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#1 |
Dork For Days
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Dallas
Posts: 407
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I've got some 8mm (approx 5/16") wheel spacers that I intend to put on the rear of my truck to equalize the backspacing appearance from front to back.
Obviously I'll have less threads to work with, precisely 8mm less, but is that a problem? I intend to use this thing as a truck, so I'll be hauling stuff with it. I guess the question is probably... "How many threads (or turns of the lug nut) are enough?" |
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#2 |
King of Rust
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: St Petersburg, FL
Posts: 359
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You should get a set that is hub-centric and has studs pressed into the spacer. Thats my opinion, I run 1.25" spacers on the rear or my Mustang with no problems.
Last edited by KAILUAZ; 10-05-2005 at 10:47 PM. |
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#3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Delta,Pa
Posts: 14,950
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they are a bad idea. they put all the weight on the studs instead of the hub. they should be outlawed imo.they are totally unsafe
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Owner of North Point Car Care in Dundalk Md. We specialize in custom exhaust on both modern and classic vehicles. We are a full service auto shop from classics to modern vehicles. Feel free to contact me with questions. I will give a 10% discount to any board member. |
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#4 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Storm Lake, Ia
Posts: 1,449
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Iman on this board ran a set of 1/2" spacers on his 6 lug wheels so he could use the newer style tahoe wheel. in 2 days he was down 4 or 5 studs. It puts all the pressure on the studs if the wheel doesn't ride on the hub. He changed back to rally's
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#5 | |
20' Daredevil (Ret)
![]() Join Date: May 2003
Location: Jefferson State
Posts: 13,643
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Quote:
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- Mike - 1972 K20 LWB 350/350/205 RIP El Jay |
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#6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The Rubber City
Posts: 5,498
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GM designed their trucks to be this way. Seems that slapping a "quick-fix" on the rear axle just to make it "look right" is not the way to go, IMO.
I know, I sound like your grandma. I bet it would look just as nice w/o the spacer.
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1969 GMC K2500 ![]() 1996 Honda Accord 2007 Kawasaki KLR 650 |
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Chula Vista, California
Posts: 495
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I have been running a set of spacers 3/4" thick on the back of my 8 lug 1 ton Ford
van for the past 16 years and have put over 150,000 miles on it. I wouldn't say this is the safest way to go, but I havn't had any problems thus far. I only did this so my 33x12.50x16.5 tires would not rub the frame rails.
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rwgregory 67 GMC 2500 ,2w/d wide box 305 V-6, 4-speed |
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#8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Shelbyville, KY
Posts: 3,269
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Ever have a wheel pass you buy only to find out it was yours?! Been there, done that!!Spacers on trucks are not the recommended way to get the "look". As "rwgregory" states, he has had good luck but for every one who has had good luck, there are probably 20 who have had problems especially on trucks used to haul stuff. You are better off looking for a wheel with the right backspacing to give you the "look" without sacrifacing strength at the axle. My .02~~~~Huck
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#9 |
its all about the +6 inches
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Hilliard Ohio
Posts: 2,693
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Wow, and i normally get flamed for saying they are a bad idea
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#10 | |
Seņor Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Edge of the world
Posts: 5,367
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Re: Wheel spacers - good, bad?
Quote:
![]() For all those why say the weight gets transferred to the stud, why isn't the weight on the stud when just a wheel is bolted up? Look at your average billet-type wheel and you'll see a "built in spacer" in the design... where the mounting pad is n inches thick. Adding a spacer just makes that pad a little thicker. And when you properly torque your lug nuts (and they've grabbed enough threads), you're not riding on them anyway. I've been using a pair of 5/16" spacers on the back of the Wallet Eater for about 6 years. No problems... but I don't haul anything substantial. I'm in the process of doing a 1" spacer (actually a 5x5 to 5x5 adapter) on my Tahoe. </2 cents>
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#11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Sierra Vista, AZ
Posts: 490
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As KAILUAZ said, there are newer styles of spacers out there. They are designed to bolt onto your hub and provide a new set of lugs to bolt your wheel onto.
I agree, that just putting a spacer in there and not having enough threads to properly seat a lug nut is not the way to go.
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Keith 70 CST longbed in progress. Hoping to get it back on the road soon. |
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#12 |
Got Big Block?
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: West Texas
Posts: 1,510
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I'm certainly no expert but there is big difference in the wheel spacers at autozone and the one's at this (and other) websites. http://wheelspacers.com/ Check them out, do some reading at other websites from people that have run them and make an informed decision. Call and talk to Fred and he'll give you his opinion.
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"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted." Last edited by Purs; 10-06-2005 at 12:07 PM. |
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#13 | |
Dork For Days
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Dallas
Posts: 407
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Hmmm...
