Anyone got wheel spacers....?

[Bassik]

I was just wondering if anyone as installed spacers on their pog? I wanna get the rear ones done but didnt know how wide i can go. Was thinking 10mm.

If anyone has them, care to lik pics or give any advice?

Cheers

[kawabanga]

I installed 10mm on both axles.

I found a worse response on the steering wheels: the car is less responsive, seems that you need to turn more the steering to have a pair response on the road...
Aesthetically of course it looks better, only now it seems that a lowering of the back of the car is needed, more than before...

To improve the response while turning I think I'll try to install 5mm at front axle, letting 10mm back...

Here's a couple of pics:

[kaanage]

I installed 10mm on both axles.

I found a worse response on the steering wheels: the car is less responsive, seems that you need to turn more the steering to have a pair response on the road...

Yep - poking out the front wheels more increases the scrub radius which borks up your steering response. Plus they're illegal in most states in Australia.

[kawabanga]

Yep - poking out the front wheels more increases the scrub radius which borks up your steering response. Plus they're illegal in most states in Australia.

The entire GTI is illegal over 4.000rpm...

[Bassik]

I installed 10mm on both axles.

I found a worse response on the steering wheels: the car is less responsive, seems that you need to turn more the steering to have a pair response on the road...
Aesthetically of course it looks better, only now it seems that a lowering of the back of the car is needed, more than before...

To improve the response while turning I think I'll try to install 5mm at front axle, letting 10mm back...

Here's a couple of pics:

Awesome thanks for the pics looks good. I was only interested in doing the rear. So it's illegal to install even on rear?
You can get away with it easy enough.

Are they 10mm each?

[pologti18t]

Awesome thanks for the pics looks good. I was only interested in doing the rear. So it's illegal to install even on rear?

Aren't they illegal everywhere in Australia unless fitted standard?

[ATYPIC]

Yes they are illegal but you'd be unlucky to attract attention driving a polo unless stupidity was involved.

[Bassik]

Yes they are illegal but you'd be unlucky to attract attention driving a polo unless stupidity was involved.

Ehhh it aint a huge risk at all. It's not as if you can see a huge difference anyways.

Man I wish I got Xenons looks so much better!!!!

[ATYPIC]

Ehhh it aint a huge risk at all. It's not as if you can see a huge difference anyways.

I don't believe I stated it was a risk...in fact that is exactly what I was inferring, that it wasn't a risk

[kawabanga]

Formally is illegal also in Italy, but the imperative is not to stick out from the wheel house...
10mm is not so much...

Consider that if a rim with a different offset is mounted, you could have the same problem: standard rims are ET46, Detroit rims are ET35, more than 10mm...

[pologti18t]

Yes they are illegal but you'd be unlucky to attract attention driving a polo unless stupidity was involved.

I suppose the only risk if you have an accident with them fitted and the insurance company wants to wiggle out of paying up....

[kaanage]

Consider that if a rim with a different offset is mounted, you could have the same problem: standard rims are ET46, Detroit rims are ET35, more than 10mm...

The change in offset is not the issue - it's about structural integrity. The extra metal that reduces a wheel's offset is part of the wheel while a spacer is not.

A good spacer is machined from solid aluminium billett alloy that is at least as solid as the wheel so it will not crush and is perfectly safe (as long as it either allows the wheel to still mount on the hub or it sits on the hub and extends so the wheel can mount on it). A crappy spacer is made of porous cast aluminium or plain non-alloyed aluminum so it crushes under side loadings (cornering) which reduces the tension on the wheel nuts/bolts allowing them to loosen. Worst are the non-hubcentric porous ones which crush more quickly

Since spacers are not easily inspected and could potentially be made from cutouts from sheet bought at Bunnings, only ones supplied by the manufacturer as OE fitment are legal as they are certified along with the rest of the car.

[kawabanga]

Really can be found spacers made of cast aluminium...? Yes, I agree, they are crazy!

Personally I mounted Sparco spacers (do you know Sparco? It's an Italian brand making special parts) machined from solid aluminium and mantaining the original wheel centering, with longer quality screws: no vibrations or other issues, except the different behaviour and response of steering wheel, due to the changed geometry...