DIY - H&R Spacers

[bdc87]

This is my first DIY Tut so please be gentle. I was able to do this install in about 2.5 hours for both sides. It wasn't all that hard, basically you just need to take your time and make sure the wheel bolts are seated all the way, besides that its a basic bolt-on.

Whats Needed:
Wheel Spacers - duh
21mm Long Socket
17mm Socket
Breaker Bar or Something Similar
OE Lug Nut
Penetrating Fluid "PB Blaster"
Rubber Mallet
Hammer
Jack and blocks

First off car needs to be in gear, engine off, ebrake on.
Secure car with blocks and Jack it up, remove 1st front tire.

Pic 1: You will be removing the caliper to install the extanded lugs. Look for two 17mm bolts (1 top, 1 bottom) behind and to the left of the caliper, this is the mounting bracket for the caliper. Use some PB blaster to help lossen the nuts then use the 17mm and breaker bar or extended wrench to remove. Their on a little hard but not too much force is needed.

Pic 2: After you have the caliper off set it on buckets or something so you do not have to disconnect the line. Next, take off the rotor give it a tap or two with the mallet and you will get to this point.

Pic 3: Now is time to take off the wheel bolts, give them some PB Blaster then move the hub (why the car is in gear) and the first bolt to the cut out area of the dust shield you will see a small cutout circle and an indented area behind the hub. Hit the bolt with the hammer until it comes out, place a new bolt in then turn the hub and repeat. The new bolts won't be seated but we will get to that in the next step.

Pic 4: Now that you have the new bolts sitting in their holes its time to seat them. Put the car in park so the hub doesn't move. Then take a OE lug nut and put in on backwards so that the flat surface is facing the hub. Take the 21mm Extended Socket and breaker bar and bolt it up till the bolt is seated and the head of the bolt is flush with hub it takes some torque about 120lbs. Repeat with lug nut until all 4 are seated. Then put the rotor back on it helps if you keep it in place with a lug nut on the bolt, then bolt the caliper back up to its bracket, and install the spacer, wheel and lugs.

[Lafiro]

Nice.
But a good way to save the money and use to towards something else that will stand out more nicely.... RIMS!

[bdc87]

Originally Posted by Lafiro

Nice.
But a good way to save the money and use to towards something else that will stand out more nicely.... RIMS!

True, but I needed to install these because my caliper is hitting the wheels I'm refinishing, so to put them on I needed to install these now I just need tires. BTW I have noticed improvement in braking and I did a car shake test and it takes more force too make it sway, so it's a good improvement to those you are getting hit by hard winds.

[Thirty-Nine]

A couple of questions/comments:

What size spacers are those--10mm?

Are you putting some on the rear to even things out? As it stands now, the fronts stick out more than the rears.

[Tamago]

the front track is over 10mm wider from the factory already ;)

[kngrsll]

Originally Posted by Tamago

the front track is over 10mm wider from the factory already ;)

i have always wondered that... So the actual track is larger in the front stock. I thought for a while that the track was the same, and the rear wheels sunk in bc of the bodyworks shape.

got an article on understanding the effects of track on handling?

[Tamago]

per road and track:

Track, f 57.9 in
Track, r 57.5 in

i don't have an article handy.. i'll do some googling lol

[Tamago]

looks like i'll be going shopping for a book :)

http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pdfs/134.pdf

[cali yaris]

Coulda sworn I measured that a long time ago and the track was the same. Will go measure again. Regardless -- flush is as flush does...

[kngrsll]

Originally Posted by Tamago

per road and track:

Track, f 57.9 in
Track, r 57.5 in

i don't have an article handy.. i'll do some googling lol

Ill see what i can find, i have a good book from Skip Barber i think.

so for everyone else: 57.9-57.5 = 0.4" 0.4*2.54 =1.016cm =10mm

[bdc87]

Originally Posted by Thirty-Nine

A couple of questions/comments:

What size spacers are those--10mm?

Are you putting some on the rear to even things out? As it stands now, the fronts stick out more than the rears.

Yes those are 10mm, and I plan on doing 13mm in the rear. I'm done refinsihing my miata wheels and should have some tires put on in the next couple weeks, I have to pay registration this month, which here in CA is $205.
Heres a sample pic of the wheel on the car. The sun is hitting it so the color looks a little lighter then in really is, they are painted graphite.