70 mph after going thru some dips,but not @ 50mph. Car had a terrific stance.
Well. I just installed the NM engineering 17x7.5 with the 45 et. Although my stock JCW 17x7 wheels looked great with the 15mm spacer I didn't like how the new wheels looked (poked) with the spacer. Does any body have any thoughts on what spacer would look best with the new wheels? Or better said what spacer would make the new wheels poke the same as the originals did with the 15mm spacer? Any pics would be great. Ps. I may have a set of 15mm ecs spacers with bolts for sale 😀
The stock JCW I believe are ET 48, you say the NM are ET 45, that is 3mm difference so a 12mm spacer would do it.
Sorry, I missed that the NM wheel is larger. The NM wheel will poke out 9.5mm more that the JCW. So you would need a 5mm spacer. To give you the look of the 15mm.
Here is the math, if your original wheels were 17x7 with ET 48 as suggested by cerenkov:
Original ET 48 with 15mm spacers is equivalent to ET 33 (48-15), so you want to get close to that again.
Your ET 45 17x7.5 are 1/4" (6.5 mm) wider towards the outside, so equivalent ET of 38.5 (45-6.5). You want to get to ET 33 so 38.5 - 33 = 5.5 mm. Thus, a 5mm spacer as suggested by cerenkov should be just about right.
