Wheel spacers illegal in Victoria

[Tbone]

I 'get around it' by rattle canning them and the inside of the rim for my 30mm's. Visually, looks part of the wheel. In response to above, with a $250k collision, they would certainly throw the book at you too. Anything for $$$

[CrUZida]

Any decent engineer/inspector will be able to argue that the spacers did not contribute to the accident (unless of course they did) and therefore your insurance will not be voided. However, there is still that chance that the spacers do contribute to the accident...

[thechuckster]

Unless a wheel comes off in the accident or you had serious steering/suspension issues (that an engineeer might conclude were a result of spacers failing or loosening up) that contribute to the accident it won't get a look into. If it's a contributing factor then you might face some liability but most likely the cause of an accident is going to a failure follow basic road rules - e.g. speed, failure to give way or stop, inattention, distraction, drunk, lack of driver talent - not the fact that you might have slightly dodgy wheel spacers.

If you want to be 100119% compliant with your insurer then buy a stock car and keep it stock and get the dealer to service it. Otherwise modify and engineer your vehicle in a safe and sensible manner and put this quibble back on the shelf.

[Neal_411]

On a related note...what about hub ring adapters? Are these legal or not? Hardly anyone discusses them because they have nothing to do with changing offset and I'm struggling to draw any conclusions. If one follows the same logic as above then they would be illegal simply due to the fact that they were not factory fitted. Thousands of cars are driving around on the roads with aftermarket rims with mismatched inner hub diameters though and you hardly hear a peep about it. What to think?

[andrew_mx83]

surely it could be argued that if the wheel's centrebore doesnt match the car then it "shouldnt" be fitted

but as you say heaps of people drive around with hubcentric rings, i lol moreso at those who DONT fit a ring even though they need one.

[CrUZida]

Hubcentric rings are the opposite. You HAVE to run them.
The wheel bore HAS to be the same size as the hub centre.

That said, only a VERY small percentage of the population with aftermarket rims actually uses them.

I've only ever used them on one car before.

[dnegative]

FYI - Your insurance only becomes invalid if whatever you did is the direct cause of the accident. If you fit spacers and run up the back of someone cause your playing with your cock they cant deny your claim without the ombudsman getting involved etc

[eightsixboy]

Spacers are dodgey full stop, Ive been there done that and its not worth it, they cause all sorts of issues. Unless your wheels have cut outs on the inside your original studs will be to long for a 15mm spacer and petrude so you'll have to cut them.

Im pretty sure there will be a wheel company that makes a wheel you like in a lowish + offset, try rota as they have a crap load of different styles.

+1 for hub rings, you have to run them, your studs arnt designed to take all the load, your hub is.

[lt1972]

My old Konig rewinds were supplied with konig factory hub ring adapters, therefore one would assume that they were legal???

[andrew_mx83]

so if konig sold you 24" wheels to replace your stock 14s they would be legal?

plenty/most "performance" stuff you buy is not strictly speaking 100% legal.

[Hiro]

My old Konig rewinds were supplied with konig factory hub ring adapters, therefore one would assume that they were legal???

Hub ring adaptors aren't spacers...

[lt1972]

Hiro, i know, if you read the thread you will see someone asked also about the hub centre rings.
Andrew_mx83, no need to be a tool, wheel size is pretty black and white when it comes to legality so thats a fairly stupid reference. Hence in my post when you are supplied a factory part with your wheels i said one would ASSUME that part be legal....not it IS legal.

[Hendo]

weld spacers onto your wheels, should be legal?

[CrUZida]

Hence in my post when you are supplied a factory part with your wheels i said one would ASSUME that part be legal....not it IS legal.

Not really.
The 'factory' part is not OEM factory, but aftermarket factory, which is generally produced by an overseas manufacturer for all parts of the globe.

Generally speaking, all aftermarket 'performance' parts can be considered illegal without *some* form of 3rd party approval.
This approval can range from engineering, certification, or just an approval letter/document from the Trans Dept.

[andrew_mx83]

this is what i was trying to say (not *just* being a tool)

just cos the manufacturer supplies a part you cant assume it makes it legal. there are a million other examples but i just thought the wheel size one was nice and simple