steering feels stiffer after spacers?!

[M3 Number 86]

posted this in suspension thread but probably get more feedback here....

So I've always run 5mm spacers on all four corners and steering never felt any different.

I bumped up to 10mm in the front for more clearance and left the rears at 5mm. Now the car steering feels tight and the balance just feels weird (eg. I feel more tramlining on the road now than before).

Should I throw on 10mm in the back? I'm guessing now it essentially drives like a 3 wheel bike now - two wheels (wider) in front and one wheel (narrower, relative to stock).

Anyone else notice this? Or is it just time to top my power steering reservoir again?

TIA

[sylonien]

I noticed this too when I fitted 15/12mm spacers.

Not sure if widen track means its more planted?

Anyway, when I removed them eventually - the steering felt like again and made the car feel more nimble?

[Greg S]

You changed the scrub radius in the front. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrub_radius

[M3 Number 86]

I don't notice it anymore after driving hard on track once feels back to normal. Just had to get used to it :thumbs up:

[1MOREMOD]

Initial turn in felt stiffer or more resistance to turn in but not steady state.

[oolas3]

Did anybody experience this with the same mm size spacers all around?

A lot of guys here run different size front from the rears. It always seemed to me like this could throw off the dynamics of the car but I never saw any complaints until this thread. Is it just safer to go with the same size at all 4 corners?

[Edward]

Just reading up on scrub radius and just basic logic, ( no science whatsoever ), I feel like what you do to the rear doesn't matter nearly as much as the change you apply up front. A bigger change is altering how staggered your front and rear are.

I really dislike spacers for a lot of reasons. Hubcentric spacers add a tiny bit of excess stress on wheel hubs, potentially cause wheel vibrations (especially when you buy macht schnell brand), can seize to the hub if they don't have a relief to pry them off change steering wheel, etc. Virtually the only positive is cosmetic or BBK clearance. Even when you use them to clear BBK, they are done right when you use a stud conversion kit. Yes, I have had great experiences and awful experiences for spacers.
As long as my car isn't spaced like a horrible Maserati, I'm fine with how they come stock.

[M3 Number 86]

Originally Posted by Edward

Just reading up on scrub radius and just basic logic, ( no science whatsoever ), I feel like what you do to the rear doesn't matter nearly as much as the change you apply up front. A bigger change is altering how staggered your front and rear are.

I really dislike spacers for a lot of reasons. Hubcentric spacers add a tiny bit of excess stress on wheel hubs, potentially cause wheel vibrations (especially when you buy macht schnell brand), can seize to the hub if they don't have a relief to pry them off change steering wheel, etc. Virtually the only positive is cosmetic or BBK clearance. Even when you use them to clear BBK, they are done right when you use a stud conversion kit. Yes, I have had great experiences and awful experiences for spacers.
As long as my car isn't spaced like a horrible Maserati, I'm fine with how they come stock.

Prob with my 10mm spacers they broke my damn studs. 2 of them.

[1MOREMOD]

That was the overweight trunk hooker

[M3 Number 86]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

That was the overweight trunk hooker

Fat chicks need love too

[1MOREMOD]

Not in public

[M3 Number 86]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Not in public

In public is ok as long as not in your normal neighborhood lol