Originally Posted by black_cube

In theory, you are right about the additional stress. BUT, no one has ever proven either way and there never will be a difinitive test. There are way too many variables involved such as road conditions, alignment specs, tire compounds, driving styles, etc.

I've driven modified cars for the past 17 years, all lowered, wheels wider and lower offset than stock, many with spacers or adapters including a widebody GTI with ET5 and ET10 offset wheels. I've had no more wheel bearing issues than people I know with "normal" cars.

I aggree with you that spacers can be dangerous, but as long as the spacers are done right they put absolutely no more stress on the lugs or studs. The lugs/studs are there to secure the wheels to the hubs, which support the weight of the vehicle. If the spacers are not hubcentric or don't allow the wheel to sit hubcentric, then you have a dangerous situation.

This can all be chaulked up to just my theory on the subject, but it's all based on first hand experience and personal knowledge on my own cars, as well as working at one of the larger VW tuners in the industry for 8 years.

Yeah, cheap spacers that are not hubcentric or are machined incorrectly can do that. There's definitely more to a good spacer than a hunk of metal with bolt holes in it.

Originally Posted by mattxb

This has me a little nervous. I have added the cheap 5mm spacers to the back 2 wheels of my xB. If this is not safe, then I might just take them off. What risk am I running. They don't seem to wobble, I had plently of lug turnage........ Is my only worry that they would/could break? F that, I don't want to take any chances.