ATVs and side-by-sides cater to your thirst for adventure even in their stock form. However, if you are a performance enthusiast looking for more speed, better handling, and a ride to remember, aftermarket upgrades are the way to go. These upgrades come in all shapes and sizes, spanning different price ranges, and can deliver that extra dose of adrenaline when the terrain gets tough.
While many upgrades can be quite costly, quad bike wheel spacers are an inexpensive way to gain more ground clearance, improve stability, or give your ride a more aggressive look. They are also the most affordable option when it comes to fitting larger wheels and tires.
How Wheel Spacers Work
Wheel spacers are quad bike accessories designed to widen the track between the wheels. This enhancement improves overall stability and increases clearance inside the wheel wells, making it possible to install larger tyres. The spacers come in various thicknesses, ranging from half an inch to three inches each, providing an extra one to six inches of additional space. They are positioned between the hubs and wheels, are quick to install or remove, and cost a fraction of the price of other upgrades with similar purposes, such as revised A-arms or longer aftermarket axles.
Why You Want Them
Adding ATV or UTV wheel spacers offers numerous benefits. These parts can be fitted both front and rear, come in different bolt patterns to suit all quad bike makes, and are built tough to withstand the rigours of rough rides. Here are some key reasons to consider wheel spacers:
Improved Handling and Stability
A wider wheelbase makes the quad more stable on rough and unpredictable terrain, including steep inclines where obstacles like roots, rocks, and ruts can easily throw you off balance. In fact, many quad bike accidents occur from tipping over. Wheel spacers keep the bike stable during high-speed downhill runs or slow-speed technical manoeuvres. If your state allows ATVs and UTVs on paved roads, spacers also enhance cornering ability.
More Clearance
Clearance is crucial when installing tire chains or larger, wider tires. Wheel spacers prevent chains and tires from rubbing or scraping against other quad parts, such as the fenders, mufflers, brake lines, or suspension. They also allow for the installation of larger brake callipers for improved stopping power. For most models, spacers between one and two inches provide a good balance between adding sufficient space and avoiding excessive width.
Aesthetics
There’s no arguing about tastes, but most quad owners would agree that the wider stance offered with spacers front and rear provides a more aggressive look and a bike ready for anything you throw at it. The parts are the easiest and cheapest way to get a meaner-looking quad.
Low Cost
Aftermarket parts like suspension control arms or beefier axles meet the same rider requirements as do wheel spacers, but are significantly more expensive and take more time to install. You can save hundreds of dollars and upgrade the quad with other necessities instead.
Any Cons to Wheel Spacers?
While stability, safety and outright versatility are the main reasons to get spacers, consider how the changed geometry impacts your ride. Moving wheels and tires further out puts stress on parts like wheel bearings and suspension components. Also, more stability comes at the cost of vague or difficult steering, especially at lower speeds.
Lastly, you also change damping and rebound action in springs, leading to a choppy ride. All these, though, are minor complaints solved with ATV and UTV wheel spacers in the right thickness.
What Works for My Quad Bike?
There are a few variables when considering ATV wheel spacers. Here’s what to consider for perfect fit and expected performance:
Bolt Patterns
The bolt pattern refers to the number of lugs attaching the spacers to the hubs and the pitch circle diameter (or PCD) – essentially the distance between the centerlines of two opposing bolts or studs. This is to ensure a perfect fit with no play. Most quads have 4,5 or 6 bolts, spaced out at distances of 100 to 160mm from each other. What you choose needs to be compatible with the wheel hubs, so avoid universal spacers and instead choose types made specifically for your make and model.
The bolts must be of the correct diameter, usually 3/8″ to 1/2″, and be long enough to secure the fit. Typically, lengths average one inch for most types.
Thickness
Riders can opt for wheel spacers of 1/2 to 3 inches thick. Keep in mind that going with smaller thicknesses might not get you the clearance you need for tire or tire chains. Adversely, those that are too wide can hurt steering and low-speed maneuvers. Averages of 1, 1.5 and 2 inches will suit most riding scenarios and ATVs and UTVs of different sizes. Moreover, spacers often work better up front and are typically wider than those used on the rear axle.
Materials and Build
Wheel spacers are commonly made from aluminum and stainless steel in varying grades. Steel offers higher tensile strength and hardness, making it more durable. However, steel spacers are heavier, less ductile, and have lower corrosion resistance compared to higher-grade aluminium. This means more sprung mass, higher machining costs to achieve the required precision, and compromised performance in typical ATV and UTV settings like mud and water.
Choose heat-treated 6001-T6 aluminum for high strength, toughness and corrosion resistance, and good machinability for different shapes. Moreover, the material does well with anodizing for various coatings and finishes. For the highest strength (comparable to steel) spend more on 7075 aluminum spacers. This has exceptional physical properties, with twice the tensile and fatigue strength of T6, and double the hardness, but much lower weight. Both T6 and 7075 do well against heat, corrosion and chemicals.
Lastly, how spacers are made goes towards how long they last. Go with forged aluminum for regular rides with some technical trails thrown in the mix, or choose billet spacers for bigger, heavier machines that see regular abuse.
How Much Do Spacers Cost?
Your budget will determine what you buy. Thickness, sizes, materials and production processes all contribute to different prices. Naturally, the bigger and wider the spacers, the more you’ll be paying. Also, 7075 grades are more expensive than T6 spacers, and billet and forged types cost more than cast variants. Except to pay between $50 to $100 for a front or rear pair for mid-sized machines in average thicknesses and diameters.
