Wheel Spacers: Hubcentric vs non Hubcentric

[Jay18]

I don't know if anyone else has purchased the cheap slide on 32mm spacer but I have, on my 2003 Grand Vitara I am experiencing brake judder when braking from around 40/50mph

I'm not sure if anyone with an SJ has experienced it but it is said to be due to them not being Hubcentric, I was going to purchase a set of bolt on ones instead but it won't make much difference I don't think...

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if Scottie wants to make this a sticky I'm sure it could help people if they find a vibration/ wobble after fitting wide spacers...

[ScottieJ]

SJs and vitara's don't have hubcenteric hubs to start with

[d_r_1989]

I have 32mm and have no issues with juddering.

[Jay18]

My GV has the collars on the front hub and the rear drums, they're supposed to slot into the wheel centre to stop vibrations right? Which I'm thinking because my spacers aren't hubcentric the weight of the car is on the studs and not the hub centre? I may have to look again...

The vibrating might even be that the slide on spacers aren't balanced, I want impressed with them at all when fitting them...

[ScottieJ]

On SJs and Vitara's and most 4x4s it's the taper on the wheel nuts that centres the wheel, Hence why you are supposed to do them up in a certain order. They aren't Hubcenteric.

Your juddering could be a number of things so I would get the front end checked out, wheels off and inspect everything.

The increased scrub radius from the spacers could even have some effect on the juddering.

Ps its a 4x4 and not a car, the weight is supposed to be on the studs, that's why 4x4s have large PCDs compared to cars.

[Jay18]

I have just read about lug-centric, there are companies that claim to sell hubcentric spacers for the Jimny and early shape GV, so I wander if they know what they're selling..

I think it's down to the spacers, I don't like them at all, I may replace them with the bolt on version, I've had all new disks and pads fitted and the tracking done at the same time, i do need to bend the plastic inner arch mount so it pulls it away from the tyres as they do catch on full lock

So I will inspect the hubs etc while I'm doing that


Thanks for that Scottie, thought I was able to help out then haha, ahh well, I guess it could help anyone that fits spacers to the newer GV, I think that are hubcentric, I know the PCD is the same as the swift sport and SX4

[twiss]

Have you taken the spacers off since having the brakes done to check if it stops it?

[Jay18]

If I take the spacers off I can't put the front wheels on, I needed the spacer so they would clear the calipers...

[twiss]

Also I have been running the cheap spacers for 5+ years and never had a problem at all.
If the wheels were moving on the spacers there would almost certainly be visible damage to the spacers and studs

[Jay18]

I have checked the wheel nuts and they haven't loosened off at all so I know that's not the problem, I haven't checked the spacers since ATS done my brakes so they may have losses a stud to make the spacers slide on, will have to check that, unless you don't feel it in an SJ cause of the different steering and suspension setups?