20mm spacers, safe to run long bolts?

[CorvallisBMW]

I've got my nice CNC'd hubcentric spacers that I really want to put on my car, and I've started looking for either stud kits or longer bolts. Turner sells both, but the bolts are less than half the price of a stud kit. Seeing as how this car doesn't see track use, and maybe only autoX once or twice a year, is it safe to run longer bolts? It seems all the retailers (bimmerworld, vorschlag, elephant, TMS, etc) sell the same stud kits or roughly the same price, but TMS are the only ones that offer the long bolts. I just want to make sure I'm not gonna get myself killed when a wheel falls off or something.

[Teaguer]

H&R makes longer bolts as well, as far as buying htem ...I think BMP still lists them.

Typically bigger spacers are made differently , they have counteresunk holes for the lug-bolts then threaded inserts where your regular lenght bolts screw into.

For something like the 20mm I'd buy the right kind of spacer or go with long stud kit.
Rather not risk anny potential problems from sandwiching them between the wheel and longer bolts.

[der affe]

the screw in studs will make it nicer when you take the wheel off and on too. i am running 20mm spacers made by ???? with the thread in studs and no issues.

the extra long bolts are a bit of a pain in the ass to deal with then you take the tyres off and on.

[CorvallisBMW]

I almost never remove the wheels, so I'm not too concerned about the ease of use. Besides, I can always use the wheel alignment tool in the toolkit. I'm more worried about the safety issue (if there even is one, i'm not sure)

[AlarmedBread]

I have run the countersunk bolt to the hub, then bolt the wheel to the spacer type no issues even on track duty.

[straight6pwr]

ive been running long bolts on 20mm/15mm spacers for years just fine. they are even shitty crap brand bolts, nothing special.

[nando]

what's the price difference? if it's only like $20, get the studs. you'll thank yourself later.

just don't run vanilla grade studs on the track. They break. :(

[CorvallisBMW]

The price difference is about $80, the studs are more than double the price of the bolts. After reading your thread though Nando about the crummy Vorschlag plated studs, i will be sticking with either the TMS or the BW units.

[nando]

well when I talked to vorshlag they basically told me that the plated ones weren't good for track use. I believe they are using ARP as their supplier for competition studs though, so they should be fine.

[92 mtechnic cabrio]

get 20mm bolts, no big deal.

the kind of spacer that you bolt into the hub, and then the wheel to the spacer has too many issues:

- Even when torqued on properly, they sometimes have loosening issues
- Sometimes the top of the bolts you use to bolt the spacer on to the hub will stick past the spacer, creating a clearance issue with the wheel.
- The nuts that come with the bolt-on spacers sometimes aren't the best quality, or they are the wrong head for your wheel.

[rcfanatic]

I also have a 20mm spacer/adapter. My issue is what 92 mtechnic stated - the lug bolts that fasten the spacer to the hub have too tall of a head (>20mm). I've had to fabricate my own lug bolts temporarily, but I'm looking for a solution long term.

If I purchase the thread in studs, what length should I shoot for? 35mm? There are already studs in the spacers that allow the wheel to fasten to it. I just need the correct length from hub and through, but not past, 20mm spacer

Thanks