Rotora's Finally In

[2K16SHO]

Help! Where did you find these one-inch 5x4.5 spacers?

Hello! I could really use some one-inch spacers. Are they hub-centric? (Note: I have the 2012 SHO wheels on my 2019 SHO, not the flower wheels). I'm having a helluva time finding:

• One-inch (0.984"/25mm).
• 5x4.5/114.3mm bolt-circle.
• 63.4mm bore-diameter.

The only spacers I found are the 0.984" ST Suspensions' 5x4.5/63.4mm bore, hub-centric spacers from Summit Racing, but they only come only stud-less, meaning I have to find longer, high-grade (10.9-12) wheel-studs to replace the factory studs. Not to mention having to remove the factory studs which are likely frozen solid and will probably require a butane torch and a lot of four-letter words to remove.

The only other option: Buy four brand-new wheel-bearing assemblies. Perhaps there's some performance benefit to this? Or maybe someone makes an upgraded aftermarket wheel assembly for our cars?

Does anyone know if the factory wheel lugs are pressure-fitted?

Note: TCE didn't show any spacers on their site.

4Pc 25mm 7075T6 Hubcentric Wheel Spacers 5x114.3 CB63.4 Fit Ford Taurus Explorer | eBay

Aluminum 7075T6 Wheel Hanger M14x1.25 Lug Bolt Mounting Guide Tool for BMW Mini. Bolt Pattern 5x114.3 Material Forged Aluminum 7075T6. Forged Aluminum 7075T6 wheel spacer. We usually choose truly Forged Aluminum 6061T6, and for these 5x115 spacer, we choose Forged 7075T6, which is the best material.

www.ebay.com

 

[2K16SHO]

4Pc 25mm 7075T6 Hubcentric Wheel Spacers 5x114.3 CB63.4 Fit Ford Taurus Explorer | eBay

Aluminum 7075T6 Wheel Hanger M14x1.25 Lug Bolt Mounting Guide Tool for BMW Mini. Bolt Pattern 5x114.3 Material Forged Aluminum 7075T6. Forged Aluminum 7075T6 wheel spacer. We usually choose truly Forged Aluminum 6061T6, and for these 5x115 spacer, we choose Forged 7075T6, which is the best material.

www.ebay.com

These are what I have on my car, very happy with them. With the flower wheels I had to shorten the unthreaded part of the factory studs for clearance, but that wasn't a big deal.

 

[yaycandy]

Still searching for a 15mm (0.59") spacer, either hub-centric (center-hole to accommodate a 63.40-sized hub), or a bolt-centric, non-flanged, flat-spacer with an oversized center-void for the hub (making specific hub-diameter irrelevant). Now shopping on the Summit Racing site, I'm now deciding between:

• ST Suspensions DZX #56050137: 0.591 inch (15mm); flanged, hub-centric wheel-spacers. Specs indicate a 63.40mm center-bore diameter (Ford Taurus hub is reportedly 63.40mm).
• ST Suspensions DZX #56055012: 0.591 (15mm); flat, bolt-centric (non-flanged); in conjunction with the ST Suspensions #65250022 center-adapter (plastic hub-adapter).

Bolt-pattern of the ST Suspensions' spacers above are universal and fit the 5x114.3mm (5x4.5) Ford bolt-pattern.

Custom made mine, probably 70k miles on them. No issues or shakes. Checked them last year on cmm at work and still exact measurements when I had them made.

 

[studio460]

Update: These wheel-spacers have a hub-bore which are 0.01-0.03. too small.

Wow! I checked Amazon again today, and whudduya know? I found a set of 5x4.5/63.4mm-bore wheels in 25mm (0.984 inches). They offer them in up to 38mm- and 50mm-wide (1.5"-2")! Should be here tomorrow.



Unsure why my previous searches never showed this result (I ended up searching "63.4 bore wheel spacers"). Hopefully, all is well now. Just received a pair of brand-new AC Delco digital torque-wrenches today anyway—they even come with a calibration certificates.

The problem was, the spacers from Summit wouldn't ship for several weeks, so this is a lifesaver. We're planning a quick ski trip to the local mountains since we finally had some precipitation here in L.A.—so that I could finally enjoy the AWD capability of my SHO—a huge reason I bought the car!

 

[studio460]

These are what I have on my car, very happy with them. With the flower wheels I had to shorten the unthreaded part of the factory studs for clearance, but that wasn't a big deal.

Thanks! As I wrote above before seeing your post, I just found a set on Amazon. By the way, these are one-inch spacers with a 63.4mm bore-diameter, correct? (eBay link no longer propagates?)

