Please read the FAQ before e-mailing me, most people have the same questions and they are answered right here. I am always happy to answer any question asked so if its not here don't hesitate to use the email link below.

1.   What in the world are these spacers used for?

2.    The front spacers are 25mm and the rears are 32mm, why is this?  Other companies that sell spacers don't indicate a difference from front to rear.

3.    Are your spacers hub and wheel centric? I have heard very bad things about spacers that are not.

4.    I see your spacers are wheel/hub centric, are they stud-centric as well, or is that not necessary?

5.    With your set of spacers, what size front and rear tires do I need for the 17" rims I'm getting?

6.    I found out that the 850 series may use wheel bolts and not nuts. Can you thread the holes for the wheel bolts instead of using a stud?

7.    You mention that your spacers are offset to fit under a 700 series with
plenty of clearance. Will this be the same in my 940?

8.    Is it strange for the rear track (32mm spacer) to be wider than the front track (25mm spacer), at least for alignment purposes? Will my alignment guy ask me what I have done and why?

9.    I am going to put 40mm offset wheels onto a '79 245 wagon, do you see any reason why
this would be a problem.

10.   Will your spacers only work for new Volvo rims or will they fit basically any FWD rim?

11.   What will the offset be with the spacers?

12.   With the spacers on, can you run the OEM wheels, for example as snow tires?

13.   This rims I will be getting are going to be somewhere between 30-45 mm offset so which set would you recommend getting the 25mm or 32mm spacers?

14.   I have a set of 17 inch S80 rims, would the spacers (25mm/32mm) be
sufficient in fitting these rims to my 1992 240?

15.   I have a set of 215/45/17 P7000 Super sports ready to throw on the rims, but I am concerned about clearances.

16.   I am still wondering if I will have to roll the fender lip on my 1990 240 rear if I get the 32mm rears when used with stock 1984 "turbo" wheels?

17.   How much testing went into your design?

18.  Are they safe, I regularly hit triple digit speeds on the freeway, I also autocross and attend track days at Road Atlanta, and Limerock Park.

19.   Do the spacers increase the width of the wheels out of the wheel wheels.........do the wheels stick out of the side of the car?

20.   Do you offer a guarantee on your products?

21.   I heard anodizing sucks. I want mine powder coated.

22.   Should I stick some RTV between the spacer and the hub?

23.   Are your prices negotiable?

24.   Can you make me spacers for a '95 Camaro?

25.   Can you make me spacers for a '77 Pacer?

26.   I want to learn more about wheels, spacers and volvos. Can you give me some direction?

27.   WOW, are these things are really priced out of sight. Any way to get the price down?

1.   What in the world are these spacers used for?

These wheel spacers are used to mount 43mm offset wheels off of newer front wheel drive Volvos to older rear wheel drive Volvos. Rear wheel drive Volvos require wheels with approximately a 25mm offset. When a spacer is added, the thickness of the spacer is subtracted from the offset of the wheel to give the new offset.

Example:

43mm offset wheel + 25mm spacer. (43-25=18mm)
43mm offset wheel + 32mm spacer. (43-32=11mm)

Another popular use for these spacers is to widen the rear track of a Volvo in order to improve handling characteristics. 25mm spacers and 25-18mm offset wheels require rolled fenders. 32mm spacers require a more aggressive fender roll. Here are pictures of 25mm spacers installed on the rear wheels of a 240 with 18mm offsets and 205mm wide tires. Aesthetics are also improved significantly by removing that sunken in rear wheel look.


2.   The front spacers are 25mm and the rears are 32mm, why is this?  Other companies that sell spacers don't indicate a difference from front to rear.

These spacers are made specifically for Volvos, the wider rear spacer is used to take up a bit of the extra space in the rear wheel well. This extra space is rumored to be there for snow chain clearance.

3.   Are your spacers hub and wheel centric? I have heard very bad things about spacers that are not.


Yes, these spacers are hub and wheel centric. This means that the spacer has a recess that fits on the hub as well as a protrusion that fits in the wheel. In other words, a spacer is a section of a wheel and a section of a hub stuck together. Some economy spacers do not have these features. They also do not work because they require the studs to center the wheel. Studs cannot center a wheel, they are almost never in straight and they transfer all loads to them. Hub/wheel centric spacers transfer loads directly to the hub.


