why wheel spacers with standard size alloys?

[eddieedmo]

Had the wheels off today for the first time to clean out front bearings/repack and adjust the play.The front wheels have 6mm spacers with standard 16" alloys.The rear wheels have no spacers.Why would they be on ?any benefits ?.

Nick []

 

[Diver944]

A previous owner could have put them on for aesthetic appearance (they fill the arches a bit better) or he may have wanted the front end to be a bit 'pointier' when steering. Increasing the width of the track at the front with spacers will do this

 

[Neil Haughey]

Yes in general increasing track width has similar effect to lowering the car as it lowers the angle between the cars CofG and the tyre contact patch thus giving more grip. Also of course helps to reduce the wheelbase to track width ratio making the car more willing to turn, important if tracking one of these cars as they have a 'dumbbell' layout, very stable but less willing to alter direction than a car with its mass within the axles. Downsides are a plenty though if using spacers to get that extra width, one not so obvious is changing the scrub radius, if you go far enough from -ve to +ve on a late car and this effects how the steering feel changes as the loads on a wheel change.

 

[eddieedmo]

Thanks for the information guys,I think I will put back to standard and have alignment done as standard.It will be interesting to see if I can tell any change in the car.

Nick