At work we use a screw driver like device and put it in between the vents. It doesn't do any damage to the rotors or the calipers. In fact that's how I did it when I installed my spacers. We've been doing it at the plant for over 25 years so unless you unleash your inner Hulk I think you'll be alright.

 

I've always done the final torqueing on the ground so the tire didn't move...but I've never worked on a RWD before, and I've never worked with spacers.

I am having trouble determining what Rochester is trying to do and having trouble doing. Is it putting a wheel on the hub/rotor and tightening lug nuts on the lugs?

Can anyone elaborate to me why it must be torqued down while suspended? I can't relate at all to this as I've never tried to change a wheel on a G37 (or other RWD vehicle before) so please educate me...what sort of issues am I going to face one day?

 

• My car is lowered on Swift Springs.
• I'm using the OEM duckfeet as winter wheels w/snow tires.
• The negative camber is perfect for my Vossens, but tucks the duckfeet to silly proportions.
• I bought 15mm wheel spacer adapters to poke the duckfeet back out 15mm. Just for winter.
• The adapters have 5 shorty nuts for the OEM lugs.
• In order to torque them down, the hub has to be locked. Somehow.
• This is problematic for the front wheels, which turn freely.

That's my story.

Yes, final torque when the wheel is slightly down. Then again when the corner has full weight (because ****). Then again in a few days (because super ****). Then again every so often as a spot-check, because paranoid freak.

 

Wait, if I jam a screw-driver into the rotor vents, extended at 4:00, with a lengthwise 2x4 piece underneath to catch the end of the screwdriver so it can't rotate past 6:00...

Just tried that, and it works pretty good. I'll probably bend the screwdriver.

Still need the wifey to come home so I can hit up the auto-store for the socket.

 

Can't she just hold her foot on the brake?

 

I think this explains everything. You're first mounting the spacer to the hub...then mounting the wheel to the spacer. If so, I think I totally understand your issue.

I for some reason envisioned the stock lugs poking through the spacer and being long enough.

Am I right?

 

We use a thick screw driver and stick it in the vent at 2 o'clock and it holds it there and are able to torque the nuts down. We do it for axle nuts which require much more torque than the lug nuts/spacer nuts. I think the axle nuts are torqued at 150lbs whereas the lugs are torqued at 80lbs. Just grab a sturdy screw driver and you'll be set.

 

You could probably even put the screw driver at the top of the caliper and achieve the same results.

 

I just take my floor jack handle, place it between two of the studs on the spacer, and let the ground hold the end of the handle. That has been working for me when I don't have someone to hold the brakes.

 

That's one spacer design, yes; where you have extended lugs. These aren't those, they're adapters, where the OEM lugs poke through one set of holes, and a new set of lugs are attached to the spacer. See the pic below, and it will make sense.

I'm back now from SEARS, and I've got the driver's side done. I have to say, the duckfeet look pretty darn good lowered and poked 15mm.

 

Are these the B2autodesigns? I have the 20mm and they are top notch. Not to mention next day shipping in FL

 

Pics or it didn't happen

 

Prove it

 

maybe they look good... but not really functional especially lowered in snow with snow tires , as there is low clearance and the snow will splatter all over the fender line and will freeze up, hence the reason why I'm not gonna use my spacers on my duckfeet, instead I'll have more clearance for the snow to be coming out of the tire tread, which translates into that it won't get clogged up around the fender line and snow will still have a path to come out of the fender area, and also the narrower the distance between the wheels : RL to RR or FL to FR and the narrower the tires, the better traction in snow. hopefully that makes some sense

 

C'mon Rochester, lets see some pics! Do you run staggered sized snow tires?