what's the difference between wheel spacers and wheel adapte

[Yolanda Cyrus]

I'm about to put some wheel spacers on, so I go to eBay and find that there is something called wheel adapters.


I guess they look the same, and I just can't figure out the difference between these two.


And here's the result that I googled.
https://www.bonoss.com/do-you-need-wheel-spacers-or-wheel-adapters-cai.html


They have a different name that makes me confused, and it's said that wheel adapters are using to adapt the offset of CB and PCD between the OEM and ODM wheels.


Can anybody tell me more?

[Chris21r]

Spacers typically use the same pcd and centre bore as oem and adjust wheel offset.

Adaptors can have 2 separate pcd's and different bore sizes to adapt none oem wheels to a vehicle.

[dumper]

I’ve had in the past that putting wheel spacers on front and rear wheel non drive axles reducing the life of the bearings the wider the spacer the quicker it happens.

[Mike]

One can be dangerous, the other can be really dangerous.

[Chris21r]

The wheel bearing wear is a factor. It moves the loading arc to outside the wheel bearing.

The dangerous factor I'm not sold on.. If they fit correctly, bolts or studs are lengthened correctly and correct strength then they will be fine..

I raced many cars with spacers to aid traction and alter the geometry but the spacers were always bolted on and wheel bolted to the spacer. Eibach and H&R are the brands that make them that way.

[Mike]

I raced many cars with spacers to aid traction and alter the geometry but the spacers were always bolted on and wheel bolted to the spacer. Eibach and H&R are the brands that make them that way.

Ditto, but race cars are very light and things like wheel studs were changed on a regular basis. I certainly wouldn't entertain putting spacers on a commercial vehicle, especially as it's a vanity thing.

[dumper]

When the mk1 Astra had a rally challenge series some years back they used to fit BMW wheels to them due to restrictions on modifications they had a few retirements with the bearings falling and the semi professional drivers soon when't back to standard wheels as the bump steer affected the handling and slower stage times .

[Chris21r]

I raced many cars with spacers to aid traction and alter the geometry but the spacers were always bolted on and wheel bolted to the spacer. Eibach and H&R are the brands that make them that way.

Ditto, but race cars are very light and things like wheel studs were changed on a regular basis. I certainly wouldn't entertain putting spacers on a commercial vehicle, especially as it's a vanity thing.

I agree partially. I'd be happy using them on a van that's never used for weight carrying.. Show vans/day vans etc..

On a load lugger? No.

[dumper]

I raced many cars with spacers to aid traction and alter the geometry but the spacers were always bolted on and wheel bolted to the spacer. Eibach and H&R are the brands that make them that way.

Ditto, but race cars are very light and things like wheel studs were changed on a regular basis. I certainly wouldn't entertain putting spacers on a commercial vehicle, especially as it's a vanity thing.

I agree partially. I'd be happy using them on a van that's never used for weight carrying.. Show vans/day vans etc..

On a load lugger? No.

To be honest day and camper vans are well loaded more then a lot of working vans by the time you built them and the content that sits in them all the time there no light weight my mk6 jumbo was 2800 kgs running around weight.

[Chris21r]

Really? I'll admit, I wasn't even thinking close to that..