And at the end of it all, the question asked was "Are Spacers Safe". The answer is obviously some think so, some do not. A good rule of thumb is would you be comfortable driving the car with your family along for the ride? If the answer is no or not really, then you probably shouldn't be using spacers.
By the same token, if you over engineer everything like most of us do, purchase only the best parts and for Christs sake, read the instructions and follow them to a Tee, most likely the biggest problem you're going to have is the wheel bearings will wear out prematurely.
In my opinion, if spacers were as dangerous as some think they are, there wouldn't be a dozen plus companies manufacturing the stupid things. Let's not forget that attorneys have the last say in most manufacturing these days. Again, this is my opinion, but hand guns get a bad rap too for a similar reason. There's a common thread, it's the human factor. A hand gun is an inanimate object that just lays on the table until a human picks it up, inserts bullets, points it at somebody and pulls the trigger, take it or leave it, it's my opinion.
So, that said, do it right or don't do it at all. Buy billet hub centric spacers, replace the lug studs, use Loctite when you put the spacers on, recheck the lug nuts after fifty miles and then every couple of hundred after that. Use the Torque Wrench you got for Christmas five years ago to tighten the lug nuts. Yeah, the one that's sitting in the perfect box it came in without a nick or scratch on it, you know, the one you've been saving for that engine you're gonna build. Really, you have aluminum wheels and you don't use a torque wrench? Now that is scarey.
If you're not comfortable with the parts you hang on your car, you're never gonna be comfortable driving it. And beyond that; What the hell does a F**d engineer know. Just sayin. ...
Just so I don't start a war, when I say you, I'm just saying you in general, not saying you specifically or you all, just sayin it like the gearhead down the street would tell you if you stopped by, whoever you may be. ...
Geeeeez. ...