 

[studio460]

Custom made mine, probably 70k miles on them. No issues or shakes. Checked them last year on cmm at work and still exact measurements when I had them made.

Sweet! Wish I had your skills/tools!

 

[2K16SHO]

Thanks! As I wrote above before seeing your post, I just found a set on Amazon. By the way, these are one-inch spacers with a 63.4mm bore-diameter, correct? (eBay link no longer propagates?)

Glad you found some, and yes 63.4mm.
Not sure what happened to the ebay link, it worked when I first posted it.

 

[kryptto]

Sweet! Wish I had your skills/tools!

Mind sharing the list of parts, still deciding how to handle my brakes project. I would love big brakes in front but don't want to cut/remove emergency brake in rear. Thanks for the consideration.

 

[studio460]

Update: I am officially an idiot! All hub-measurements were made BEFORE mounting the rotor. Everything in this post is basically written in error (ignore).

 

[studio460]

Mind sharing the list of parts, still deciding how to handle my brakes project. I would love big brakes in front but don't want to cut/remove emergency brake in rear. Thanks for the consideration.

The Taurus SHO Rotora kit includes everything you need except the spacers necessary to clear your wheels (distance varies based on your wheels). I did buy some rubber stops to prevent the brake fluid from sprouting from the open brake-line once the old calipers are removed.

Rotora kit key components:

• Custom bracket for calipers.
• Custom stainless-steel brake-lines w/banjo bolts, etc.

The only other thing you need are 5x4.5 wheel-spacers. Depth will depend on your specific wheels. My wheels are from the 2012 SHOs and require 20-25mm of additional space at minimum from my best estimate.

Typically the only difficulty in adapting other big-brakes is finding or fabricating the caliper-brackets (e.g., someone made some custom brackets which fitted brakes made to fit Porsches able to mount to 2003-2004 Mercury Marauders). TCE Performance and Wilwood make big-brake kits to fit various Fords, but I think the engraved Wilwood logo is so ugly I never considered them.

 

[kryptto]

The Taurus SHO Rotara kit includes everything you need except the spacers necessary to clear your wheels (distance varies based on your wheels). I did buy some rubber stops to prevent the brake fluid from sprouting from the open brake-line once the old calipers are removed.

Rotara kit key components:

• Custom bracket for calipers.
• Custom stainless-steel brake-lines w/banjo bolts, etc.

The only other thing you need are wheel-spacers: 5x4.5/63.4mm bore-diameter. Depth will depend on your specific wheels. My wheels are from the 2012 SHOs and require 20mm of additional space at minimum from my best estimate.

Typically the only difficulty in adapting other big-brakes is finding or fabricating the caliper-mount (e.g., someone made some custom mounts which fitted brakes made to fit Porsches able to mount to 2003-2004 Mercury Maruaders). TCE Performance and Wilwood make big-brake kits to fit various Fords, but I think the engraved Wilwood logo is so ugly I never considered them.

Thanks for that overview.

 

[studio460]

New wheels!

Well, I've gotten all kinds of hub-diameter specifications that don't line-up, so I'm buying new wheels.




New tires, too . . .

Since I'm getting new wheels, I figured I'd splurge and get new tires as well, a set of Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar summer tires. WheelHero will mount, balance, and install new sensors prior to shipping (and will now include the necessary 25mm spacers I need), so all I'll have to do when I get them is bolt them on!

 

[kryptto]

Alternate solution: New wheels!

Well, I've gotten all kinds of hub-diameter specifications that don't line-up, so I'm buying new wheels. Unsure if these will clear the Rotaras, but the seller claims they will assist with any necessary spacers or adapters. At least, buying from WheelHeros, they have the wheels in-stock and can match-up any necessary spacers to test fitment right there in their Florida shop.

Below is a Photoshop mock-up with the new Petrol P2C wheels (right photo) I just ordered, and the wheels from a 2012 Taurus SHO (left photo) I had powder-coated black, then mounted onto my 2019 Taurus SHO PP.

View attachment 93665
View attachment 93666
View attachment 93669
View attachment 93667

I actually quite liked the 2012 SHO black powder-coated wheels I put on my 2019 SHO. I think the after-market wheels are a slight improvement; though, it's difficult to tell until they're actually on the car. Below is a better vantage point to visualize the difference, with the mocked-up wheels in the bottom image.

View attachment 93671

New tires, too . . .

Since I'm getting new wheels, I figured I'd splurge and get new tires as well, a set of Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar summer tires. WheelHero will mount, balance, and install new sensors prior to shipping so all I'll have to do when I get them is bolt them on.

