Just curious about something in regards to spacers.

Are spacers generic or are they made by the individual rim manufacturers for a specific rim?

It seems everytime I see a nice set for my SL they require a spacer to fit however I'm somewhat in the dark over the availability of spacers.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

TIA.

I would stay away from the generic "universal" spacers you see at AutoZone.

Instead, I know the repsected company H&R springs makes model specific spacers. YOu can find them on their website at www.hrsprings.com

Please check out their website, I found applications R129 chassis SL Class for as little as 49.95 per pair.

And they are not a bad thing to use. One member of a different Benz forum showed us a picture of a Brabus or Carlsson (I cant remember which) cars on display in some auto show in Europe and he took close up of the wheel spacers to show any doubters that they are okay to use. These cars were on the display by the actual tuner themselves, so it was the tuner's idea to use the spacer. If these tuners use them, then it must be okay.

Carlsson used spacers to reduce the production costs of their wheels ..... build 1 basic wheel configuration and use spacers for every application except 1 to make them fit properly ..... ever wonder why The Tire Rack quit carrying and importing the Carlsson products .....

We do not recommend or endorse the use of spacers in most cases ... find wheels designed to properly fit your car

__________________

Please, call me to place orders or for more info
use my name for on-line orders

Thanks guys....I'll admit that the idea of using spacers does concern me as I had real problems with the spacers they used to make for mag wheels to adjust to bolt patterns.

The wheels I was looking at were Carlssons however the auction got pulled before I could decide.

I appreciate the advice Luke but in my opinion the selection of rims that fit R129s is woefully small and unimpressive. If you don't want AMG's, and I don't, then there really isn't much unless you use spacers. It is understandable, of course, given the relatively low production run.

Sadly, all the rims I like come from Brabus, Carlsson or Oz.

And that is that I have NONE!
When the Porsche 944 first came out, Porsche used aluminum spacers on the rear. Yes, they were hubcentric as a spacer should be or they wouldn't have used them. This also means that they have to pass the tough TUV tests to be used. This should speak for themselves.
I've used them on many cars with never a problem. I once had a Ford E-150 van I used to trailer my Porsche 911 to the track. It had spacer/adapters on so that I could also use Porsche wheels on the van.
My Mercedes 190, when I drove it on the street, had spacer/adapters so that I could use forged Porsche 928 wheels on it. Now that it is a track only car with 440 hp, I have spacer/adapters on it with 9.5" Corvette wheels and race tires.
You'd think I'd go 140mph if I didn't trust the wheels to stay on? NO way!
Simple spacers are not very true and can work loose but if made correctly, known as hubcentric and machined from billet T6 aluminum, there isn't a problem.

Just my two cents...
TobiasMB
190/5.8

I'm using some 25mm HR DRA-system spacers to mount ET49 wheels on my 78 240D. Expensive, but worth it. Found them at ECS tuning (about the cheapest I could find them) http://www.ecstuning.com/HR/

Mine are model 5055665 and bolt to the hub, then the wheels bolt to the spacers. They act more as a hub extension and are hub centric.

The newer DRA series use steel inserts for the lug bolt threads (but no insert for the ball seat). They are made in Germany and pass the TÜV (both the new version and the older version). But best of all, at ECS tuning they were $130 a pair ($260 for four). I'm not knocking your spacers at all as I actually checked them out too. Maybe if they would match the price.

I've actually just ordered 20mm H&R DRM-type spacers for both front and rear of my other, sportscar. Like all H&R spacers, these are TUV-certified which probably explains their prices. I'll let you know how they how they do, if I'm still able to do so that is...

__________________
2011 Prius

i had an SL and had 17" rims for them
ET must be something of 9 mm for an 8J

as u know: ET for a w201 is about 47mm (i have 38)
w140 59mm
...
there are many differences, and u can space 10 à 20 inch.
but i think you better dont space too much

So these clear the front hub cap?

I'm interested in the 15mm DR spacers to fit et37 CLK wheels on my W123, and there is a note on the H&R website saying that the inner contour must be machined slightly to fit over the front hub cap. This is strange though, since the only spacer that has this note is the 15mm size, not the 10 or 5mm versions, which would definitely have clearance problems if the 15mm did. It also further mentions that the smallest size that will work without machining is 40+mm. Is this entire note an error in their catalog??

__________________
Dave

2002 Audi S6 Avant
1983 300D
1984 300D (sold)
1990 560SEL (sold)

And also spacer/adapters to change the wheel pattern of a car. Think H&R means to clear the grease cap on the hub, not the wheel hubcap!
Never have I had to machine a spacer to fit over the hub. This would only occur if the spacer was made to fit the same pattern and the part was hubcentric both on the hub and for the wheel being mounted. This happens because the hub is longer than the spacer being installed and there is not enough material left for the outer hubcentric part. Spacers are made both ways, with or without hubcentric rings on the outside where the wheel mounts. The ones without are bored the same diameter straight through the spacer.
Usually the wheel bolts will tighten down properly to center the wheel if care is used with the proper torque. Just torque in increments and using the star pattern.

Good Luck,
Tobias MB
190/5.8