Wheel spacers - good/bad/indifferent

[st3ph3n]

Thinking about bigger brakes when my discs need replaced (soon!)

I'm reluctant to shell out for STI wheels if I go for brembos as I have 2 sets of perfectly good WRX wheels - road and track. So do spacers actually work? Part of me says they're a recipe for disaster, but I don't know why I think that.

[colin_ross]

As you are effectively changing the offset of your wheels expect the car to handle different, the bigger the wheels the more pronounced it will be. Also, are you going to change the wheels studs for longer ones? If not for ever mm you push the wheels out there will be 1 mm less thread holding them on.

[st3ph3n]

I wouldn't do something that would be unsafe, so if longer studs were required I'd probably go for some.

It's just a thought for the moment. Brembos, the godspeed kit or just uprating the discs are all options for when the time comes. But the brembos will require spacers or new wheels.

[colin_ross]

In the same situation myself St3ph3n so I know where you're coming from.

Having spend a couple of quid on my car I've learned a very expensive lesson, if you're going to do something, do it once.  I've bought mods for my car and as my spec grows I've out grown the new item and had to change it again and it's ended up costing me more than if I'd just got the best one in the first place.

So, when I get my new brakes I'll be getting AP's. It'll save the enevitable upgrades, there's no clearance issues and most importantly my "tart" status will remain intact.

[st3ph3n]

Tart status is tremendously important.

I'm of a similar mindset with regards to doing things once. Although AP is out of my price range by a distance, and I think would possibly be wasted on a car that has a goal of 300bhp.

The godspeed kit is £600 including discs and pads. A decent set of normal discs and pads is going to skin me ~ £300. The brembos - not sure.

I have some thinking to do.

[granby]

I have the Godspeed kit and have nothing but praise for them, have used them for a few track days and they have never let me down and they are great for normal road use [Y] also they will fit under WRX wheels []

[craig mac]

St3ph3n

Have you considered these?

http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/catalog/produ...roducts_id=8306

Had these on the westfield and they are awesome

Craig

[st3ph3n]

There's a GB on a wilwood kit on SN just now actually. Maybe by the time I need brakes it'll still be on and I can consider.

Those calipers look like the same ones, but by the time discs and pads etc. are added it's not cheap!

[craig mac]

That place did a package deal for me for the westfield

Worth giving them a shout, No harm in asking

Craig

[RS Grant]

Had some Godspeed's on my first MY99 Scoob and as Granby said... nothing but praise for them... very very well made, quality products at (IMO) great prices too!! []

Cheers,

Grant

[wrxmania]

In was going to get Godspeed for mine before I sold it - spoke to Ian Godney about the kit, he reckons the 4 pot Subaru calipers are actually quite good - just need a bigger contact area - speak to Ricey he has had it for years on his car.  He said it was great.

AP's will fit under your 17's Stephen - that was also an (expensive) option.

I'd go Godspeed - the Brembo's are pretty overpriced often and I liked the standard WRX wheels.

Brian []

[wilky]

I had a set of APs made up for my car, in my opinion unless you are going to try and win le mans then anything above a decent 4 pot caliper on a 330mm disc is wasted on a classic, on a blob or bug eye, there are certain parties who would argue that these cars carry more momentum therefore benefit more from 6 pots.etc.

My APs came off a TVR and I hunted about for discs and bells and had to have bracket made up AND still had to space my wheels out, longer studs, hubs off at the back etc etc to get the same spacing all round.

Result- not an iota of difference to the handling but the braking benifits of the 4 pot APs are awesome.

In my opinion 6 pots are the way ahead for you and APs are the only brakes to put on a scooby. If SWRT went back to AP, then its AP for me.

Why scrimp and save for a few hundered. Stuff it, put the AP 6 pots on and buy new wheels and rubber as well, upgrade to 18s and put 355 discs on. You cant take it with you when you die and your only young once. Worry about paying it later.