Quote:
It appears that thin spacers aren't available though. I'm just looking to add 5/16" or so. |
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#14 |
Dork For Days
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Dallas
Posts: 407
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![]() ![]() Here's my problem with the old "the weight will now only be on the studs instead of the hub" thing. I've found that MANY wheels, especially aftermarket ones have a hub center that's bigger then the one on your car, whcih means all load is on the studs anyway! Of course, my new wheels aren't at all liek that - they fit nicely around the hub. ![]() I also ran thin spacers (1/4") on a little car I had back in highschool and never had a problem. Obviously the thicker the spacer the more exaggerated the problem, but even a 1/4" spacer pushes a wheel off of the hub. As far as look, it's true that it probably looks fine now, but I think it'd be lots better if the rear wheels weren't quite so far inset. As far as being designed that way for a reason, I seriously doubt that. The only benefit I can imagine would be saving $$ since this rear was probably already used in something slightly narrower. Why redesign? Just slap it in there! ![]() Anybody know why our wheels are inset so much? Makes no sense to me! Is it just so we can look stoopid? ![]() |
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#15 |
Dork For Days
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Dallas
Posts: 407
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Well, I pulled off obe of my new wheels and guess what? The center doesn't ride on the hub anyway! There's a good 1/8" clearance around it, so adding a spacer will make no difference in that regard.
I found that with my 8mm spacers I still have about 1/2" of thread into the lug nuts, so I should be good. That little change made a world of difference in the stance though! |
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#16 |
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Bonner Springs, KS
Posts: 307
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Re: Wheel spacers - good, bad?
My truck has spacers because I couldn't find any lug-nuts that would work with my Cragar SS Wheels. They all were too long. So, I had to use the spacers. I don't like them on the fronts because they move the wheels "out" a little too far for my tastes.
T
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1972 Cheyenne (awaiting 2nd Restoration) 1996 Tahoe (Wife's Car) 1968 Volkswagen Beetle (My Daily Driver) 2004 Silverado SS (Can't afford to drive the dang thing with gas at $ 3.00) |
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#17 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Northwest Ohio
Posts: 162
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I know I'll probably be flogged for saying this, but I ran a set on a Duster back in H.S. and never had a problem with them. And believe me I put that cat through the paces.
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'12 Silverado Crew Cab 4x4 '05 Silverado SWB '67 Chevrolet CST 2wd '49 Willys Jeepster |
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#18 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: East Central, MO
Posts: 11,336
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Spacers will put more leverage on the axle shaft itself. I ran some 1/4 " spacers on the front one time to clear a caliper but anything any thicker than that I would think about.
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#19 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: NB
Posts: 3,367
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Re: Wheel spacers - good, bad?
melt them down and make sinkers.
rob a gas bar and buy new rims and tires all the same size $.02
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1968 Chevy C10 307 3ott fleetside 1967 Chevy C/10 V8, 3spd, fleetside lwb.Sold 1967 Chev C/10 step, 383, M21. SOLD |
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#20 | |
Dork For Days
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Dallas
Posts: 407
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![]() Quote:
![]() Last edited by MrC1; 10-19-2005 at 11:29 AM. |
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#21 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: NB
Posts: 3,367
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Re: Wheel spacers - good, bad?
Quote:
What bed do you have? If you build the rim to withstand the load instead of the studs then your in. 15-17" you can make the width of the rim pretty wide, with 4-5 " backspacing. I think the only other way is to play with axels but that gets nutty. or no?$0.02
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1968 Chevy C10 307 3ott fleetside 1967 Chevy C/10 V8, 3spd, fleetside lwb.Sold 1967 Chev C/10 step, 383, M21. SOLD |
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#22 |
Dork For Days
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Dallas
Posts: 407
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Re: Wheel spacers - good, bad?
It's a longbed, fleetside. Sure, I realize playing with the offset would be a better way to go, but money wise, I got a great deal on the wheels, so I'm going with what I've got. Besides, the spacer is only 8mm thick. I'm not too worried about that little bit putting too much more outside load on there.
The only wheels I've seen that actually ride on the center hub are the factory pieces. If this is important, why do the aftermarket wheels not? I'm not being sarcastic - I'd really like to know! I'm sure alot has to do with differing hub sizes and wheel copanies wanting their stuff to fit multiple applications, but if this were a serious issue, wouldn't you think there'd be more attention paid to it? I dunno, just thinkin out loud. ![]()
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1972 C20, 402/700R4 - My first classic truck, bought in September 2005. 85% transformed from "Farm" to "Cool" status! ![]() 1970 Dodge Challenger 440, 4sp (my other toy) 12.67 @ 117 MPH, with a pathetic 2.022 60' 2007 Dodge Charger SRT-8 2008 Cadillac CTS All-American garage, baby! |
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#23 |
just can't cover up my redneck
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Columbus OH
Posts: 11,414
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Re: Wheel spacers - good, bad?
As far as "clamping force" between the stud and the nut. all you need is for the nut to be fully enguaged. The stud really doesn't need to stick through...it just wasted threads after the nut has screwed past them.
If the wheel is not "hub-centric" a small spacer that still allows the nuts to be all of the way on will make very little difference. I'm sure that some engineer could calculate some difference...but in real life, it's above the normal use of the truck anyway. |
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#24 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Northern AZ
Posts: 7,271
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Re: Wheel spacers - good, bad?
Quote:
If you are concerned, get in touch with ARP as they make longer hardened studs and can use your truck without worries. |
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#25 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Williamsburg, Ohio
Posts: 1,783
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Re: Wheel spacers - good, bad?
I run 1.5" spacers on the rear-- and I agree there is a limit to the shear strength of the 6 studs--- however with a near show truck hauling near nothing--I doubt if I am near it---have had no trouble and could be wrong. If "heavy hauling" I would probably play it safe also with the correct backspacing wheel. We need a mechanical engineer on here.
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