It's not as simple as it looks but almost.
Now, before I get into the tutorial, I need to explain that there is two different kinds of spacers: hubcentric ones which bolt on to the studs on your car and have their own studs for your wheels and crappy ones that you don't want. They look like maybe 5mm thick plates with big holes in them (the crappy ones). Since those don't have their own studs, it's not even safe unless you can still get a certain amount of the length of the lugnut on. You see, these simple spacers will rob you of stud length but if your nuts don't go on far enough, it's not safe. (Was that a weird joke?)
In this picture, the nuts are flush with the end of the bolts so these studs have enough length. I should mention now that if you have capped lugnuts - as in, the stud can't go all the way through and come out the other side - then you need to get that type. It's required to properly install your wheels onto these spacers.
What hubcentric means is that the spacer sits on your original hub (the round center piece that helps to lock your wheel in place) and has a hub of its own that is universal. It is cone shaped to be able to fit different hub sizes. Because of this, when you first install your spacers, your tires will wobble until the wheels eventually 'sit' into them.
What happens is that as you drive, the wheel is slowly setting further onto the cone hub. When you first install these, you want to drive a mile or so, pull over, tighten the lugnuts as much as possible (you will be surprised how loose some will be), then do it again two more times or so.
Keep going back and tightening them all over and over. What will happen is that as you tighten one or two lugnuts, another one will become looser, allowing you to now tighten that again. Tighten that and magically, the two that allowed you to move that one are now able to move a little more.
Eventually, you won't be able to turn the lugnuts anymore (don't over tighten them!) and that's when they have finished settling. Almost. Drive it around for a day or two and re-tighten the lugnuts if they have gotten a little more loose. The idea is to keep tightening them as the wheel sinks in. It's very important because your wheels will eventually wobble like crazy if you don't do this and who knows? Might even fall off!
Tutorial
1. Start with the back. Jack the car up on one side.
2. Take off the lugnuts and wheel.
3. Take your spacer and place it where the wheel was originally mounted. This is where you have to pay careful attention. The spacers should come with rounded nuts to help center it. I got a four-piece set from Walmart for a cheap $50. These are good spacers too.
You have to manually (by hand) precisely center the studs and bolts. Very important. Each one should look the same and be square in the middle like in the picture above. Then tighten them using a tool. Using your hands to center it is the only way and if you notice also, the spacer slips over the hub and has one of its own.
4. Tighten the bolts as much as you can. Use an air gun if possible but it's not required.
5. Mount your wheel onto the spacer. It helps a lot to center them if your car has lugnuts that go partly inside of the rim itself like the LS400.
6. Take your time now. You're gonna tighten the lugnuts over and over, probably. Get them all on, centered, and then start tightening each one.
7. Keep going back and trying to tighten them more. I can almost guarantee you that the rim moved further onto the hub and you will have a loose lugnut.
8. Keep going in a star shaped pattern, tightening the lugnuts. It will take a while but eventually, you won't be able to turn them anymore. Don't use an air gun for this. Tighten them manually. Sometimes an air gun won't take them any further because you need more torque.
9. Do this two or three times, depending how the lugnuts feel and if they are flush with the stud when you're done. Drive a few miles, stop, tighten the lugnuts. Drive a few more, etc. It's really not that big of a hassle. You initially have to re-tighten them three or four times. Just do what you need to do but when you stop, grab the lugnut wrench and tighten them down some.
10. As I mentioned, once they are pretty settled, it will still take a little while of driving to really get them in there. Keep trying until your tires aren't shaking anymore. PLEASE be safe and DO THIS!
How did it affect the car? The tires actually line up with the fender now (stock they look sunken in). The car seems to handle better which might be true because I have a wider wheelbase.
I love when the back tires stick out further than the front. It looks so aggressive. I never realized before but that helps with understeer. I'm just gonna get 25mm spacers for the back at a later time.
I suggest you do only the back and make sure they are really settled before you do the front because you do NOT want all wheels wobbling.
Overall, it is completely worth putting spacers on your car. There are pretty much no drawbacks. Just don't go too big - find out what is the biggest you can go with your suspension and all. I know the LS400 is fine with 15mm and 25mm in the back shouldn't be a problem.
I urge you guys to take your time and be very careful. Please don't crash because of impatience.
Yes, this article is backwards just like me. If you have the same spacers as I - 5.114 with 3/4 bolts, then these are the tools you need. Pictured above aswell.
1. Lugnut wrench
2. Screwdriver to pop off cover
3. 2-4 spacers
4. Ratchet with socket and preferably an extension to get around the studs as you torque down the bolts that hold the spacer
5. Jack or ramps
6. Something to put in front and behind one of the front wheels for safety. Put the parking brake on.
Good luck guys and I hope you enjoy it as much as me. If anyone wants to send me brakes that aren't crap, well, let me know.
That's mainly a joke.
Probably can't even tell...
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