I am aware of wheel spacers used to widen track, both frond and rear. Do you use them? Why? What size works best with 19” front and rear wheels? thanks in advance!
David, I have Hill Engineering 20mm "Type 1" spacers + long bolts on the rear of my 550. Bought them from Ricambi America. https://www.ricambiamerica.com/ws020-2-x-20mm-spacers-10-bolts-type-1.html. These are not cheap but excellent quality billet aluminum hub-centric spacers. The bolts are stainless steel and they have titanium bolts available for extra cost. These spacers work great and eliminate the "sucked in" wheel/tire look at the rear. You'll see on the Ricambi website there is also a 25mm "Type 2" spacer, but they are bolt-on spacers (e.g., you bolt the spacer itself the wheel hub, then the wheel bolts to the spacer) which I don't like in principle, and the 5mm of extra width really isn't necessary. These will works up front, too, and there are thinner spacers available (11 and 15mm), but there really is no need for front spacers on 550s/575s.
David- I have had Hill Engineering Type 2 (spacer bolts to hub, original wheel bolts thread into hardened inserts) 25 mm spacers on the rear of my 575M through three sets of wheels. Fronts did not need them, but the rears look much better and they add to the rear track. Do not affect suspension alignment and only marginally increase unspring weight. Made up for weight by titanium wheel bolts. I do not like the longer bolts on the Type 1 spacers. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Dave- Mine was the only 575M in New Mexico for most of the time I was there, so easy to get that tag.
I can see how they improve the look of the car. Do they make any noticeable difference to the drive through the wider track?
Understeer is not an issue with FHP, plus the wider rear track tends to make for more stable braking.
I'm currently running an OMD 20mm spacer in the rear with extended bolts. It gives the rear at about the same offset as the front. To bring the sidewall flush with the fender: Rear: 40mm Front: 36mm So there is plenty of room to play with as aggressive of an offset as you wish.
Hi David, 20mm for me too, at least with OEM 18" wheels. IMHO they don't look "aftermaket widened", but they fill the arches just right. Before and after picture may help you... Image Unavailable, Please Login
Haven't noticed a lot of difference, Darius. Maybe a slight bit more understeer when really hustling the car through a fast sweeper. Otherwise day-to-day no difference.
I can't help you that much on this...I usually drive it slower than my grandmother......I didn't note any handling difference.
The basics on wheel spacers are that you will increase grip on whichever end you add the spacers. For the rear spacers we are talking about, there will be more grip on the rear and the front will be unchanged. Near the limit, that will tend to make her understeer, but at a higher cornering limit than before the spacers were added. Suspension geometry is unaffected. There may be slightly more wear on suspension bushings because of the increased lever arm effect.
On the basis of the advice from Dave and Taz, I have acquired some type two HE spacers for the rear wheels of my 575. My service shop is going to fit them doing the belt service next week. I will try to take some before and after pictures. If only I had the modulars to space. Belt service, fluid change, spacers, and a stereo that you can actually hear. It should be a worthwhile service. If there are any other suggestions for upgrades to make the ownership experience of a manual 575 with FHP even more wonderful, let’s have them! there is always the risk of the call that goes “while we were in there, we found all these things wrong” but that is just one of the joys of Ferrari ownership.
Got these 15mm off eBay for 100$ and they seem very nicely made. Came with longer bolts. Not sure why they knurled the edges but hey, everybody loves a good knurl job. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thinking of 20mm type 1s from HE vs 25mm type 2s as I don’t want to throw too much debris at the rear fender lip, lower quarter/ bumper etc. (25mm). Am I thinking correctly about this making a difference or is 20mm still too far out?
HE on my 575, based on Terry's (Taz) recommendation. The spacers help fill out the wheel well, especially the rears.