4.   I see your spacers are wheel/hub centric, are they stud-centric as well, or is that not necessary?

Yes they are. Yes it is necessary. Concentricity between the hub and the holes and studs are within 0.001" (one thousand of an inch).


5.   With your set of spacers, what size front and rear tires do I need for the 17" rims I'm getting?

This depends on what tire size you plan on running since wheel offsets are measured from the center of the wheel to the mounting face. OEM Wheels for 240 turbo's where 195mm wide. 205mm wide tires work great as well as 215mm.

I cannot guarantee that anything over 215mm will fit in the front or rear wheel wells of a 240, 740 or 940. There are many parameters that vary such as wheel width, tire width (one manufacturers may differ to another's), curvature etc. Rumor has it that 255s can be mounted in the rear with a 25mm spacer and the correct tire/wheel combo. If you want to try this its all in your hands, I cannot guarantee that anything will fit.


6.   I found out that the 850 series use wheel bolts and not nuts. Can you thread the holes for the wheel bolts instead of using a stud?

No. Wheel bolts are fine in a steel hub, but an absolute atrocity in an aluminum spacer. These spacers exists and are out on the market. They are also extremely unsafe. They hold the wheel on by transferring the load on the bolt through less than 1" of fine aluminum threads. Over tightening will strip these threads and leave you in a very sticky and possibly life threatening situation. Visions of the local auto garage with a powerfully impact gun always come to mind.

GR spacers use grade 8 wheel studs to hold the wheel to the spacer. What really holds the stud tight to the spacer is the huge bearing area behind the stud head.

7.   You mention that your spacers are offset to fit under a 700 series with plenty of clearance. Will this be the same in my 940?

Yes. If your 940 has IRS you will need the IRS kit.

8.   Is it strange for the rear track (32mm spacer) to be wider than the front track (25mm spacer), at least for alignment purposes? Will my alignment guy ask me what I have done and why?

No. Most cars on the street have different front and rear track widths. Two cars that quickly come to mind with different offset wheels is the Ferrari 512 (huge rear track) the BMW Isseta (tiny rear track). You will have no trouble getting the vehicle aligned.

9.   I am going to put 40mm offset wheels onto a '79 245 wagon, do you see any reason why
this would be a problem.

You should have no trouble. Problems with older cars include incorrect studs in the hub. I have see 240s that where mistakenly re-studed with metric studs instead of the standard 1/2" 20 TPI stud. The wheels spacers will fit regardless. You will have to purchase metric nuts like the ones included or re-stud your car with OEM volvo wheel spacers.

10.   Will your spacers only work for new Volvo rims or will they fit basically any FWD rim?

These spacers will fit any FWD wheel along with 1XX, 2XX, 7XX, 9XX series wheels.

11.   What will the offset be with the spacers?

Simply subtract the offset of the wheel from the thickness of the spacer.

Example:

43mm offset wheel + 25mm spacer. (43-25=18mm)
43mm offset wheel + 32mm spacer. (43-32=11mm)

12.  With the spacers on, can you run the OEM wheels, for example as snow tires?

The most likely answer is no. The wheels will stick out 25 and 32mm more than normal. If you want to mount your snow tires on your original wheels simply remove the spacer and mount your snows.

13.   This rims I will be getting are going to be somewhere between 30-45 mm offset so which set would you recommend getting the 25mm or 32mm spacers?

The 25mm Front and 32mm rear package is always recommended over 4 25mm spacers Unless you have an IRS car. Why? Because it prevents wider wheels from rubbing the inside fender above the strut mount. Using 4 25mm spacers is only recommended for special projects such as mounting 245s or 255s in the rear. If your car has independant rear suspension you must purchase 4 25mm spacers using the IRS kit button. Take extra caution if you have an IRS car for the rear track is wider than the solid axle varieties.

14.   I have a set of 17 inch S80 rims, would the spacers (25mm/32mm) be
sufficient in fitting these rims to my 1992 240?

