Track widening
A widening of the track is a subsequent increase in the track width of a car . It is carried out during vehicle tuning and is usually used to beautify the vehicle. At the same time, the driving behavior should be improved by lower side inclination and driving stability. Wheel spacers are attached in the form of perforated spacers between the wheel mount and the wheel flange. To widen the track, wheels with a smaller offset can also be used.
Attachment
If spacers, also known as track plates, are attached, longer wheel bolts must be used to fasten the wheels . The required length of the screws is calculated from the wheel spacer used. The thickness of the spacers - half the amount of the track widening - must be added to the original thread length. The original screws cannot and must not be used under any circumstances, as they can no longer be screwed in so deep that they hold the wheels securely.
A distinction is made between two types of spacer washers. Spacers without a collar are primarily used for small wheel spacers. The discs are so thin that the wheel flange can still be centered on the centering collar of the hub. With thicker spacers, the centering collar does not protrude sufficiently. These spacers have their own, larger centering collar on the outside. However, this also means that wheels with a larger hub bore (center hole centering) are necessary.
Technical consequences
Widening the track can also have an adverse effect on driving behavior. The vehicle becomes sensitive to ruts. Road bumps or asymmetrical braking forces, for example due to brakes that do not work quite evenly or uneven road surfaces, can be felt in the steering. The load on a number of chassis components and also on the wheel bolts (when using track plates) increases significantly due to the larger lever arm. Inferior quality track plates are often not balanced and can therefore lead to strong vibrations when driving due to the resulting imbalance .
Legal basis
Appropriate wheels, the respective vehicle type and the appropriate tires are required for the permitted use of wheel spacers. The use of wheel spacers without a general operating permit (ABE) can be punishable by law. This should include certification in accordance with DIN ISO EN 9001 and a strength report on the fatigue strength of the panes. An entry in the vehicle registration document may also be required.