Modifications : Scorpion Pro-Spacers

The manual says to simply bolt in place... but maybe forgets about Land Rover tolerences?

 The big 33"x12.5"x15" standard fit Dakar tyre is wonderful, both on and off road, but running tyres this size has a few disadvantages. The biggest problem is with the reduction in turning circle due to the larger tyres rubbing the front radius arms and the subsequent lack of maneuverability.

 Scorpion Racing have a solution to this problem with a product called 'pro spacers', these alloy rings bolt onto the wheel hubs and provide a little over an inch more offset for the wheels from the hubs. This extra inch offset per wheel provides enough clearance to regain the full turning lock.

 The following few pictures are to show the fitment and outcome from a set of these spacers.

The fitting instructions hinted at being simple unbolt wheel, clean hub and bolt straight on. But when this was attempted it was found the inner edge of the wheel spacer was a fraction too small to fit over the Dakar wheel hubs.

 The area of the spacer that was fouling on the wheel hub was identified but despite cleaning the hub back to bare metal, a fit was still not achieved.

 Using a Dremel and a rubbing disc the inner edge of the spacer was lightly rubbed away until the spacer fitted fully over the hub. 

Once a satisfactory fit was achieved the mating faces of the wheel hub and spacer were given a generous covering of copper slip and the wheel hub torqued to between 90 and 95 lbf ft. whereupon the spacer was flush with the hub and all spacer nuts were bolted fully onto the old wheel studs.

 Copperslip was used to ensure that a future removal of the spacers could be achieved, although it was noted that the half shafts and stub axles were still accessible and removable without the need to remove the spacer itself.

With the wheel bolted back into place the extra inch of clearance was immediately apparent by the brake disk and dust plate now no longer being tucked inside the wheel centre space itself.

 The steering stop bolts were tightened to provide more lock and it was found the steering itself would now reach full lock before the tyre made contact with the front radius arms. As a precaution the bolts were loosened back to make contact and stop the steering fractionally before the steering system itself reached maximum, simply because it wasn't known if the steering was designed to handle full lock itself.
The pictures on the left are to try and show the difference in the wheels offset on the Dakar before and after fitment of the wheel spacers. This is most apparent when you compare the wheel's location in respect of the front and rear mud flaps, which are lined up to be parallel with the Dakar's wheel arch extensions.

 The wheels are now flush with the wheel arch extensions themselves and so should not fail the UK road worthiness test which states the wheels must be within the confines of the vehicles body. Had wheel arch extensions not been fitted then there would definitely be a legal issue with the spacers fitted.

 
The first test drive of the Dakar with the spacers in place felt different, there was a noticeable reduction in body roll and a feeling of much greater stability. Most importantly the maneuverability with just the additional couple of inches in wheel track has increased significantly and just backing out of the driveway onto the road can be done in a single sweep opposed to the two previous turns required.

Jon Hudson
November 2000