As long as you run a 195mm or 205mm wide tire I guarantee they will fit.

15.  I have a set of 215/45/17 P7000 Super sports ready to throw on the rims, but I am concerned about clearances.

They will probably fit with no trouble but they are larger than 205s so I will limit my guarantee to exchanges only.

16.   I am still wondering if I will have to roll the fender lip on my 1990 240 rear if I get the 32mm rears when used with stock 1984 "turbo" wheels?

Yes you will. You will have to roll them until they are around 1/4 inch thick. If you want to widen your rear track a set of 25mm spacers are recommended for a less severe fender roll.

17.   How much testing went into your design?

One year of use and abuse on my 240. Customers have been "testing" my spacers since July of 2002.

18.  Are they safe, I regularly hit triple digit speeds on the freeway, I also autocross and attend rack days at Road Atlanta, and Limerock Park.

For legal reasons I cannot recommend you use these spacers for high speed driving events such as Road Atlanta or Limerock. Triple digit speeds on the highway are also a high risk.

Safety was the number one issue when designing these spacers. I will list the safety features of these spacers:

A: Wheel Studs

Wheel studs are used instead of bolts to ensure maximum holding pressure. Please refer to question six to find out more.

B: Hub/Wheel Centric

These spacers are hub and wheel centric to ensure that all loads are transmitted through the spacer itself and not its studs. Please refer to question three for more info.

C: Anodized and high quality surface finish

The anodized finish prevents corrosion of the spacer. When dissimilar materials are in contact, as in this case, oxidation is highly accelerated. Corrosion loosens the spacer and the studs will have to support 100% of the forces transmitted from the wheel to the hub. This is unsafe. Anodizing produces a super hard and scratch resistant surface that is highly desirable in a soft aluminum spacer. The high quality surface finish was produced by high precision CNC turning and milling centers to prevent surface cracks and imperfections that lead to creep (failure over time under a cyclic load).

19.   Do the spacers increase the width of the wheels out of the wheel wheels.........do the wheels stick out of the side of the car?

Yes they will probably increase the width unless you originally had 20 mm offset wheels. the increase is minimal and will let you use wider tires. Think of it as a free 7 mm spacer. If you are mounting 43mm wheels and originally had 25mm wheels. To calculate how much they will stick out refer to question 1 and 11.

20.   Do you offer a guarantee on your products?

Yes. If something is not right I will give you your money back or arrange an exchange if you are mounting reasonable sized tires. If you are mounting something unusual (over 17" diameter or over 205mm wide) I will help you out as much as possible but you will have to pay for shipping charges if rework or exchanges need to be done unless you talk to me before buying.

21.  I heard anodizing sucks. I want mine powder coated.

Anodizing is a superior surface treatment. Please refer to question 18 section C. Thick paint may also introduce vibrations. These spacers are beautifull, once you see them you won't even want to mount them on your car let alone paint them.

22.   Should I stick some RTV between the spacer and the hub?

No. I have no idea why anyone would think this is a good idea.

23.   Are your prices negotiable?

No. My spacers are not only the highest quality on the market, they are also the cheapest. I cannot afford to lower the price anymore. Shop around, if you find a better price please let me know.

24.   Can you make me spacers for a '95 Camaro?

Sure. Minimum order is 20 spacers (5 sets of 4). You provide the necessary drawings or solid models. If you need me to engineer the product, provide a hub and a wheel. Engineering is additional. Prepay only. Contact me to request a quote.

25.  Can you make me spacers for a '77 Pacer?

Refer to question 24.

26.   I want to learn more about wheels, spacers and volvos. Can you give me some direction?

Check out Anthony Hyde's excellent site.


27.   WOW, are these things are really priced out of sight. Any way to get the price down?

These prices are very good. They are not high at all. Please shop around and research the cost of custom spacers, you will find that they are much more and do not come anodized. These spacers are of the highest quality and there is no better or CHEAPER set of hub/wheel centric spacers complete with wheel studs and bolts on the market. Please do not ask for a discount if you cannot show me a cheaper competitive product. The manufacturing of these spacers is very costly, do the research, you will not find anything cheaper or better. Refer to question 23.