Brake Clearance Check
A bigger caliper needs room inside the wheel. Ask us for a clearance check before you place your order.
We confirm that the kit fits the inner diameter of your wheel. On request, we also send a 1:1 paper template of the caliper, so you can check the spokes yourself. If the caliper touches, you can choose wheel spacers on this page and add them to the same request.
What we check, and what you check
| Check | Who | How |
|---|---|---|
| Kit fits inside the wheel | We do | You send the inner barrel diameter of your wheel. We compare it with the rotor and caliper you have chosen. |
| Caliper clears the spokes | You do, with our template | We send a 1:1 caliper template on request. You fit it inside your wheel. |
Two wheels of the same size can have different spoke shapes and offsets. A caliper that clears the barrel can still touch a spoke. Only a check in your own wheel can show this, so caliper-to-spoke clearance is not part of our fitment confirmation.
If the caliper touches, a wheel spacer usually solves it. It moves the wheel outward, away from the caliper.
Step 1. Measure the inner barrel diameter
Measure across the inside of the wheel barrel, through the centre of the wheel, from one inner edge of the barrel to the other. Give the result in millimetres.
Also send the wheel size. It is stamped on the back of the wheel: diameter, width and offset, for example 17 × 6.5J ET40.
This is the only measurement we need to confirm the overall fit.
Step 2. Check the spokes with the caliper template
Ask for the template in the request form below. We send it as a PDF for the caliper you are considering. If you are choosing between two calipers, ask for both.
Print it at 100%
Any A4 printer will do. In the print dialog, set page scaling to None or Actual size. Fit to page shrinks the template, and the check is then wrong.
Check the scale
Measure one of the dimensions printed on the template with a ruler or tape measure. A line marked 34 must measure exactly 34 mm. If it does not, check the print settings and print again.
Stiffen it and cut it out
Glue cardboard to the back of the paper before you cut. Stiff card keeps its shape inside the wheel and is easier to cut.
Cut along the outline of the caliper, and along the strip that runs from the caliper towards the wheel centre, as in the drawing.
Fit it inside the wheel
Rest the strip on the hub mounting face of the wheel, with the caliper outline inside the barrel. Turn the template through a full circle. The outline must not touch a spoke or the barrel at any point.
If it touches, measure how far the outline overlaps the spoke, in millimetres. You need this number to choose a wheel spacer.
If you are not sure, ask someone to film the check. Send us the video, and our technicians will review it and confirm the result.
The full check, start to finish
Step 3. Choose wheel spacers, if the caliper touches
A spacer moves the wheel outward by its own width. Enter the overlap you measured, and we suggest the width and type. You can change anything before you add it to your request.
We add 3 mm, so the caliper never runs closer than 3 mm to a spoke.
Added to your request below.
- Prices are per axle (a pair of spacers), in USD, and match our brake kit configurator.
- Slip-on spacers use longer wheel bolts. From 25 mm, use bolt-on spacers, which carry their own studs.
- After a spacer, check that the tyre still clears the wheel arch.