Adding Spacers to Stock 21" rims: recommendations

[glusc2002]

my MS60 is due for delivery late July/August. I've been to the SC and seen 2016 MS prepared for delivery and noticed that the wheels are set a bit inside the fender line. It bothers me that its not flush. Since mine doesnt have Air Suspension, I dont figure lowering or pushing out the wheels with spacers would have any negative effect.

Has anyone added spacers to their MS and if so what mm spacers did you apply all around. Mine is of course not a P so i believe it differs by not being staggered, correct me if im wrong....

pictures please

thanks!

 

[benjiejr]

I added 5mm spacers to the rear of my P85D with staggered 20" wheels. I have 245/40/20 in front and 285/35/20 in rear and was getting a very slight rub in the rear only in rare circumstances (maybe when the car raised to Very High mode). So I added the 5mm spacers to resolve the issue; I'm not having any abnormal wear, etc. The front wheels rub on the fender wall only in full lock so I just avoid doing that; this issue was there on the stock 21" wheels as well. Service Center said it was normal and said they can take a heat gun to the fender walls and push them out of the way a bit to resolve the issue. I may add 5mm spacers to the front too just to make it more flush with the body, but since I'm not having any issues I didn't want to create an issue.

 

[benjiejr]

Here's what the slight rubbing looked like on the shock in the background (very minor and rare) and the 5mm Akata spacer that I used:

 

[glusc2002]

interesting. Im curious why it would rub on the shocks if the wheel is pushed out further. Just to clarify, without the 5mm spacers in the front, the 21" OEM wheels rubbed at full turn?

 

[benjiejr]

interesting. Im curious why it would rub on the shocks if the wheel is pushed out further. Just to clarify, without the 5mm spacers in the front, the 21" OEM wheels rubbed at full turn?

Sorry if I wasn't clear. It was rubbing on the rear shocks BEFORE the spacer was added. After the spacer the rubbing no longer occurs. You can tell it was just barely rubbing so wasn't a big issue but the spacers brought the wheels out just enough so it doesn't rub anymore.

As for the front, yes the 21" OEM wheels rubbed (and still rub with 20s) at full turn without spacers. Hope that helps.

 

[Vrrooom]

What type of spacers did you put? This is important as some low quality spacers can and most likely will warp.

 

[SomeJoe7777]

I wouldn't touch those spacers with a 10 foot pole. They cover up the hub ring, so the wheel is no longer being centered by the hub ring, instead it's being centered by shear forces on the lugs, which they're not designed to do.

Those spacers are going to cause the wheel hubs to warp or the lugs to break.

 

[souljah798]

I wouldn't touch those spacers with a 10 foot pole. They cover up the hub ring, so the wheel is no longer being centered by the hub ring, instead it's being centered by shear forces on the lugs, which they're not designed to do.

Those spacers are going to cause the wheel hubs to warp or the lugs to break.

+1
If you really want to do this, try looking at some better quality spacers like maybe H&R. I would also suggest changing to extended wheel studs like ARP.

 

[James Anders]

Do these spacers have a hub ring on the outside? Can't tell from the photo. I do know Akata makes hub-centric spacers.

 

[SomeJoe7777]

Do these spacers have a hub ring on the outside? Can't tell from the photo. I do know Akata makes hub-centric spacers.

Some of the thicker ones on their web site appear to have a hub ring, but this 5mm one in the photo looks like it doesn't.

 

[Norfolk Enchants]

I plan to add spacers. The std 21s do look a bit over-bodied. I may try 10mm H&R spacers all around at first.

 

[AMPd]

I plan to add spacers. The std 21s do look a bit over-bodied. I may try 10mm H&R spacers all around at first.

Please post some photos after you do, I'd love to see the difference

 

[glusc2002]

I wouldn't touch those spacers with a 10 foot pole. They cover up the hub ring, so the wheel is no longer being centered by the hub ring, instead it's being centered by shear forces on the lugs, which they're not designed to do.

Those spacers are going to cause the wheel hubs to warp or the lugs to break.

interesting, never thought about that.

 

[glusc2002]

I plan to add spacers. The std 21s do look a bit over-bodied. I may try 10mm H&R spacers all around at first.

please post a pic if you end up doing it, i had 5mm on my 991S and it didnt appear to do much. I was thinking 10-15mm all around would be more appropriate.

 

[Norfolk Enchants]

I wouldn't touch those spacers with a 10 foot pole. They cover up the hub ring, so the wheel is no longer being centered by the hub ring, instead it's being centered by shear forces on the lugs, which they're not designed to do.

Those spacers are going to cause the wheel hubs to warp or the lugs to break.

I suppose if you buy some Micky Mouse spacers that this may be an issue, but the spacers that I have previously fitted do not rely on the bolt to centralize the wheel., they are hub and wheel centric by having a hub ring built into the spacer to centralize the wheel. I have high speed experience with them and there has never seemed to be any vibration etc so I doubt that there have been any alignment issues.

 

[SomeJoe7777]

I suppose if you buy some Micky Mouse spacers that this may be an issue, but the spacers that I have previously fitted do not rely on the bolt to centralize the wheel., they are hub and wheel centric by having a hub ring built into the spacer to centralize the wheel. I have high speed experience with them and there has never seemed to be any vibration etc so I doubt that there have been any alignment issues.

Agreed, this is the way they're supposed to work (and the way that's safe for them to work), but in the photo above that does not appear to be the case.

 

[Norfolk Enchants]

Agreed, this is the way they're supposed to work (and the way that's safe for them to work), but in the photo above that does not appear to be the case.

I see what you mean - no thank-you!

 

[Norfolk Enchants]

please post a pic if you end up doing it, i had 5mm on my 991S and it didnt appear to do much. I was thinking 10-15mm all around would be more appropriate.

I will do once I get my car back from the bodyshop - some chump ran into the back of me at the weekend

 

[glusc2002]

I will do once I get my car back from the bodyshop - some chump ran into the back of me at the weekend

that sucks!

 

[artsci]

I plan to add spacers. The std 21s do look a bit over-bodied. I may try 10mm H&R spacers all around at first.

I'm thinking about this as well, H&R has 10mm hub centric spacers but they don't list Tesla among the manufacturers they make spacers for. I think the best thing to do is to measure the gap and buy spacers that will close it. 10mm may do the trick but measuring first is a good idea. The H&R site explains how to do it. I'll take measurement once I have the ESE carbon fiber rims and new tires installed.