Who's running wheel spacers with the stock rallies?

[Cue-Ball]

Right now my truck has the stock 8" wide rally wheels on it (1980 SWB). I've lowered it about 3.5" all around and plan to cut another half coil up front to get it right where I want it as far as ride height is concerned. However, as much as I like the look of the ride height I *hate* how narrow the track looks, especially in the rear. I actually bought a set of aluminum slots that are .5" wider and .5" less offset so that they would stick "out" an extra inch over the stock wheels. The new wheels would more or less solve my problem and give me the look I want, but now I'm considering keeping the stock rally wheels instead. It would take a lot less work to get them powder coated and looking like new and I do really dig the stock-but-lowered look.

So, I'm considering keeping the stock wheels and adding a 1" spacer (actually, lug adapter) in the rear. That would push the wheel out an inch and make the rear track wider. It should look similar to what the guys running the 10" wide Wheel Vintiques rallies have, but I'll still have the ability to rotate my tires and I won't have to pay for giant meats on the rear (or the extra fuel they burn).

Has anyone else done this? I've done lots of searches on the forum and it seems like the only guys running spacers/adapters are people with 20"+ wheels that can't get the right offset. Am I the only one bothered by the narrow rear track width?

[bigblock73]

I ran spacers on my 77 with 15x7 late model rallys, no problems. eBay seller cjbargains (or something like that) sells really nice ones for $70 a pair or so.

[JAG66]

Cue-Ball,
I've done exactly what you're thinking using 1" spacers in the rear on 3 of my square bodies.
As you know, the rear track is more narrow than the front. Drop spindles widen the track even more on the front, and lowering the truck just exaggerates the track difference even more.
I bought my 1" spacers (lug adapters) from Summit. It does help the look with front and rear having a closer track width.
The only problem I have is finding low profile (short depth) lug nuts with acorn/tapered seat that fits below the surface of the spacer.

[Cue-Ball]

JAG66 - That's just what I wanted to hear. Do you have any pictures of any of your trucks, especially before and afters? How much clearance did you end up having between the tire and inside of the wheel well with the spacer on (and what size tires)? Did you have any problems other than finding lugs that worked well? I know that many drag racing classes require open nuts that let the lugs pass through. I'm thinking those might work well for holding the spacer to the drum, then use the stock lugs for the wheel to spacer.

[bigblock73]

Originally Posted by JAG66

Cue-Ball,
I've done exactly what you're thinking using 1" spacers in the rear on 3 of my square bodies.
As you know, the rear track is more narrow than the front. Drop spindles widen the track even more on the front, and lowering the truck just exaggerates the track difference even more.
I bought my 1" spacers (lug adapters) from Summit. It does help the look with front and rear having a closer track width.
The only problem I have is finding low profile (short depth) lug nuts with acorn/tapered seat that fits below the surface of the spacer.

The spacers I got off eBay came with the lugs you speak of, and fit below the spacer perfectly...I did not have to modify my stock wheel studs at all.

[bigblock73]

FYI - the rear track width is 1.5" narrow per side, 3" total.

I guess I am rambling, as my input is ignored....someone may find it useful.

1" spacers on front, 1.5" on the rear. Late model 7" Rallys all around

[Cue-Ball]

Originally Posted by bigblock73

FYI - the rear track width is 1.5" narrow per side, 3" total.

I guess I am rambling, as my input is ignored....someone may find it useful.

1" spacers on front, 1.5" on the rear. Late model 7" Rallys all around

You mentioned in your first post that you were running 7" wheels. I have no clue what backspacing those wheels have, and without that info it's like comparing apples and oranges. If they're 0 offset (3.75" backspacing), then your front tires would be .5" further out on each side than stock (a 1" spacer, but a .5" shallower wheel) and your rear would be 1" further out on each side than stock (1.5" spacer, but again a .5" shallower wheel). So even with the spacers, your rear track is still narrower than the front. It looks like you've got plenty of clearance, but it's hard to tell from the angle of the pics (The truck looks tough though!).

Those are just guesstimates since I don't know the actual backspacing of those wheels. In any case, it looks like at least a few guys have done this successfully. I'm going to take some measurements tomorrow and see what I can fit without rubbing. It sounds like 1" spacers will fit on the rear without any issues, but I'd like to get my wheels as flush as possible without cutting the sidewall. Perhaps 1.25" or 1.5" spacers would fit. Even if I have to roll the lips, I'd like to get the most flush fit I can.

[J Knight]

I have a set of 6.5in van rallys on the front and I had a set of 8in rallys on the rear before I bought some 10in. My 6.5s and my 8s both have 4.25in back space. I've never had the 7in 73-87 rallys but I would assume they are 4.25 as well.
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[JAG66]

Originally Posted by Cue-Ball

JAG66 - That's just what I wanted to hear. Do you have any pictures of any of your trucks, especially before and afters? How much clearance did you end up having between the tire and inside of the wheel well with the spacer on (and what size tires)? Did you have any problems other than finding lugs that worked well? I know that many drag racing classes require open nuts that let the lugs pass through. I'm thinking those might work well for holding the spacer to the drum, then use the stock lugs for the wheel to spacer.

My drops have all been around 2/4 or 3/4, so never had any issues with rubs at the rear fender lips. I use factory 15 x 8 truck ralleys with BFG T/A 255/70/15's. I also used 7" factory aluminum wheels on an 87.
To check your present clearance, just measure what you've got and see if you've got at least 1" clearance.
The only difficulty I have with the spacer/lug adapters are finding the lug nuts. They have to be low profile enough to fit in the taper and not be above the surface so the wheel only contacts the adapter.
Here are some "after" pictures.
Lowered 3/4 without adapters

Lowered 2/4 with 1" adapters

Before lowering with 1" adapters and 7" aluminum wheels

Lowered 3/4 without adapters

[lolife99]

Nice trucks!^^^

[swb85]

I also run 1.5" spacers on the rear to even out the track width after lowering 4/4 with spindles and cut springs up front and shackles/hangers out back. Here's a pic:

[rod1701]

Late to the thread but looking to do this on my 70 suburban. Did a 3/4 drop with 275/60/15. Its a lot of tire but could use 1.5" spacer out back and maybe 1" up front just to push tires out to edge of wheel wells. (Running stock 15x8 truck rallys painted body color and added 90s style center caps.)

[Desert1957]

Search forum member "ultrahd4me" he has used the rear spacers on a lot of his builds, you can see from his threads what they look like.

[Plumps68]

I used 1.5" spacers on rear of my 68 with 15x8 steel wheels with no problem looked better also.

[BamaDave]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Wheel-Adap...ZUMHEY&vxp=mtr

[rod1701]

Thanks BanaDave but I'm running 6x5.5 with drums all around.

eBay has a lot of these for sale. I contacted a couple but none seemed familiar with parts to fit my Suburban. When the got into bore size and length and spin of studs, I got lost. Looking around the boards but not find much help so far.

If I can find the right set, I'm going to put them out back. Instead of spacers up front, planning a disc conversion. Power drums are scarrry in LA traffic.

[ivorton74]

I should get some spacers for my 83 too...never knew the track in the rear was narrower than the front

[rod1701]

Just looking to fill up those wheel wells...

Does anybody know the center bore size (?108) lug length and spin? Or a vendor who specialized in spacers for these trucks? Most of what I am finding is for modern chevy/GMC very few (none that I have found) have conversion or info on 67-72 stuff.