View attachment 93670

Congrats! Send pics

 

[studio460]

Congrats! Send pics

Thanks!

Custom Offsets: [NJ-based custom-offset wheel superstore]

FYI: I found another online wheel dealer with an incredibly vast selection—I believe it's literally the largest wheel inventory in the world. Notably, they custom-drill each wheel per order, so custom offsets (plus many other custom options) are available, and most, at no additional cost. If I ever order wheels again, this is where I would go.

Bonoss 7075 T6 forged-aluminum spacers/ISO 12.9 studs:

FYI: In my search for spacers, I found a SHO owner's posts on another SHO forum who successfully installed Bonoss-brand spacers onto his SHO. I emailed Bonoss a detailed report of my fitment issue with the Ford wheel-hubs and they replied immediately with a request to send some photos of the hubs.

Though pricey (double or more than spacers sold on Amazon), Bonoss' spacers employ higher-grade, 7075 T6 aluminum and stud-strength specifications (12.9) superior to that of every other competing brand I found. The only downside is they're not in the US; they're located in mainland China.

 

[studio460]

Finally!

Wheelhero sent the wrong-sized plastic hub-centric adapters, but I did use their supplied 25mm wheel-spacer, which they included at no extra charge (oddly, they sent 25mm spacers with a 70.6mm bore, not the 63.4mm bore which the Taurus has).

I had to use aluminum hub-centric adapters, both on top and behind the spacer, because I couldn't find the correct sizes in plastic. I'll post the specs of what I installed later, but after about a dozen false-starts, I finally got the new wheels installed.

Note that the wheels I chose have a generous void between the lug-holes, so cutting down the factory wheel-hub's studs aren't even necessary. Also, simply slicing the bracket which retains the emergency-brake cable with a cutoff-tool was far easier than trying to release the spring.

Note that the Rotora brake-set and installation instructions are superb. Everything you need is included, and the instructions are truly step-by-step and Taurus-specific. Kudos to Rotora for their excellent product and peerless customer support. It was the wheel fitment which raised all the issues. Here's some pics!





Note that the center-caps aren't installed. I'm filling them in (they have an engraved logo) so I can sand them flat to be able to apply a set of "Ford Performance" vinyl appliqués that I ordered off Etsy.

 

[kryptto]

Finally!

Wheelhero sent the wrong-sized plastic hub-centric adapters, but I did use their supplied 25mm wheel-spacer, which they included at no extra charge (oddly, they sent 25mm spacers with a 70.6mm bore, not the 63.4mm bore which the Taurus has).

I had to use aluminum hub-centric adapters, both on top and behind the spacer, because I couldn't find the correct sizes in plastic. I'll post the specs of what I installed later, but after about a dozen false-starts, I finally got the new wheels installed.

Note that the wheels I chose have a generous void between the lug-holes, so cutting down the factory wheel-hub's studs aren't even necessary. Also, simply slicing the bracket which retains the emergency-brake cable with a cutoff-tool was far easier than trying to release the spring.

Note that the Rotora brake-set and installation instructions are superb. Everything you need is included, and the instructions are truly step-by-step and Taurus-specific. Kudos to Rotora for their excellent product and peerless customer support. It was the wheel fitment which raised all the issues. Here's some pics!

View attachment 94033
View attachment 94034
View attachment 94035

Note that the center-caps aren't installed. I'm filling them in (they have an engraved logo) so I can sand them flat to be able to apply a set of "Ford Performance" vinyl appliqués that I ordered off Etsy.

this awesome and a parts list would be awesome. I am concerned about this Jon cause of my rims. I so need those, my rears squeal after heating up, back passenger side. Time to replace the OEM crapola.

 

[studio460]

Note: Everything below only applies if using 76.1mm-bore spacers! [63.4mm-bore is preferred, but I couldn't find any in 5x4.5.]

Sure! Note that I used aluminum hub-centric adapter rings both between the factory hub and the 25mm spacer, and between the spacer and the aftermarket wheel. Opinions vary on plastic vs. aluminum (most recommend plastic), but at least one racing tech said they used aluminum since the plastic rings can melt.

[Note: Every plastic spacer I ordered had a "lip" on the outer-edge, including all the plastic Circuit-branded rings—this lip prevents the wheels from bolting flush to the spacer, leaving about a 1.0-1.5mm gap all around—a quick Google search said this is dangerous. Both brands of the aluminum rings I ordered DO NOT have this lip and mated perfectly to the aftermarket wheels I have.]

