# Wheel Spacers on 1968 GTO



## aseyc (Aug 26, 2020)

I have 14" Rallye 1 wheels with 215/70 Tyres on both front and rear. Car has 4-wheel drum brakes. The rear wheel seem to have a different offset than the front as the depth of the vanity rings is substantially deeper.
I honestly love the looks of these steel wheels however they sit quite inward and that's the reason why I am trying out spacers. I will eventually change to different wider wheels with the correct offset based on this exercise with the spacers.

Recently I got a pair of 1.5" spacers and tried one on the front and one on the rear (left side). I am quite satisfied with the rear, as you can see in the attached the difference between the Left (with spacer) side and the Right (no spacer) side is very noticeable. I don't think I can go any wider than this or else it will rub against the rear fenders when hitting bumps.

As for the front, somehow the difference is less noticeable. Again attaching Left (with spacer) and Right (no spacer).

Do you think it makes sense to put 2" or 2.5" on the front and 1.5" on the rear? Would it look right?I am assuming by doing so, the front track will be wider than the rear track.
Do you know what is the offset of my Rallye 1 wheels front and rear? I will be able to add to the spacer width when shopping for new wheels.

I am attaching a photo showing the front and rear wheels without spacers. Sorry didn't take similar photo with spacers yet but will soon do.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

As a guy who used to work for a tire company and who was an auto tech for over 40 years, I would not run any type of wheel spacer on any car I owned. Have seen too many broken studs and missing in action wheels and crumpled quarter panels. Do it right and get wheels with the right off-set to begin with.


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## O52 (Jan 27, 2019)

X2. Never!


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## Mine'sa66 (Oct 30, 2019)

geeteeohguy said:


> As a guy who used to work for a tire company and who was an auto tech for over 40 years, I would not run any type of wheel spacer on any car I owned. Have seen too many broken studs and missing in action wheels and crumpled quarter panels. Do it right and get wheels with the right off-set to begin with.


This right here^^^^

NO moving parts between your wheels and the drum/rotor.
The only type of spacer I would ever consider is the type that the vehicle's studs fasten the spacer which contains it's own studs.
37 year master tech here.


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## aseyc (Aug 26, 2020)

Thanks for your input guys. The idea of the spacers was originally to get an idea of how it would look with a different offset. I can say the 'looks' are quite an improvement over the stock Rallye I wheels. I am also concerned about having 1.5 inch spacers and now that you guys are mentioning it, I will take off wheel by wheel and re-torque / assess them.
But for the timebeing, I'll just keep on looking for proper wheels. I live in Europe and getting wheels from the US is quite an expense. The issue that I have is that I dont know what offset the wheels that I currently have are so I cant add up the additional space of the spacers to the wheel's offset. Maybe I will try and get the tyre off one of mine perhaps there are markings in the inside of the wheel.
What I know for sure is that the rears have different offset as the rear trim rings are deeper.


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## O52 (Jan 27, 2019)

All Rally I wheels had the same offset. I suspect you have reproduction wheels. 
The trim rings are not original. Rally I rings had a brushed surface similar to the early Rally IIs. Not polished


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## aseyc (Aug 26, 2020)

O52 said:


> All Rally I wheels had the same offset. I suspect you have reproduction wheels.
> The trim rings are not original. Rally I rings had a brushed surface similar to the early Rally IIs. Not polished


Yes it might very well be the case. I will have to eventually measure the width of the wheel and the offset from the hub to the wheel's centerline and then add the 1.5" of the spacer in the equation to come up with the offset I would be looking at for a new set of wheels.


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