The Complete Guide to
Wheel Spacers UK.
Everything you need to know about wheel spacers — types, fitment, thickness, installation, legality, and safety. Written by the engineers who machine them.
Introduction to Wheel Spacers UK
Wheel spacers are metal discs that fit between your wheel and hub. They push your wheels outward from the hub by a specific distance, which ranges from 5mm to 25mm or more.
People buy wheel spacers for many reasons, but questions about safety and legality often arise. At Brightstone Engineering, we machine quality wheel spacers for all types of vehicles with precision CNC equipment.
The benefits of wheel spacers extend beyond looks. They create more clearance between brake components and wheels — useful if you upgrade to larger brakes. They improve vehicle stability by widening the track width. They allow for fitting wider tyres without rubbing against arches. And they fix wheel offset issues when changing from stock wheels to aftermarket options.
Many car owners worry about wheel spacers causing extra stress on wheel bearings and studs. While poorly made spacers can cause problems, quality hubcentric wheel spacers distribute weight properly across the hub — stress stays similar to running without spacers.
Another common myth claims all wheel spacers are illegal in the UK. In fact, quality hubcentric wheel spacers remain fully legal on UK roads as long as they don't extend wheels beyond the vehicle's arch line.
What Do Wheel Spacers Do?
Wheel spacers change the way your wheels sit on your car. Their benefits go beyond appearance.
Types of Wheel Spacers
Not all wheel spacers are created equal. The design determines safety, fitment quality, and what they're suitable for.
The most popular option for UK car owners. These spacers have a centre bore that matches your vehicle's hub diameter exactly, creating perfect alignment between wheel and hub. The hubcentric design maintains proper weight distribution across the hub face rather than placing stress on bolts or studs. Safest choice for daily driving and performance applications.
Slide over the existing wheel studs and sit flush against the hub. Work for smaller widths (5–15mm) and cost less. The drawback: they lack the centring ring found in hubcentric designs, which means the wheel bolts bear more of the centring load. Suit light vehicles and moderate driving but are not recommended for performance applications or regular use.
Attach to your vehicle's hub with the original lug nuts, then provide new studs or bolts for mounting the wheel. Offer greater width options, typically 15mm to 50mm+. Bolt-on designs allow for PCD changes, which lets you fit wheels with different bolt patterns than your car's original setup. Installation takes more time but delivers superior strength for larger thicknesses.
Choosing the Right Wheel Spacers for Your Vehicle
The make and model matter, but it's really about the numbers. Particularly your PCD — Pitch Circle Diameter — which describes how your wheel bolts are arranged.
The CB measurement — Centre Bore — is another critical dimension that people miss. Your wheel needs to sit perfectly centred on the hub. That's what the "hubcentric" part means. If the CB is wrong, your wheel might wobble even if it's bolted tight.
When measuring for spacers, check how much clearance you have at the hub — especially if you have large brake calipers. The gap between your tyre and arch lip tells you how much outward movement is available. Some owners go for thin spacers around 5–10mm; most wanting a wider stance go for 15–20mm.
- PCD: e.g. 5×120 for BMW E/F-series, 5×112 for Audi/Mercedes/VW
- Centre bore: must match your car's hub to avoid vibration
- Thickness: 5–10mm for subtle improvement; 15–20mm for aggressive stance
- Driving style: daily driver vs performance or track use
Wheel Spacer Sizes and PCD Options in the UK
Quick reference for UK drivers. Find your PCD and buy direct.
| PCD | Common Vehicles | Popular Thickness | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5×120 | BMW E/F-series (3, 4, 5, M3, M4, M5) | 12–20mm | Buy → |
| 5×112 (G-series) | BMW G-series (G20, G80, G82 etc.) | 10–20mm | Buy → |
| 5×112 (MQB) | Audi A4, A5, Q5, S4, RS4 and most modern Audi | 10–20mm | Buy → |
| 5×112 | Mercedes C, E, S-Class, AMG GT | 10–20mm | Buy → |
| 5×130 | Porsche 911, Boxster, Cayman (996–992) | 10–20mm | Buy → |
| 5×114.3 | Aston Martin DB9/Vantage (classic), Ferrari, Maserati | 12–20mm | Buy → |
| 5×128 | Aston Martin DB11, DB12, DBX, Vantage (2018+) | 12–20mm | Buy → |
| 5×112 (57.1mm) | Audi A3, S3, RS3, TT, R8 · VW Golf, GTI, R · Bentley · Lamborghini | 10–20mm | Buy → |
| 5×110 | Alfa Romeo Giulia, Stelvio · Maserati MC20, GranTurismo | 10–20mm | Buy → |
Spacer Thickness — What to Choose
Thickness determines how far your wheels move outward. The rule is simple: offset change equals spacer thickness. If you want your wheels 15mm further out, you need 15mm spacers.
Slight stance enhancement and brake clearance gains without dramatically changing the car's character. Good for daily drivers wanting modest improvement.
Good for: fine-tuning, stock-height cars, minor offset correction
The sweet spot for combining improved handling with noticeably better stance. Best balance of performance and aesthetics for most street cars. The majority of Brightstone orders fall in this range.
Good for: daily drivers, performance road cars, all major European platforms
Creates aggressive stances. Requires careful consideration of arch clearances and suspension geometry. At this thickness, bolt-on (stud-type) designs are recommended over slip-on.
Good for: show cars, track builds, wide-arch applications
Find Spacers for Your Car
Every kit includes correct extended bolts. UK-machined. Lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.
Installation Guide for Wheel Spacers
Fitting wheel spacers isn't complicated, but you need the right tools and the right process. You'll need a torque wrench, breaker bar, socket set, wire brush, and anti-seize compound. Never work under a car supported only by a jack — always use axle stands.
Are Wheel Spacers Legal and Safe in the UK?
Legality: Wheel spacers are legal in the UK as long as wheels don't protrude beyond the vehicle arches. The MOT tester will check this. Correctly sized spacers on most standard vehicles pass without issue.
Insurance: Any modification to your car — including wheel spacers — needs to be declared to your insurer. The conversation usually takes five minutes, and they'll note it on your policy. The premium might adjust slightly, but that beats having a claim rejected. If you're involved in an accident and your insurer discovers undeclared modifications, they can refuse to pay out — even if the spacers had nothing to do with the accident. Always declare, keep your receipts, and mention the spacers when you renew each year.
Safety: Quality hubcentric wheel spacers distribute load properly and are safe when installed correctly. The engineering is identical to OEM wheel mounting — the hub carries the weight, the bolts clamp. Problems arise only with non-hubcentric spacers, poor machining, or incorrect hardware.
Quality spacers + correct fitment + declared to insurer = no issues. The vast majority of correctly fitted hubcentric wheel spacers pass MOT, satisfy insurers, and run without problems indefinitely.
UK-made. Precision machined. Complete kits.
If you need a size, PCD combination, or centre bore that nobody stocks off the shelf, we can machine it. Classic cars, unusual imports, custom builds — contact us with your measurements and we'll quote within 24 hours.
FAQ About Wheel Spacers
Find spacers for your car
UK-machined hubcentric spacers with correct extended bolts in every kit. Lifetime warranty. Ships within 3–5 days.
