I like the way that the OTG hub spacers improve the appearance of the xA, but I'm not sure how it will affect my handling. I'm guessing that if a push the rear wheels out further, my car will be more prone to understeer. I would like the opinion of those who actually race their cars on the track - not the dub crowd.

 

This is what I'm looking at doing with my xB. I plan on doing some AutoXing and want to lower my car a little and get the wheels out. If you think about it in terms of real world race application, F1 cars essentially exercise this to the furthest degree. How well do you think an F1 car would handle if the wheels were directly underneath the body? Anyway, I've looked into the H&R spacers and having ones custom made. The H&Rs are on backorder for at least 6 weeks. Custom units are available now, but they don't include lug nuts/bolts for your application and they cost more.

I decided that I was just gonna wait for the H&Rs because I know they make excellent products and come complete. The other thing is the fitment. Only the H&R 25mm spacer is set up where the spacer bolts to the hub and then you bolt the wheel to the spacer/hub. All others you have to mess around with tapping in a stud. The guy I spoke to at H&R said that he wouldn't even mess with that set up. He highly recommended that I wait for the 25mm based on the fitment alone. I may have to have the fenders rolled a little bit, but that would just make it look better anyway : )

 

^^Good point^^ but the otg spacers dont require the the replacement of the studs I myself used the H&R style spacers Like thease ones


I used thease on my factory wheels and had to use them again for my little miata wheels.
I havent raced on the track but I did not feel like the car had any more or less oversteer

 

I don't race on the track (just race the clock to get to work on time), but I didn't feel any difference in handling after adding the OTG spacers...

 

My car squeels/slides less on sharp(SHARP!) turns at 40+ mph. "What? The speed limit sign says 45!"

 

I believe what you were referring to, Camo, were wheel spacers. I want to know the effect that hub spacers have on the car. I know that Tamango (sp?) and LeeD have raced their cars and that Tamango ran spacers. I kinda want an argument for and against hub spacers so I can form a better opinion of them...

 

3 words for ya
One Ton Garage!

 

Van explains it well:

http://onetongarage.com/products/rea...him/index.html

Given the two ways, the shims just seem safer than adding that contraption to the outside. Plus, can you see that thing through your wheels? Ewwww

 

Word!

 

those seem pretty simple, what do you think the advantages/disagvantages of just making your own would be? they give out all the specs on thier site, shouldnt be too hard to make, maybe days of work or so

 

A day's work for me is worth alot more than $65... Time = Money

Maybe if you had one to copy, making one from scratch to fit might be kinduva chore, IMO, but if you've got the time, material and tools or a decent combo of the three...

It's not an intricate device, just a well shaped block of aluminum.

 

The OTG spacer shims definitely are mostly used for cosmetic purposes... lots of people tend to buy high offset wheels for their xA/xBs, and besides the fact that this can lead to the rear wheel looking extraordinarily sunken in, sometimes there's a major clearance issue when the inside edge of the rear wheel/tire rubs against the suspension control arm. Sometimes just running a 5mm wheel spacer alone isn't enough to gain you additional control arm clearance, and if your intent is to get the rear wheel as flush with the rear fender as the front wheel is with the front fender, then you'll usually need *at least* 10mm ...and running a wheel spacer over 8mm would usually require swapping out wheel studs, so the hub spacer shim is the easiest way to get that much more spacing without spending more time and money to replace the studs.

Anyway, as for the performance difference with the shims, I'd have to say that it'd probably be pretty hard for most people to tell a difference, although there is a great possibility that some will feel a little handling difference with the slight increase in the rear track width (well, it'd actually be an additional 20mm!).

 

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how bout this for a non-dub answer.

the car handles much better with the spacers. understeer is no worse than it was in the first place. the rear of the car is more stable.

that being said, i also have Tanabe coilovers, Hotchkis sways f/r, and apr strutbar...

i took my autocross numbers through the roof after i put the spacers on. . took home a trophy anyway ;)