# Spacers without lowering?



## juelz45 (Jul 9, 2011)

Hello everyone. Just a quick question, as I am in the market to get 15mm spacers in front and 20mm in back. My question is, has anybody used spacers without actually lowering the car? I intend on lowering in the future, however I only have funds for the spacers. Should I do it all at once? Or would just spacers look okay? BTW I have a 2001 225 with the polished 17" fat fives. Any pics of spaced without lowering? Thanks for the advice!


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## Gram TT (Aug 28, 2009)

I think I would just wait and do the suspension and spacers together.


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## spearhunter#2 (May 21, 2010)

Just wait if you can, save up and get it all sorted at the same time


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## J99 TTC (Oct 16, 2012)

Depends. Spacers only on facelift springs are a nice mod that brings the wheels flush with the arches, it would do same with pre facelift but may look a little high


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## conlechi (May 6, 2006)

As above , lower and space at the same time for the best look  , if funds are tight lower it first , the 17" comps you have look good when the car is lower 8)

This kit will give you everything you need to space it out viewtopic.php?f=4&t=291771


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## DPM (Mar 2, 2006)

It'll look better if you do it all at once but as mentioned if funds are tight I'd lower first.

Damian @ DPM Performance


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## M18NTT (Dec 30, 2011)

I did the same. 
Spaced first before lowering








Then after lowering with Amax springs








The spacers certainly had the effect of filling the arches a bit more and made the car look better but the lowering definately improved it more.


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## roddy (Dec 25, 2008)

there is no reason to wait,, the spacers will cost about 100 whereas the lowering will cost much much more,, so go on , have the car looking better while you save for the rest :lol:


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## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, Fit spacers & then lower when funds allow, as you may require adjustable tie bars when lowering.
Hoggy.


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## captpicard (Sep 29, 2012)

Ive got spacers ready to fit once my winter wheels come off.

No plans to lower yet. So i'll have spacers on my comps.


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## stewbieTT (Jun 23, 2012)

roddy said:


> there is no reason to wait,, the spacers will cost about 100 whereas the lowering will cost much much more,, so go on , have the car looking better while you save for the rest :lol:


Apex springs are about £85, cheaper than a set of 4 hub centric spacers and longer bolts, about half the price in fact :?


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## J•RED (Feb 10, 2013)

stewbieTT said:


> roddy said:
> 
> 
> > there is no reason to wait,, the spacers will cost about 100 whereas the lowering will cost much much more,, so go on , have the car looking better while you save for the rest :lol:
> ...


Iv just got hubcentric spacers for £105 including longer bolts and locking wheel bolts, 15mm front and 20mm rear :roll:


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## roddy (Dec 25, 2008)

stewbieTT said:


> roddy said:
> 
> 
> > there is no reason to wait,, the spacers will cost about 100 whereas the lowering will cost much much more,, so go on , have the car looking better while you save for the rest :lol:
> ...


maybe , bu you are not going to fit apex springs on to old shockers,, the car is going to be bouncing around like beach ball,,


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## crackfox (Jan 19, 2013)

Anyone got any pictures of stock tt on 18's with just spacers ? (Pref 15f & 20r)
Ideally with 9 spokes.


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## Jamesc (May 23, 2010)

This is mine fitted with spacers prior to lowering (Though is a facelift so its slightly lower to begin with)


























Thats 10mm up front and 20mm on the rear


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## crackfox (Jan 19, 2013)

Looks just right to me. Gorgeous looking car btw mate !


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## Ironmason (Sep 11, 2011)

I fitted 15mm front 20mm rears on mine . I think they definitely look better than oem but that's on a post facelift.

















Sent from my Amiga 500 using time travel


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## juelz45 (Jul 9, 2011)

That gives me some ideas thanks everyone! Great pics very nice TT's.


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## juelz45 (Jul 9, 2011)

readerj001 said:


> I did the same.
> Spaced first before lowering
> 
> 
> ...


ReaderJ001, do you have anymore photos from the side like your post lowering picture, with just the spacers before the springs?


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## flyer (Dec 2, 2009)

What year was the face lift.


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## roddy (Dec 25, 2008)

flyer said:


> What year was the face lift.


2002 ish


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## Gram TT (Aug 28, 2009)

My car is a 2001 so that makes it a pre- facelift so 20 mm higher than the facelift model.I did my suspension first (apex-40mm lowering ) and then I added the spacers. 
So "what to do?" If I was to do it again I would get the spacers first. I fitted my lowering springs and thought "wow" that looks better, but after seeing some of the forum members cars with spacers I knew I had to get it done straight away. I don't think it looks too bad when you add spacers , but when you lower it the wheels seem lost in the arches. The springs are a cheaper option if you go down that path, but only if you can fit them yourself. The spacers are a lot more manageable and can be fitted without too much trouble. 
If you are on a budget I would get the wheel spacers first. So at least that way you see some difference and look forward to how much better it will look when you get it lowered.


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## M18NTT (Dec 30, 2011)

juelz45 said:


> readerj001 said:
> 
> 
> > I did the same.
> ...


