A Guide for Wheel Spacers: Stance, Safety, and Performance

When it comes to modifying your car, few upgrades offer as much "bang for your buck" as a set of high-quality wheel spacers. Whether you’re driving a BMW M, a Golf R, or an A90 Supra, factory wheel fitment often leaves the wheels "tucked" deep within the arches.

At AUTOID, we specialise in making your ride look its best. In this guide, we’ll dive into why Bimecc hubcentric wheel spacers are our go-to choice and how they can transform your vehicle's aesthetic and handling.

What Are Wheel Spacers?

A wheel spacer is a precision-machined disc that sits between your vehicle’s hub and the wheel. By pushing the wheel further out toward the arch, you effectively decrease the offset, resulting in a wider track and a more "flush" fitment.

Why We Choose Bimecc

We supply Bimecc spacers because they are engineered to the highest standards:

• Precision Engineering: Machined from high-grade aluminum.
• Anti-Corrosion: Features a black zinc coating to prevent "bonding" to the hub—a common and frustrating issue with cheaper, raw finish spacers.
• Safety First: The hubcentric design ensures the weight of the car is supported by the hub, not just the bolts, maintaining factory safety standards.

Watch us test fit bimecc wheel spacers to our G90 M5:

Benefits: More Than Just Aesthetics

The "Perfect" Stance

Spacers allow you to achieve an aggressive, flush look without the cost of new aftermarket wheels. By bringing the wheels out to the edge of the arch, you fill the "gap," which also gives the visual illusion of a lower ride height.

Improved Handling & Clearance

Widening the vehicle's track width lowers the roll center, often resulting in a more planted feel during cornering. Additionally, if you’ve upgraded to a Big Brake Kit (BBK), spacers provide the necessary clearance to ensure your wheel spokes don't foul the calipers.

Fitment Guide: Popular Vehicles

We’ve done the trial and error so you don't have to. Below are the technical specifications and recommended "flush" setups for our most popular models.

Hardware & Safety: The "Extended Bolt" Rule

When you add a spacer, your factory wheel bolts will no longer be long enough to safely reach the hub's threaded holes. Safety is non-negotiable here.

The Math of Bolt Length

To maintain factory levels of "thread engagement," you must increase the bolt length by the exact width of the spacer.

Formula: OEM Bolt Length (approx. 27mm) + Spacer Thickness = New Bolt Length.

• 10mm Spacer: Needs 40mm bolts.
• 12mm Spacer: Needs 40mm – 42mm bolts.
• 15mm Spacer: Needs 43mm – 45mm bolts.

Note: For M14 bolts (standard on most BMWs/VWs), you need at least 7.5 to 9 full turns to ensure the wheel is secured. Anything less is a safety risk.

Myths Debunked: Ride Quality & Wear

"Will spacers ruin my bearings?"

Technically, a wider track increases leverage on wheel bearings. However, fitting a 12mm or 15mm spacer is no different than fitting aftermarket wheels with a lower offset. On modern performance hubs, this wear is negligible and well within the component's safety buffer.

"Will my car vibrate?"

Vibration is the most common complaint with spacers, but it’s rarely the spacer's fault. It is almost always due to a poorly prepped hub surface. If the spacer doesn't seat 100% flat due to rust or grit, you will feel a wobble at motorway speeds.

The Science of the Stance: How Spacers Change the Drive

When you install Bimecc spacers, you aren't just moving a piece of metal outward; you are altering the lever arms and suspension geometry that factory engineers spent thousands of hours calibrating.

The Lever Arm Effect (Physics of the Hub)

By pushing the wheel further away from the hub, you increase the leverage the wheel exerts on the wheel bearing and the spring.

• Wheel Bearings: While Bimecc’s 10mm–15mm spacers are safe for performance use, we advise against "extreme" spacers (30mm+) for heavy track work due to increased bearing load.
• Effective Spring Rate: Because the wheel has more leverage, the suspension can feel a fraction "softer." This can actually make a stiffly sprung car feel slightly more compliant over small bumps.

Scrub Radius & Steering Feel

Spacers move the car toward a Positive Scrub Radius. You will notice more feedback through the steering wheel. The car may become more sensitive to road imperfections (tramlining) and you might feel more "kickback" over mid-corner bumps. For many drivers, this makes the car feel more communicative.

Lateral Stability & Load Transfer

By increasing the track width, you reduce weight transfer to the outside tyres during cornering. A wider track effectively lowers the vehicle's roll centre, keeping the car flatter and more planted.

Handling Balance: Front vs. Rear

• Widening the Front: Generally improves "turn-in" and responsiveness.
• Widening the Rear: Increases rear-end stability.

The AUTOID Approach: This is why our specific packages (like 12mm F / 15mm R for the G87 M2) are designed to maintain the perfect handling balance.

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

To ensure a factory-smooth ride, follow these steps exactly.

Tools You’ll Need:

• Jack and Jack Stands
• 17mm or 19mm Deep Socket
• Wire Brush or Drill with Wire Attachment (Essential)
• Brake Cleaner
• Torque Wrench

The Process:

1. Preparation: Loosen bolts on the ground, jack up the vehicle, and remove the wheel.
2. The "Bare Metal" Clean: Scrub the hub face and center lip until you see bare metal. Rust causes vibrations. Wipe with brake cleaner.
3. Check the Spacer: Slide the spacer onto the hub; it should be a snug fit and sit perfectly flush.
4. The Wheel: Clean the wheel’s inner mating surface and slide it onto the hubcentric lip.
5. Hand Tighten: Use your new extended bolts and tighten by hand in a star pattern.
6. Torque to Spec: Lower the car until tyres touch. Tighten to factory setting (usually 140Nm for G-Series BMWs) in a star pattern.
7. The 50-Mile Check: Always re-torque your bolts after 50 miles.

Conclusion

Bimecc wheel spacers are the most cost-effective way to transform your car's presence. By choosing a hubcentric design and following correct installation, you can enjoy an aggressive stance without sacrificing safety.

Explore our range of Vehicle-Specific Bimecc Spacer Packages here.