Put godspeeds on and you get what you pay for. Budget brakes and it will always scream in your head, "These godspeeds are ok, but 6 pots APs would have been better, mind you Im tighter than a crabs a**e at 50 fathoms and should have shelled out for them"

Go on you know you have to.

[fai17]

  Quote

I had a set of APs made up for my car, in my opinion unless you are going to try and win le mans then anything above a decent 4 pot caliper on a 330mm disc is wasted on a classic, on a blob or bug eye, there are certain parties who would argue that these cars carry more momentum therefore benefit more from 6 pots.etc.

My APs came off a TVR and I hunted about for discs and bells and had to have bracket made up AND still had to space my wheels out, longer studs, hubs off at the back etc etc to get the same spacing all round.

Result- not an iota of difference to the handling but the braking benifits of the 4 pot APs are awesome.

In my opinion 6 pots are the way ahead for you and APs are the only brakes to put on a scooby. If SWRT went back to AP, then its AP for me.

Why scrimp and save for a few hundered. Stuff it, put the AP 6 pots on and buy new wheels and rubber as well, upgrade to 18s and put 355 discs on. You cant take it with you when you die and your only young once. Worry about paying it later.

Put godspeeds on and you get what you pay for. Budget brakes and it will always scream in your head, "These godspeeds are ok, but 6 pots APs would have been better, mind you Im tighter than a crabs a**e at 50 fathoms and should have shelled out for them"

Go on you know you have to.

I like the comment[]

[RA Dunk]

im going along the route of the 6 pot AP`s quite soon , just got some nice 17" wheels for em as well , i did a bit of shopping aboot for the best prices onlin but managed to loose the link ..DoHH []

[colin_ross]

If you find it don't forget to post up. Godspeed do a group buy price on AP 6 pots that I've still to see bettered but maybe you can. Think you need 5 people to get the lower price.

[st3ph3n]

Also interested out of (morbid) curiosity.

Willky, I see your point(s). If you too can rustle me up APs at a price that wouldn't frighten his royal higness Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Al-Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Almarhum Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien the Sultan of Brunei then I will consider them.

[colin_ross]

This is an extract from the last group buy in February, very cheap

HI

We do have offers on the AP caliper kits at the moment , we have reduced them by £100 per kit , if you get 5 or more I will discount them by £200 off the web prices , so the 335mm 6 pot kit will be £1200 and the 355mm kit £1300 , this includes DOT 5:1 fluid and delivery , can supply Goodrich braided hose kits front and rear at the same time for £60

These are total prices with nothing more to add

Hope this helps

Cheers Ian

[RA Dunk]

the price`s i saw werent as cheap as that , maybe worthwhile doing a group buy on em , all we need is 5 []

[st3ph3n]

Well out of my league at that price []

I'd have to put the brakes on eating and buying petrol for the next few months. Excuse the pun.

[colin_ross]

How much was the Brembro package going to work out including the spacers, new studs or new wheels and tyres?

Don't forget you'll have your old 4 pots to sell and get some of the money back.

[st3ph3n]

Allegedly the brembos new are a grand for the calipers alone. A used set including discs and pads can be had for £400 on ebay at the moment. How long would the pads and discs last - fair question. Likely another £400 would be shelled out within the not too distant future to replace the discs and pads, or at least £150ish for Pads. Plus the cost of spacers too obviously.

Godspeed kit - £650 with new discs and pads.

Wilwood GB on SN - £900.

[wrxmania]

Were the Wilwoods not racing calipers so have no dust seals etc?  And the calipers need serviced and cleaned regularly?

[slo2]

Trade up to an STi , you know you want too!! Brakes and wheels sorted , oh and the 300bhp if you PPP !!

Just a suggestion, I know of a nice Black Bugeye one with one carefull lady owner, never raced  []

 

[jimser]

Just a suggestion, I know of a nice Black Bugeye one with one carefull lady owner, never raced  ]" src="/emoticons/emotion-5.gif">

"except on the odd glasgow run"[]

sorry john couldnt resist

[st3ph3n]

Hey hey hey. C'mon now lads. You know as well as I do that we don't race.

It's a Rally. []