What have you done with your Polo so far (and today)

[gavs]

I had a look through austlii (database of legislation & court cases), the RTA vehicle standards and the ADR's for info on wheel spacers.

In NSW the directive is that the Wheel Track must not be increased to more than 25mm more than the maximum allowable by the vehicle manufacturer: http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registrati...vsi09_rev4.pdf

The Australian Design Rules say: Wheel spacers (or adaptors for dual wheel conversions) between the wheel mounting face and the road wheel must not be used unless fitted as original equipment by the vehicle
manufacturer. ( http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roa..._2011%20v3.pdf )

My last car had wheel spacers as standard, so technically I could put whatever spacer necessary on it to increase wheel track to 25mm bigger than stock (effectively a 30mm spacer).

I haven't got my polo yet but i'll hazard a guess that they don't have spacers as stock. If they don't then it'd be illegal to add them.

To get a defected the officer would have to know they weren't there as standard, so if they're subtle enough you'd get away with it.

That is technically incorrect. Unless you are fitting the same spacer to the vehicle it is illegal because you are now fitting a non standard spacer to the vehicle that the specific model was never sold with, hence you are changing the compliance status of the vehicle. To increase the track by 25mm that is 12.5mm per side. To legally do this can only be done on the wheels themselves, not by adding a spacer that would be 12.5mm wider on each wheel because you will then be fitting a non approved spacer to the vehicle hence rendering the vehicle to a status of requiring re-compliance or an engineers certificate.

I know spacers are cheap but really people, just do it properly if you want the wheels to poke a bit more. I thought the VW community was better than our bogan commodore-owning neighbors.

[MackTheKnife]

That is technically incorrect. Unless you are fitting the same spacer to the vehicle it is illegal because you are now fitting a non standard spacer to the vehicle that the specific model was never sold with, hence you are changing the compliance status of the vehicle. To increase the track by 25mm that is 12.5mm per side. To legally do this can only be done on the wheels themselves, not by adding a spacer that would be 12.5mm wider on each wheel because you will then be fitting a non approved spacer to the vehicle hence rendering the vehicle to a status of requiring re-compliance or an engineers certificate.

I know spacers are cheap but really people, just do it properly if you want the wheels to poke a bit more. I thought the VW community was better than our bogan commodore-owning neighbors.

Cool, thanks. I was talking about NSW as per the question. I know they'd be more restrictive in Victoria.

They are illegal in NSW, sometimes (well most of the time), but NOT always. I only checked out the legality here because my previous car had them as OEM fitment. Porsche also used wheel spacers on some older models. They are not strictly the domain of Falcodores.

The whole statement that dictates their legality in NSW is "Wheel spacers (or adaptors for dual wheel conversions) between the wheel mounting face and the road wheel must not be used unless fitted as original equipment by the vehicle
manufacturer."

It makes no mention of a standard or OEM wheel spacer. The rule is encompassed in one single sentence. There is no separate state directive like there is in Vic, Qld & SA (and probably others).

It infers that Wheel spacers between the wheel mounting face and the road wheel may be used if fitted as original equipment by the manufacturer. Keep inside the other rules and you're good to go.

I can honestly say I won't be adding spacers to my Polo, but I also wouldn't give someone a hard time for doing it. It's their car and their choice.

[BLN355]

Just did a test fit of the new wheels. Looks to be a maximum of 10mm poke so should be all good (i hope).

Front



Rear

[gavs]

What about the allowance for tyres and wheel travel mate?

[BLN355]

What about the allowance for tyres and wheel travel mate?

Yeah there's enough room for tyres, 225/35/18 should be perfect. Suspension travel may be an issue in the back depending on how far the rears move up into the well (dont want it to belt the guards on full compression). They are only street wheels/tyres though so no hard driving but will be making sure all bases are covered

[cstb_87]

Just did a test fit of the new wheels. Looks to be a maximum of 10mm poke so should be all good (i hope).

Damn that looks good BLN. Nice work. Need a bit of stretch though.

[ATYPIC]

Yeah there's enough room for tyres, 225/35/18 should be perfect. Suspension travel may be an issue in the back depending on how far the rears move up into the well (dont want it to belt the guards on full compression). They are only street wheels/tyres though so no hard driving but will be making sure all bases are covered

Sorry...but looking at the pics the rears won't move up into the guard well at all...because they can't. I stand by what I said before...you will have problems. You need to either compromise on wheel width, ET or the amount of lowering. I think you should ask to return the rears for the correct size.

I'm guessing the fronts are also ET35 right? It looks exactly like what I envisaged and mentioned previously....slight poke outside the guards.

[BLN355]

Well im not one to quit so i'll be persevering with the 9's for now untill it is proven impossible

Yeah I understood what you were saying. I need to see how much upward travel there is at full compression to see if there will be issues daily driving. If the travel is so much that the wheel reaches the guard then i'll have to rethink some options.

Sorry...but looking at the pics the rears won't move up into the guard well at all...because they can't. I stand by what I said before...you will have problems. You need to either compromise on wheel width, ET or the amount of lowering. I think you should ask to return the rears for the correct size.

I'm guessing the fronts are also ET35 right? It looks exactly like what I envisaged and mentioned previously....slight poke outside the guards.

[ATYPIC]

Well im not one to quit so i'll be persevering with the 9's for now untill it is proven impossible

Yeah I understood what you were saying. I need to see how much upward travel there is at full compression to see if there will be issues daily driving. If the travel is so much that the wheel reaches the guard then i'll have to rethink some options.

I do hope it works out for you but based on the advice I've been given from someone who's been in the bespoke wheel business for 15+ years...I think you'll need to make some changes.

[LocoPolo]

Well i had 8x18 et35 and 215/35/18 with H&R 25/40mm and i can tell you any hard bumps on the road the tires used to scrape.....if you put 225 and have 9x18 not going to be pretty to hear or feel.

[cstb_87]

Well im not one to quit so i'll be persevering with the 9's for now untill it is proven impossible

Yeah I understood what you were saying. I need to see how much upward travel there is at full compression to see if there will be issues daily driving. If the travel is so much that the wheel reaches the guard then i'll have to rethink some options.

Why not go more stretch with 215?

[ian.perry]

Well, yesterday I ticked over 10,000km (woo!)... and then popped a tyre on a pothole

So I get to spend the first bit of my long weekend putting the space saver on and getting the tyre replaced.

[BLN355]

Well i had 8x18 et35 and 215/35/18 with H&R 25/40mm and i can tell you any hard bumps on the road the tires used to scrape.....if you put 225 and have 9x18 not going to be pretty to hear or feel.

Was this with standard shockies?

Why not go more stretch with 215?

I think 215's may be pushing the envelope a little too much on a 9inch rim. I'll go down the tyre shop today and have a chat with them about it.
Just seen on another forum a guy is running 8.75's with a 20 offset on his Audi A1 (same underpinnings as the Pogo) and has 15mm more poke then me so hopefully it works out.

[cstb_87]

I think 215's may be pushing the envelope a little too much on a 9inch rim. I'll go down the tyre shop today and have a chat with them about it.
Just seen on another forum a guy is running 8.75's with a 20 offset on his Audi A1 (same underpinnings as the Pogo) and has 15mm more poke then me so hopefully it works out.

Go on to Stanceworks an speak with those boys. They're good for this sort of information

[BLN355]

Why not go more stretch with 215?

I'll do you one better, how about 205's lol
Stay tuned!