Urgent: Spacer Trashed By 1.9 Bolts, Need To Swap !

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

Basically I bought some "1.9 wheel bolts" off a user on here, and my initial reason for purchase was because I wanted the shorter heads on my 1.6 with 1.9 speedlines.

 

I thought there was only one type of 1.9 bolt.......but it turns out the ones I have been given don't have thread the entire way down, there is a smooth bit which isn't threaded.

They have ruined my hubcentric spacer, as no bolt will go either in or out of it so that was a waste of a £55 set of spacers

 

So I'm asking any forum members if they would be willing to swap 8 of these bolts (I have 12, but 4 got ruined) for a set of 1.9 bolts with thread the entire way down it. I'm not sure if these have a different name or... ?

 

Also where can I buy a single 20mm hubcentric spacer, as I can't afford another pair.

 

[welshpug 1,657]

surely a 1.9 wheel bolt is nowhere long enough for a 20mm spacer?!

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

surely a 1.9 wheel bolt is nowhere long enough for a 20mm spacer?!

 

Hubcentric spacers work differently, first the spacer bolts onto the hub, then the wheels bolt onto that.

[Anthony 1,003]

Can you not just get the damaged spacer retapped? Seems unlikely that it will have thrashed the whole thread, just the first turn or two stopping you being able to screw the bolt in. Run a M12 x 1.25 (quite a rare size) tap down it and I'm sure that it'll be serviceable again

[James_R 3]

Most engine shops will have the helicoil or tap to do the above

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

Can you not just get the damaged spacer retapped? Seems unlikely that it will have thrashed the whole thread, just the first turn or two stopping you being able to screw the bolt in. Run a M12 x 1.25 (quite a rare size) tap down it and I'm sure that it'll be serviceable again

 

I have no idea what i'm doing though, Is the 'tap' something I can buy from somewhere like B&Q ?

 

Do you put it in a drill or can you wind it manually (more ideal for me, I dont' even own a drill) ?

[Rob Turbo 3]

You wind a tap in by hand, need the "handle" thing for them though, I bought a 12x1.25 tap a couple of weeks ago to clean the threads up on my hubs, only about £6 + post, from Tracy Tools

[djinuk 2]

indeed it is wound in manually, buy a set off ebay, probably less than a tenner, failing that whip it to any engineering place and im sure they would do it for a beer token.

 

I have a single 20mm spacer but its not hubcentric. I had the others robbed a while back. If you want it just pay me for postage and its yours if it will help get you out the s*it. Im guessin you will need longer wheel bolts yo use it though.

 

Regards dj

[welshpug 1,657]

I would wind a bolt in from the back to check how many threads are damaged, and if the biolt will engage in enough send a 13mm drill down to meet the bolt to clear out the damaged threads.

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

I don't quite understand the problem here. The hubcentric bit just refers to an extended central spigot to keep the wheel centred, not the fitting type (ie the "bolt through and sandwich between hub and wheel" type or "bolt on hub then bolt the wheel to the spacer" type which are generally for 20mm and thicker).

 

If you have the latter type, where the spacers bolt to the hub, those bolts should be provided with the spacer as the head will be small to sit inside the spacer itself (countersunk). Then the wheel should bolt on normally with standard bolts?? So either the wheels aren't standard or I'm missing something?

 

It would help if you can show pictures of both the wheel, the spacer on the hub, and the wheelbolt.

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

I don't quite understand the problem here. The hubcentric bit just refers to an extended central spigot to keep the wheel centred, not the fitting type (ie the "bolt through and sandwich between hub and wheel" type or "bolt on hub then bolt the wheel to the spacer" type which are generally for 20mm and thicker).

 

If you have the latter type, where the spacers bolt to the hub, those bolts should be provided with the spacer as the head will be small to sit inside the spacer itself (countersunk). Then the wheel should bolt on normally with standard bolts?? So either the wheels aren't standard or I'm missing something?

 

It would help if you can show pictures of both the wheel, the spacer on the hub, and the wheelbolt.

 

 

Ok here are the spacers i'm using:

 

 

The wheel is a standard 1.9 Speedline.

 

My problem is not between the hub and the spacer, it's between the spacer and the wheel.

 

 

I was sent wheel bolts like the ones on the right, but i'm assuming I should be using bolts like the ones on the left to prevent destroying the spacers threads !

 

Edited May 27, 2009 by lemmingzappa

[welshpug 1,657]

why are you using spacers with standard wheels?

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

why are you using spacers with standard wheels?

 

Because I have a 1.6 GTi, and the 1.9 wheels don't sit right on the standard beam without spacers.

[welshpug 1,657]

[Anthony 1,003]

Because I have a 1.6 GTi, and the 1.9 wheels don't sit right on the standard beam without spacers.

1.9 wheels should, and do, bolt straight onto a 1.6 beam without issue - I've happily run that combination myself, as have dozens of others on here...

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

They do bolt on fine, but they dont sit in-line with the front wheels afaik, they look alot better spaced at the rear.

 

 

the only other cure I know of is using either a 1.9 or 309 beam, but that will cost me a fair bit more I'd imagine, and I don't have the skill to fit it either.

Edited May 27, 2009 by lemmingzappa

[welshpug 1,657]

that's a natural trait of the 1.6 even with 1.6 wheels.

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

Well tbh, I prefer it spaced so that's how I want to keep it.

 

and either way I need to find someone to trade bolts with

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

Just had a thought, does anyone know if the bolts ive currently got will be fine in the front hubs ?

 

If that's the case I already have 8 of the correct bolts, and I could use 8 of these 'wrong' ones on the front. That's as long as no damage will be done ?

 

That way all I will have to do is get my spacer tapped, i'm willing to give it a go if I can actually find the right tap set.

[Rob Turbo 3]

They should be ok in the front hub, there's the tickness of the disk as well so the non threadded bit shouldn't reach the thread of the hub.

[AndyJ 1]

Ive got a couple of these on my 1.9, they go fine on the front (and the rear with discs).

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

Thanks.

 

Yeah they managed to fit on the front fine, now all I need to do is sort out a new spacer. If anyone know's where I can buy a single 20mm hubcentric one that would be great.

[Mongo 0]

Thanks.

 

Yeah they managed to fit on the front fine, now all I need to do is sort out a new spacer. If anyone know's where I can buy a single 20mm hubcentric one that would be great.

 

 

Have you had them bolted on with the 1.6 bolts and driven the car properly?

 

I only say this as I had 15mm spacers on the rear of mine, with ET28 wheels, and on the front the same set of ET28 offset alloys (10mm difference, so 2cm reduced track width on the front) and almost the same track width on the rear with the 15mm spacers (as it owuld be with the 1.9 alloys) and the handling was really spoiled until i balanced it out and put the 15mm spacers on the front too.

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

Have you had them bolted on with the 1.6 bolts and driven the car properly?

 

I only say this as I had 15mm spacers on the rear of mine, with ET28 wheels, and on the front the same set of ET28 offset alloys (10mm difference, so 2cm reduced track width on the front) and almost the same track width on the rear with the 15mm spacers (as it owuld be with the 1.9 alloys) and the handling was really spoiled until i balanced it out and put the 15mm spacers on the front too.

 

I've driven it and I haven't noticed much difference tbh. Time will tell.

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

Well in the end I decided to have it tapped at a machiners for £20, as I think a single spacer would cost me around £25 - 30 even if I could get hold of one. Will see the results on saturday !

 

Cheers for any advice you've given.

 

And as for the handling, I always assumed a wider track at the rear would actually stabilise the car when cornering.

Edited May 28, 2009 by lemmingzappa