Loads, Here's a couple more. The spacers definitely filled the arches and made it look a bit better but the lowering springs certainly improved things a whole lot more. In my case - after fitting the springs - the rear camber was out but not enough to justify £300 on tie bars. It is a bit of a lottery whether you will need them though if you do go for lowering. My 225 was pre facelift so the drop was about 30mm.


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## J•RED (Feb 10, 2013)

Thought ill share these too 

lowered 30mm before spacers.









and after spacers.









how she sits now.


















J


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## roddy (Dec 25, 2008)

what size are you P6000, i cant find any in 225/235x40x18 :?


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## mullum (Sep 16, 2011)

At first I thought the cost of lowering would = springs + labour
However, there's :
Tie bars + replacement bolts and bushes + alignment (+ potentially shocks)

So in the end, the cost is actually in the £500 region, PLUS labour.

Spacers and lowering are so essential (cosmetically) that anyone buying a TT should factor in around £700, especially if its a pre facelift !


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## Shinigami (Feb 21, 2013)

roddy said:


> stewbieTT said:
> 
> 
> > roddy said:
> ...


I think there are quite a few people using lowering springs on standard shocks...otherwise everyone would have aftermarket suspensions which I'm not sure it's the case


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## roddy (Dec 25, 2008)

the OP is runing a 2001 car,,, you can guess what his shocks are going to be like,, ( unless he has already replaced / upgraded them )


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## mullum (Sep 16, 2011)

So what are some good replacement shocks ? Or what do people generally use ?


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## roddy (Dec 25, 2008)

just to save you doing a " search " :wink: ,,,,,,, depends on your funds,, if money is an issue then go for Spax,, ( best of the worst and worst of the best  ) ,, i f money no prob then obv Bilstein,, best of the best 8)


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## mullum (Sep 16, 2011)

Thanks Roddy, I'm "shocked" at how much even those Spax cost - over £500 all 'round ! Suddenly decent coilovers don't seem that expensive when you factor in replacement shocks as well as springs.
Big by bit I'm learning (unfortunately by mistakes !)


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## Shinigami (Feb 21, 2013)

So basically everyone with a 2001 model has upgraded his/her shocks? well apart from me of course LOL but mine ain't lowered and if 700 quid is the price to pay....don't really see it happening :lol:

Or maybe just getting new standardish shocks would make the trick for lowering springs?


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## Gazzer (Jun 12, 2010)

if you are only going to lower to the level of facelift, then i had 10's on front and 25's on back......no rubbing and she looked good.


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## Shinigami (Feb 21, 2013)

mullum said:


> Thanks Roddy, I'm "shocked" at how much even those Spax cost - over £500 all 'round ! Suddenly decent coilovers don't seem that expensive when you factor in replacement shocks as well as springs.
> Big by bit I'm learning (unfortunately by mistakes !)


That's way tpp much for the Spax kit pal...check this out 

http://www.larkspeed.com/index.pl?a=i&p ... n-Kit-PSX-


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## roddy (Dec 25, 2008)

larkspeed,,, 375, inc vat, comp with spring,adj and -40mm


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## Shinigami (Feb 21, 2013)

how much is the labour cost to fit them (on average)?


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## mullum (Sep 16, 2011)

Shinigami said:


> That's way tpp much for the Spax kit pal...check this out
> 
> http://www.larkspeed.com/index.pl?a=i&p ... n-Kit-PSX-


I was going on the price I found on eBay for individual Spax shocks. 
I probably would have gone with the option you linked, except I already have a set of apex springs to fit (-40mm on my prefacelift). I wonder if that Spax kit lowers a post facelift car by 30mm ?


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## mullum (Sep 16, 2011)

roddy said:


> larkspeed,,, 375, inc vat, comp with spring,adj and -40mm


Roddy are you talking about a different link as that kit says -30mm ?


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## mullum (Sep 16, 2011)

Looking at just adjustable dampers on that site - a full set (to go with apex springs) is £197 (achieving -40mm)
£252 for Bilsteins (B6).

EDIT - see post next page correcting these prices ! (Double as price per shock)


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## Shinigami (Feb 21, 2013)

mullum said:


> Looking at just adjustable dampers on that site - a full set (to go with apex springs) is £197 (achieving -40mm)
> £252 for Bilsteins (B6).


£252 for adjustable Bilstens is really good especially considering that you have the springs already 

Do you have any idea how much it would cost to have them fitted (labour work I mean)?

Cheers


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## stewbieTT (Jun 23, 2012)

mullum said:


> Looking at just adjustable dampers on that site - a full set (to go with apex springs) is £197 (achieving -40mm)
> £252 for Bilsteins (B6).


The Bilstein price is actually double that as they're priced for single units not pairs, so £504 for a set of 4!.

I thought of going for those myself as mine is facelift and didn't really want to go much lower and just wanted to replace tired shocks, however I went for the B12 kit which is the B8 shocks with Eibach springs which was £614 which pretty much means you get the springs for half price


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## mullum (Sep 16, 2011)

Yeah you're right, price PER shock ! Both Spax and Bilstein.
So gawd knows how come the Spax suspension "kit" (shocks and springs) is cheaper than just the shocks ???
It does make the -30mm kit that much more attractive than going apex -40mm plus shocks separately ! What's 10mm anyway !? (Actually quite a lot on a pre facelift !)
How long do springs take to settle ? (Before you do an alignment)


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