wheel spacers what ya think

[npdelo]

I would imagine that handling would be better with these yes? I also had a question about taking off the wheels, I gave it at earlier today but it seemed that one of the nuts was extremely tight. It was moving the wheel so I stopped and left it on the Jack stands didn't have time to try the other one

[Bitsyncmaster]

Always loosen the lug nuts a little before you jack the wheel up. You don't need to do this if your using an impact wrench but with the T bar or lug wrench you do. That prevents you putting any force into the drive axles or transmission. It also makes it easy with the non-driven wheels.

[DMCMW Dave]

I'd avoid spacing out the front wheels. I've seen a few bent fenders from having the tire hit the fender when turned and hitting a bump. Any spacers cause you to run the risk of not engaging enough lug nut threads. I'm not sure what the handling benefit would be, and widening the stance also puts more stress on suspension parts (which are already kind of marginal).

[sdg3205]

At one point I thought DMCH or perhaps another vendor was selling "DeLorean specific" spacers.

Was I just imagining this?

[DMCMW Dave]

There are factory spacers for the rear wheels. Limit one per side.

http://store.delorean.com/p-7431-adapter-plate.aspx

[Mike C.]

Any before and after pics?

[sdg3205]

Any before and after pics?

I could have sworn I saw front spacers at one point. Perhaps an old DeLorean World issue.

I was just curious more than anything else. If they weren't safe their existence doesn't even really matter!

Thanks Dave S!

[DMCMW Dave]

Any before and after pics?

They are so thin (maybe 1/8") as to not make a difference you can see. I believe they were an afterthough because without them the rear wheel can hit the lower shock mount washer. Sometimes.

[MartyP]

So they where standard on all cars ?

Cause I dont have any on mine !!!!

[DMCMW Dave]

So they where standard on all cars ?
Cause I dont have any on mine !!!!

They are supposed to be there. They are generally held on with a screw, but with the screw missing they can be in place just held by rust. (The screw isn't really necessary.)

Look at the inside edge of your rear wheels. If they are marred from hitting the lower shock mount/washer you need the spacers. If nothing is hitting (or it's worn away now!) you can probably get away without it.

[outatym2001]

I could have sworn I saw front spacers at one point. Perhaps an old DeLorean World issue.

I was just curious more than anything else. If they weren't safe their existence doesn't even really matter!

Thanks Dave S!

Dave S. you didn’t imagine them. They are real. The spacers you saw are on the wall at DMC Northwest when you paid them a visit. They are for aftermarket wheels only and not for the original DeLorean wheels.
Or maybe you did see something in a DeLorean World magazine since I don’t subscribe to it so I’m not sure what you might have seen.


So they where standard on all cars ?

Cause I dont have any on mine !!!!

The rear spacers are in the Parts Manual so I’m assuming they are installed on every DeLorean.
I have the spacers installed and there is a gap of one inch (2.5 cm) in between the aluminum hub and the aluminum alloy rim.

[Jacko]

The very first thing I bought for 16647 in the eighties was a pair of spacers for the front wheels. They were machined out of aluminum 1/2 inch thick from D One.

[eagle-co94]

Marty if you look very closely I'm sure they're there. When I parted 4004 it was hard to see them at first, but they are there.

I wouldn't install spacers over 5mm or so unless you're going to mount longer studs.

[DMCMW Dave]

The very first thing I bought for 16647 in the eighties was a pair of spacers for the front wheels. They were machined out of aluminum 1/2 inch thick from D One.

I'm surprised you could space the front wheels out that far (1/2 inch) and not have the tires hit the fenders if you hit a bump on a turn (i.e. turning into a driveway), and that there is enough lenghth on the lug stud to engage a safe amount of thread with the nut. Did you have to install longer studs? Is the car lowered in the front?

[Patrick C]

The very first thing I bought for 16647 in the eighties was a pair of spacers for the front wheels. They were machined out of aluminum 1/2 inch thick from D One.

DMCCA sells them:

http://deloreanmotorcenter.com/_a000008_wheel_spacers.html

I have a pair and it made the front wheels look great spaced out a little bit more...the whole car looked wider and lower. The only problem is I could get about 4 full turns per lug nut and was somewhat uncomfortable with that. Toby P gave me a lead on longer lugs but I never tried those and instead removed the spacers.

[Jacko]

I'm surprised you could space the front wheels out that far (1/2 inch) and not have the tires hit the fenders if you hit a bump on a turn (i.e. turning into a driveway), and that there is enough lenghth on the lug stud to engage a safe amount of thread with the nut. Did you have to install longer studs? Is the car lowered in the front?Actually, I didn't replace the lugs. I assume I thought the existing lugs were sufficient. I will admit I had a little rubbing of the front fenders but I had lowered the front a little too much which I figured was the culprit. Remember this was the early eighties and no one knew what you could get away with. I raised the front up a little and the rubbing was minimised ... they are still on 16647.

Ah, the early eighties ... Ed B was having parts made and I was buying them! There was no internet and no one telling Ed not to do it. No one telling me not to buy them ... those were the days! Thank God they're gone! I'm telling you, a forum like this where members are helping each other and passing along valuable information and pulling one's chain when they go off on a tangent is a Godsend indeed! :Headspin:

[nelshaun]

I see. So that's how to jack the wheel up properly. I thought it's going to work the other way around when I did not do anything with the wheel lug nuts (http://www.drivewire.com/part/wheels-and-tires/wheel-lug-nuts/).