I understand the rings primarily serve as merely a "guide-pin" to aid in centering the wheels and do not service any loads, but I'm glad I went with aluminum anyway. But note that the main reason to avoid aluminum rings is because they often permanently fuse to the steel wheel-hub and alloy rims.

Here's some notes on what I used:

• Information only: 2019 Ford Taurus factory wheel-hub diameter: 63.4mm.
• Import-brand 25mm spacer: 1/2-20 5x4.5; 70.6mm bore-diameter.
• Wheel Connect aluminum 70.1mm to 63.4mm hub-centric rings (spacer-to-hub).
• Correction: the spacer-to-hub ring should be 70.6mm to 63.4mm.
• Aftermaket wheel-bore: 76.1mm.
• Circuit Performance aluminum 76.1mm to 70.6mm (4-pack, x2 sets) hub-centric rings
(wheel-to-spacer).

Why did I use a 70.6mm-bore spacer instead of a 63.4mm-bore spacer to directly fit the factory-hub? One reason is that WheelHero supplied them, but mainly because I simply couldn't find a 63.4mm-bore spacer that fit!

According to Google's AI answer, it's apparently okay to use a spacer with a larger bore-diameter than your wheel-hub's as long as you install the wheel perfectly centered (which torquing conical lug-nuts "in the air," and installing the hub-centric rings enable).

Need to check second dimension for the spacer (I forgot what it was). Note that the WheelHero-supplied spacers have a bore larger than the Ford hub. I used it anyway because, again, I simply couldn't find any 5x4.5 spacers with 63.4mm bore-diameters; e.g., I ordered one set off Amazon and the bore-diameter was wildly off (70+mm). I ordered another and the bore-diameter was 0.5-1.0mm too small.

Additional notes:

• At least for my particular wheels, no cut-off was required to the factory wheel-studs.
• I applied Permatex anti-seize to everything.
• I only lightly hand-tightened each rotor retaining screw since its #10 Torx-head is easily stripped.
• I applied 110 foot-pounds of torque to both the spacer-nuts and wheel lug-nuts.

Why this wheel-fitment exercise was so challenging, I'll never know. It's partly due to the limited availability of 25mm-thick spacers in a 5x4.5 bolt-pattern, but it's mainly due to the fact that hub-centric rings simply aren't available in every imaginable inner- and outer-diameter.

 

[kryptto]

This list is awesome thanks so much!

 

[studio460]

You're welcome! Hold off on acting on any of the info—I need to double-check all the specs I listed.

Note:

You're likely better off finding a 63.4mm-bore spacer. The 5x4.5 63.4mm-bore spacer I found on Amazon was mislabeled and was actually 70mm+. If you're able to find a 63.4mm-bore spacer, you can omit the ring between the hub and the spacer, and only use one required to fit your particular wheel to the spacer.

Error:

Yup! Found an error (now corrected, above): I mounted 70.1mm rings to the factory wheel-hub—they should've been 70.6mm—the same size as the spacer's bore-diameter (I knew I felt a microscopic amount of play when fitting the spacers to the wheel-hub). I should correct that someday, but again, it's not too critical if using conical lug-nuts and tightening them while the tire is in the air.

In contrast, the Circuit-brand 76.1mm to 70.6mm rings fit perfectly both onto the spacer and into the wheel. Believe me, this gets confusing! I couldn't wrap my head around it until I had all the parts in front of me and test-fitted everything.

 

[kryptto]

You're welcome! Hold off on acting on any of the info—I need to double-check all the specs I listed.

Note:

You're likely better off finding a 63.4mm-bore spacer. The 5x4.5 63.4mm-bore spacer I found on Amazon was mislabeled and was actually 70mm+. If you're able to find a 63.4mm-bore spacer, you can omit the ring between the hub and the spacer, and only use one required to fit your particular wheel to the spacer.

Error:

Yup! Found an error (now corrected, above): I mounted 70.1mm rings to the factory wheel-hub—they should've been 70.6mm—the same size as the spacer's bore-diameter (I knew I felt a microscopic amount of play when fitting the spacers to the wheel-hub). I should correct that someday, but again, it's not too critical if using conical lug-nuts and tightening them while the tire is in the air.

In contrast, the Circuit-brand 76.1mm to 70.6mm rings fit perfectly both onto the spacer and into the wheel. Believe me, this gets confusing! I couldn't wrap my head around it until I had all the parts in front of me and test-fitted everything.

now complicate this with not having stock rims and a spacer I needed to put on the hub of the rotor. will need to digest this port, thanks.