Your alloy wheel options just got wider

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Pistonhead
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For those who are interested in blinging their Gs' with alloy wheels and find the Mercedes Benz or AMG alloys expensive or limiting their choice; the nets can be cast wider now as there are available convertor-spacers which allow for the fitting of either Porsche or Land Rover wheels to fit the G-Wagen.

Check the link below:

http://gwagenpreserve.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=50&Itemid=1&TreeId=36

IanA2
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Re: Your alloy wheel options just got widder

For whatever reason I've always kept away from spacers. Not really sure why. Suppose I just feel uncomfortable about the idea. Am I being ridiculously cautious or does my intuition have a real basis?

G-Restorations
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Re: Your alloy wheel options just got wider

There is a company not too far away who convert Audi Q7. Touareg and Cayenne and some other wheels so they fit straight on to Gs without spacers, The Mercedes centre caps fit as well.  

cox.adrian
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Re: Your alloy wheel options just got widder

IanA2 wrote:

For whatever reason I've always kept away from spacers. Not really sure why. Suppose I just feel uncomfortable about the idea. Am I being ridiculously cautious or does my intuition have a real basis?

        wheel bearings will not last as long!

        but saying that ive had 30mm spacers on my 460 for over 5 years

        with 225/70/16 tires

        i changed the N/S front wheel bearing 3 years ago 

        but this was the first bearing failure since new so i had my money,s

       worth now i am changing up to 265/75/16 so maybe a regular job now

             Adrian

       

        

IanA2
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Re: Your alloy wheel options just got widder

cox.adrian wrote:

IanA2 wrote:

For whatever reason I've always kept away from spacers. Not really sure why. Suppose I just feel uncomfortable about the idea. Am I being ridiculously cautious or does my intuition have a real basis?

        wheel bearings will not last as long!

        but saying that ive had 30mm spacers on my 460 for over 5 years

        with 225/70/16 tires

        i changed the N/S front wheel bearing 3 years ago 

        but this was the first bearing failure since new so i had my money,s

       worth now i am changing up to 265/75/16 so maybe a regular job now

             Adrian

       

 

Ah.....so there's something in the intuition.enlightened

grazza
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Re: Your alloy wheel options just got wider

Wheel spacers are illegal in Australia and as such insurance companies will use that as an excuse to void cover in some situations.

I am currently getting some 16x5.5" G steel wheels widened to 8" so I can fit some 265x75R16 tyres (changing to a smaller tyre from my 33's)

Steel is better for offroad, although the factory alloys are very strong and I have never heard of them cracking (unlike many aftermarket wheels and using "car" rated wheels offroad)

IanA2
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Re: Your alloy wheel options just got wider

grazza wrote:

Wheel spacers are illegal in Australia and as such insurance companies will use that as an excuse to void cover in some situations.

 

Is that because there have been incidents?

grazza
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Re: Your alloy wheel options just got wider

I think its because it puts more stress on the wheel studs which has resulted in them snapping and wheels falling off.  A lot more dangerous than seized bearings.  Illegal in all states.

They are pretty strict down here on most changes to factory spec.  We are only allowed limited suspension lift and tyre increases.  Probably because a minority take things too far, to share the road with.

But its strange that wheel spacers are OK in Germany and their TUV is usually pretty tough on modifications.

 

IanA2
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Re: Your alloy wheel options just got wider

Thanks, very informative. It's funny how things that one feels intuitively uneasy about often have a basis in fact.

mercfan
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Re: Your alloy wheel options just got wider

grazza wrote:

I think its because it puts more stress on the wheel studs which has resulted in them snapping and wheels falling off.  A lot more dangerous than seized bearings.  Illegal in all states.

They are pretty strict down here on most changes to factory spec.  We are only allowed limited suspension lift and tyre increases.  Probably because a minority take things too far, to share the road with.

But its strange that wheel spacers are OK in Germany and their TUV is usually pretty tough on modifications.

 

The key factors are:

Material used

Manufacturing tolerances

Hubcentric AND stud/nut centric

Incidents that have happened were more than likely because of lash-ups by idiots with not the faintest grasp of engineering principles involved.

For what it's worth, a 6Jx16 ET60 wheel with a 30mm spacer puts a LOT less stress on the suspension and steering components than a 8Jx17 ET0 without a spacer.

It's all relative, to be seen in relation with each other.

A lot of what gets stipulated by the TUV actually comes from the motor industry itself and what they consider to be reasonably safe in abusive hands. They do allow exceptions to the rule, by way of a Einsel-Zulassung (individual acceptance), as long as the engineering side stacks(limits, capacities, etc) up and wouldn't be dangerous to the owner and/or other road users. Still, I consider myself fortunate not to be living in Germany.