Looking for some advice here,
The Chrome Rims on my XKR are getting pretty rusty. I have I nice set of Rims from an XK8. The problem is that they don't fit with the Brembo Brakes. If I use a 3/4" Spacer they would fit. I would also have to put longer Wheel studs on I guess.
Is this doable or a bad idea?
Cheers

 

Can you post specifics, like the wheel names (Apollos, etc.), or post pictures? The documented limitation is the 19" Apollos do not fit the XKR with Brembo brakes.

Being in CA already, have you looked into refinishing your existing wheels?

 

 

do a search for scrub radius and it will become apparent why spacers are not a good idea. your wheel bearings will also thank you.

 

Limiting the discussion to the REAR wheels, adding spacers could maybe, possibly, somewhat result in a negligible increase in bearing wear, but who would ever know for sure?

Bearings by nature are wear items that will always need replacement at some point. That 'point' is a variable that takes into consideration a number of factors, so without an absolute "fails at exactly xxx miles", you will never know if you could have gone 10,000 miles more with them had you not added spacers.

I think a great deal of the over-hyped 'spacers will kill your bearings' warnings fall into the same category as 'do it too much and you'll go blind'. Think I'm wrong? Enjoy searching for a definitive engineering report that looked specifically at this issue (the spacer one).

Manufacturers, including BMW and Porsche have in the past added spacers to production cars with no change in the bearing. Manufacturers today regularly change offsets (an offset is a solid part of the hub that does the same work as a spacer). Hmmmm. Bearings themselves are over-engineered for the intended application, and take into account more severe conditions that most of us will ever encounter.

​​​​​ Would I use a spacer at the rear to help fill that insanely large fender gap? In a heartbeat.

 

 

Thank you all for your input. The biggest problem I see is that the Hubcentric spacers would bring the wheel 1" out, to much for the Wheel well and Fender.
I guess that I be selling those Rims and get some different Rims to fit the Brembo Brakes.

Those anybody know of a reasonable Rim refinishing shop here in the western States?

Cheers

 

Check California Chrome. I believe they have an exchange service for fast turn around. If it was me, I would replace these chromed wheels with the painted version...

 

Perhaps someone can strip off the chrome so the wheels can be painted. I wonder, too, about your saying they are rusty. How can they be if they are alloy? I have not heard of any XKR steel wheels.

Granville

 

Not a fan of Chrome anyways. Black Rims would look a lot better with the Platinum Body.

 

You can have the chrome electrolytically removed. It is commonly done for a rechrome. The de-plated surface is suitable for paint or polish. Do a search for rechrome to find places that do it.

 

And you were worried about 1" spacers?!

All in fun, check out what popped up on my feed today!