Spacers or redrill? Which is less bad?

[kaanage]

I am looking at getting a set of lightweight track wheels for my Polo and I can source either

1. wheels with the correct offset but in 5/114.3 rather than 5/100

or

2. wheels with the correct 5/100 stud pattern but 10mm too much offset

.
For wheel set #1, I could have them redrilled to be multifit while I could run 10mm spacers + longer wheel bolts with wheel set #2.

Which option would be preferable for cost and component stress? I would need to run hubrings with either wheel set and they would not get used on the road.

[Buller_Scott]

when you say 10mm too high offset, do you mean the wheels are like 58mm or so?

i have 3mm + 5mm spacers you're welcome to have if it will help, greg.

what wheels are they?

[dylan8]

are the wheels flat back to allow redrill? and when you say you need hubrings, is redrilling a option to 5x100 and still fit around hte centre bore.?

[Peter Jones]

CAMS regs allow a single metallic spacer between each wheel and the hub.

I'd go with good quality hub-centric spacers and avoid modifying the wheels.

Otherwise keep looking for wheels that fit.

[kaanage]

I just checked my OE 15x6.0 rims and they have a 43mm offset

The wheels I am considering are are 15x7.0 Team Dynamics ProRace 1.2's. Set #1 are 5/114.3 with 35mm offset and set #2 are 5/100 with 45mm offset. The wheel hubs are flat backed and the centerbore will easily be more than the 57.1mm of my Polo's hubs

I figure that since the 16x6.5 Denvers that came on the Polo GTi had an offset of 38mm, a 35mm offset should be OK for the 7" width.

I can get a set of 15x7.0 5/114.3 ProRace 2's for MUCH less (and these are even lighter) but they have an offset of only 25mm and I'm not about to bork up my steering. Plus I'd be a total hypocrite as I keep telling people that "poke" and "stance" are backward steps as far as performance is concerned.

Set #2 does seem to be the more "sensible" choice

i have 3mm + 5mm spacers you're welcome to have if it will help, greg.

Thanks Scotty - I may borrow them from you so I can check what the reduced offset will do to my steering. I do like how sharp it is with the 43mm offset (GTi Dave was very impressed with how my Polo steered and shifted)

[dylan8]

have you ran those 15x7et25s through a offset calaculator, wouldnt it be ideal to increase your track?

[kaanage]

An extra inch of width gives a 12.7mm increase from the centerline - a 25mm offset would be 5.3mm more than what's required to maintain current backspacing and you don't use all the steering lock on track so I can get away with a bit less, hence my preference for 35mm.

[rayray086]

I'd rather redrill. Spacers extend the weight of the wheel further out, causing more stress on the wheel bearings, and add unsprung weight. Both have their own safety concerns but in your case I'd redrill.

Any pics of the wheels? It may look bad if they don't run a centrecap that covers the bolts.

[kaanage]

The spacers shouldn't cause any more bearing loads if they just bring the wheels to the same offset - it is increasing the track that loads up the suspension components (plus borking the steering).

Also most manufacturers use the same basic casting for a particular wheel size and then machine the back the hub to set the offset before drilling the bolt/stud holes so I doubt the spacers would add to the total unsprung mass.
If I knew someone I could trust to do the job, I could buy the 25mm offset wheels and get 10mm machined off the rear of the hub before redrilling - but the only guy I would have trusted on this has gone out of business due to the effects of globalisation on our auto industry.

As for looks, meh - they're intended for the track, not for Chapel St posing.

---------- Post added at 12:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:20 AM ----------

Actually, I just found this post where it states the new 6R Polo has 2 17x7.0 option wheels that have a 46mm offset.

Maybe I should just get the 5/100 et45 wheels and worry about offset/backspacing after some fitment testing It'd be really nice to keep the steering axis as close to current if possible

[Buller_Scott]

i'll bring the spacers to the maroondah dam cruise, greg - i havent used them in yonks, and if it will mean that you can play around with stuff at your discretion, then all is good.