Track width and spacers

[luke07cupra]

Can't seem to find many treads on this:

The track width is 16mm wider on the front of the Cupra and i suspect SEAT made it this way for a very good reason.

I desperatley want to fill the rear arches out as everytime i look at the car from the rear i'm dissapointed

I'd like to keep the dimensions equivalent so adding 10mm all round though i think that would be too much on the front Anyone got any pics of a Cupra using spacers??

I'm not sure what effect adding 10mm rear spacers would have on the car as the rear would then be 4mm wider than the front

 

[RobH]

Have you lowered yours coz the gap looks even worse when lowered. I think theres a couple of people running 10mm spacers on the front. Think id go with the 10mm all round if i had some spare cash. you got your pump fitted yet?

 

[luke07cupra]

Have you lowered yours coz the gap looks even worse when lowered. I think theres a couple of people running 10mm spacers on the front. Think id go with the 10mm all round if i had some spare cash. you got your pump fitted yet?

Its getting lowered same time as pump is going on (3rd July) then stage 2+ Sat 4th!! - i'm thinking of just adding some to the rear then it'll look the same all round, i'm just wondering what this will do to the handling/driving charecteristics as SEAT must have made it wider t the front for some reason

 

[noktoto]

AFAIK front track is wider in many FWD cars to reduce understeer.

 

[ATGNI]

Excuse ignorance fellas but how do these spacer things work?

I fancy sticking some on my TD140, I too hate the look of mine from the rear. Looks like it's got rich tea buiscuits as wheels.

Cheers.

 

[RobH]

tbh ive no idea about tracking and stuff im sure someone does, anyway hope you enjoy your stage 2+

 

[luke07cupra]

AFAIK front track is wider in many FWD cars to reduce understeer.

So will making the rear as wide as the front re-introduce the likelyhood of understeer?

 

[noktoto]

So will making the rear as wide as the front re-introduce the likelyhood of understeer?

Car will probably understeer bit more. It's recommended to use similar spacers all around. 10 mm on each corner shouldn't be a problem with SEAT OEM 18" wheels.

 

[honeyman]

I have 5mm on the back got them with the new wheels can't say it's made that much difference, one thing I noticed the front with no spacers seem level with arch.

 

[Chan_P1_TDi_FR]

i believe increasing rear track and not increasing front track will increase the chance or understeer as rear end should be more stable being widened. i'm not entirelt sure tho.
i've got 10mm spacers allround and the car look more aggresive. handling wise with the being lowered plus thicker ARBs it's fantastic. taking long bends at 90 and it's still go more grip available. the car is very flat and extremely composed with not wriggling.

 

[luke07cupra]

i believe increasing rear track and not increasing front track will increase the chance or understeer as rear end should be more stable being widened. i'm not entirelt sure tho.
i've got 10mm spacers allround and the car look more aggresive. handling wise with the being lowered plus thicker ARBs it's fantastic. taking long bends at 90 and it's still go more grip available. the car is very flat and extremely composed with not wriggling.

Any pics, from the rear of the car?

Ye i'm after a more aggressive look, with soon to have 340bhp - definatley!

 

[stuartsjg]

Thought about doing this as ive seen some which look wider at the wheels.

What happens with the securing bolts? Will they not end up being too short? Im guessing you can get longer standard bolts but what about the security bolt - what happens here?

Also, if the wheels are further out, is there not a risk that during suspension travel the wheel may impact on the arch?

Stuart

 

[luke07cupra]

Thought about doing this as ive seen some which look wider at the wheels.

What happens with the securing bolts? Will they not end up being too short? Im guessing you can get longer standard bolts but what about the security bolt - what happens here?

Also, if the wheels are further out, is there not a risk that during suspension travel the wheel may impact on the arch?

Stuart

Ye i think longer bolts are required, which ones depend on size of spacers. I've just read an article that says increasing the track width puts more stress on the wheel bearings making them more prone to failure - one thing always leads to another - then another.......and so on

 

[Chan_P1_TDi_FR]

Here's a pic of my car with 10mm spacers allround spacers:

With regards to wheel bolts, If your fitting 10mm spacers your wheel bolts need to be 10mm longer than standard bolts.

 

[stuartsjg]

Can you get a longer security bolt from seat or do you just buy a set of 3rd party security bolts?

The suspension travel bit still worries me, how will the wheel not hit the arch or is there not enough travel for this to happen?

I can imagine there would be more stress on the bearings, how much will depend on the percentage extension of the distance from the old flange the the new one. Say its currently 50mm, then adding 10mm is 20% extra distance so 20% more stress. I've no idea the current distance from the bearing to the flange so its hard to say.

Stuart

 

[Al]

Instead of going with Stage 2+ code without all the hardware needed for it, I would be looking to spend money on engine bolt ons to work properly with the code rather than adding spacers etc to the rear that will probably serve no purpose than to screw up the handling at the expense of looking "good".

[/£0.02]

 

[luke07cupra]

Instead of going with Stage 2+ code without all the hardware needed for it, I would be looking to spend money on engine bolt ons to work properly with the code rather than adding spacers etc to the rear that will probably serve no purpose than to screw up the handling at the expense of looking "good".

[/£0.02]

I'm getting there, managed to find an Audi Technician who'll fit an intercooler once i find some hoses...

Back to the spacers - they certainly make the car look 'more the part' but its the unknowns about increased wheel bearing load that is spooking me now.

Like you say its aesthetics vs handling/bearing load.

DJ - haven't you fitted slightly wider wheels to your motor? With the offset you are using has that not increased the track width at all?

 

[Al]

I had on Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2's with an offset of ET45 front and rear before I took them off.

They will be going back on as soon as I get 2 back from being refinished which will be some time after I send them off for refinishing

 

[Chan_P1_TDi_FR]

handling wise, i feel it is slightly better. Also a little more stable at high speed as well as under hard braking. but you need a balance as too much increase in track will hinder the turn-in into corners. but 10mm is absolutely fine. As for bearing issues, this is a slight concern. but, it can be slightly offset by wider alloys. say you have 7.5" alloys, 8" alloys will produce less stress PROVIDED the offset is correct respectively. 8" would need a slight larger offset. Sounds a little complex, even i confuse myself

as for the wheel arches, there rear arches are completely fine. at the front the wheelarch liner support bolt can be slight problem if you car is lowered. But this has been removed and liner cut back by another member with no problems after two years. I'm going to do this aswell, but might also get the front arches rolled aswell.

 

[Poverty]

I swear all the hottest and best handling hatches have a wider rear track than front.

Focus RS,
Hot clios
fast 205 gti's etc