I'm looking to put some spacers on my Clubman (I want that just-at-the fenders-look) and I was hoping to hear some experiences on the widest people have used?

My wheels are stock 16x(7?)s

Any help is appreciated!

 

If that is really the look you are going for the first thing you need to do is to bump up to 18" x 7.5 and put on some 215/40's. them drop the suspension by about 1-1/2" and you will have the look yo are going for.

Going to the just at the fender look with the wide sidewall of the 16" tire just look horrible IMHO.

 

Nah, it'll look better this way.

 

If this is purely for cosmetic reasons, I think you could get a pretty larger spacer.

The best way is to get a pump bob and hang it from the inside of your wheel well and the measure the distance to the top of the wheel. Remember there is much more space than that because as the suspension compesses, it folds inward and upward.

 

Don't for get that this will throw off much of the suspension geometry and probably make the very difficult to handle if you go to wide with the spacer

 

Adding a spacer to "widen" the track doesn't directly affect suspension geometry, but more of the handling characteristics only.
Since you're only adding width in a one-dimensional plane, the camber, caster or toe is not changed, merely the point of contact patch from centerline of the vehicle.

- Erik

 

If you add spacers don't go any wider then 10mm I wouldn't even go wider then 5mm cause you run the risk of burning out your wheel bearing prematurely.

 

Now, I can attest to two things:

1.) with a local shop running their R53 Cooper on the auto-x track and the road-course tarmac with some 60K miles, no wheel bearing ever failed...
And that's with HEAVY use of uber-sticky rubber and g-forces that can rip out suspension bushings...

2.) similarly with the VW / Audi community, people *thought* there would be bearing issue with extreme wheel offsets and spacers.
Again, that has been proven to be a very shallow claim; failures of bearings due to only spacers have been beyond rare.

- Erik

 

I have to disagree.
It also changes the stress in the wheel bearings.

It changes the instantaneous roll centers depending on suspension geometry. Not my much, but as you move the center of the contact patch, the line intesecting the suspension convergence will change. Not enough to notice, but it does.

It affects front suspension geometry with respect to scrub radius. Not camber, caster or toe. You are correct about that. With power steering you may not notice it much.

For anyone who can't follow that, I recommend the old standby, How To Make Your Car Handle by Fred Punn, or the series by Caroll Smith. Engineer to Win, Prepare to Win etc.

Advice to the OP, heck 10mm should be fine. I would be a tad concerned with 30. I too want to keep the nice lightweight 16's. ( or lighter forged wider 16's with less offset so I can run the 215's)

 

6.5's I think. 7's only in the 17's and 18's

 

KARAMORE-

you can use 15mm H&R spacers on all 4 wheels without any issues at all. I have the 17" crown wheels with 15mm and have no rubbing issues at all on a lowered car. Adding spacers is no more stress on the bearings then adding bigger wider wheels. I also felt no ill affects with on either. More stability if anything due to widder stance.

 

Jen, exactly correct, no more stress than wider wheels ( or less offset). Either case, if you move the center of the contact patch off center, you will put additional stress on the bearings. Probably no big deal but the OEM goes to a lot of trouble to line these things up. So, just be advised when we make decisions to change what they originally designed. Not much choice on the rear as it only has about 10mm clearance to start with!

Did you go studs or longer bolts? Tempting.

 

Thanks fellas. I'll definitely look into the H&R spacers. I had some custom made for my Esprit, but I think off the shelf might be a cheaper route.

 

I did the longer bolts from H&R.