10mm Spacer - Lug Bolt Question
 

I'm installing H&R Spacers on my X5: 25mm in the rear and 10mm in the front. For the 10mm spacers, can I use the same lug bolts or do I still need longer ones? I've read that X5 lug bolts have 50mm of thread. Therefore with a 10mm spacer I would lose 20% of the thread and therefore 20% of the strength. Is still this within the margin of safety built into the design and acceptable with regards to safety?

Thanks in advance....

http://www.turnermotorsport.com/imag...spacers_lg.jpg

If they have 50 mm of thread, which seems reasonable, that doesn't mean that all 50 mm are engaging the hub. Get longer lug bolts. Losing a wheel can really ruin your day (and the day of those driving in the lane next to you).

Based on the 14mm diameter of the shank, you need an absolute minimum of 6 turns of the bolt, preferably 7. When I ran 10mm spacers on the rear of my '04, I only got 5 turns with the stock bolts which is why I got longer bolts, 55 or 55mm if I recall. No longer use the 10's in the back and went with the H&R 25mm that bolts to the hub, and wheel bolts to the spacer with the stock bolts.

Thanks for the feedback JCL. Are there black aftermarket 55mm lug bolts available? http://www.xoutpost.com/images/smilies/dunno.gif

why don't u guys purchase the H&R DRA Trak+ spacers where thety come with bolts... you bolt the spacers on to the hub and then the wheels on to the spacers. That's what i have on mine... but i think they only make DRA spacers for 30mm-90mm

They start at 25mm, that's what I have on the rear on mine.

As stated on my previous comments, I've installed 25mm spacers on the rear which work great with H&R's ingenuity (i.e. incorporating 20mm thick steel nuts inside the spacer itself and those nuts become receivers for the factory wheel bolts). However, I wanted to go 10mm in the front but they are too thin to accommodate the thickness of the nuts inside so I must either purchase longer bolts (only available in silver color from H&R) or use the stock OEM bolt loosing 20% of the strength. I'm wondering if there are black aftermarket 55mm lug bolts available? http://www.xoutpost.com/images/smilies/dunno.gif

I went with H&R sets:
- 15mm for the front (ordered with the longer bolts as well for additional cost)
- 25mm for the rear (came with the extending bolts)

To match with my black rims, I painted all the bolts in black with just the cheap spray paint!

If you're getting H&R bolts, you can get black, gray or silver plastic caps for the head of the bolts from your neighborhood VW dealer. I've used the black ones in the past for H&R bolts. Can't recall the price but probably in the $1-2 each range. They're used on a lot of new VW cars from the factory.