Any point in using wheel spacers to inprove handling?

[no2lurch]

as title really.

my touring is lowered 60/40 i think but apart form that its standard.

is there any point in using wheel spacers to widen the track and improve handling?

[mrLEE30]

not really, technically a wider track offers more grip hence why race cars are set maximum widths, but i think on a street set up this would have no real effect.

better spend your time and money on dampers to match your spring height

[Brianmoooore]

The best way to improve the handling would be to raise the car up around 20mm, so that the suspension geometry is closer to as it was designed, and the tyre contact patch involves the full width of the tyre! The correct way to 'lower' a car is to raise the suspension pick up points in the shell, not fit 'lower' springs.

[Luca318is]

The best way to improve the handling would be to raise the car up around 20mm, so that the suspension geometry is closer to as it was designed, and the tyre contact patch involves the full width of the tyre! The correct way to 'lower' a car is to raise the suspension pick up points in the shell, not fit 'lower' springs.

but if you use a top mount kit to improve camber, you can have a lowered car with good geometry!

[Barx325i]

I think brian was referring to the rear end, but yes they will help the front

[gareth]

The best way to improve the handling would be to raise the car up around 20mm, so that the suspension geometry is closer to as it was designed, and the tyre contact patch involves the full width of the tyre! The correct way to 'lower' a car is to raise the suspension pick up points in the shell, not fit 'lower' springs.

but if you use a top mount kit to improve camber, you can have a lowered car with good geometry!

still not right though. geometry is not only limited to the angle of the wheel. the resting position of the front wishbone will be wrong on a lowered car (pointing upwards). it's a compromise.

i seem to recall seeing a kit to drop the wishbone down further off the bottom of the strut on some DTM M3 or something for exactly this reason.

the rear is in a way easier to correct as it's a fairly simple pivot arrangement, unlike the machpherson strut

[no2lurch]

well thanks for the pointers - its turned into an interesting thread.

my touring is lowered using KW springs and shocks.