Wheels spacers

[Savage_ZR2]

So I would like to get everyone’s take on wheels spacers for what we do, I’m kinda up in the air with them, I like to widen the wheel base (and of course getting wider tires would help) but I feel like it would add a weak point especially if I’m climbing

 

[19mystic96]

Personally I'm not crazy about them, but I've had them on previous vehicles (bought them with the spacers installed) without any problems. If you do them, make sure you get the hubcentric ones. It helps distribute the weight onto the hubs instead of relying the lugs to carry the load.

BORA is a good brand to look at.

 

[MidOH]

Wheels are a better idea. Kenda makes some nice pizza cutters. You don't have to go too wide.

And "track width" is the term you're looking for. Wheelbase is length.

 

[Ethan N]

This is all just speculation but, for your truck in particular I think spacers would just hinder your turning ability in tight situations. You have a long and already wide truck. Those folks in little 2 door Jeeps can push their wheels out to help with obstacles because they can turn on a dime, and they'll still be thinner than you on the trail.

 

[El-Dracho]

There are many different opinions on this. I've been driving my Defender with wheel spacers for around 250k miles now.

THat´s for a very simple reason. The spacers move the wheels further outwards and this has a big advantage on the Defender's front axle: with spacers it is possible to reduce the steering angle limit and thus significantly reduce the turning circle. I haven't noticed any problems, such as increased wear, in all this time.

Another option would be to go for rims with a different offset, but I like the look of the original HD steel rims, so I went for spacers. Depending on local regulations, you must of course pay attention to the legality/ technical control.

 

[North American Sojourner]

If you drive hard on the trails I would not. Hwy or gentle cruising along good secondary roads would probably.
Best thing would purchase the right offset wheels.
Remember the weight of that vehicle corner has been moved away from the vehicle and supported by less than .5" studs and a .5" boss depending on the trucks spindle/hub assembly.
Zim

 

[Joshua Buss]

Besides the weak point at the wheel this also creates problems with not having your wheels in the wheel well. The further you push them out the more mud dirt and rocks you will start to throw around. Best to keep those wheels tucked in for everyone’s safety.

 

[MOAK]

I don’t like em, I don’t even like the idea of them on any vehicle. On a trailer?. I’ve used a pair on my trailer for decades without any problems. However, my trailer weighs only 1500 lbs so the added stress on the outer bearings is minimal.

 

[PCO6]

I don’t like em, I don’t even like the idea of them on any vehicle. On a trailer?. I’ve used a pair on my trailer for decades without any problems. However, my trailer weighs only 1500 lbs so the added stress on the outer bearings is minimal.

This is pretty much the way I see it too. I tried 1" spacers on my Jeep LJ for a couple of months. I didn't have any problems with them but, right or wrong, I couldn't get them out of my mind while driving so I removed them.

I've had 2" spacers on 2 trailers for years and have haven't had any problems. I've already put a set on a 3rd trailer I'm building and it will be on the road this year. It's generally considered to be the best way to go if you want to run Jeep wheels on a trailer to match the tow vehicle. The centre whole of most Jeep wheels is too small to go over the trailer axle hub. Some people bore out the centre of the wheel to a little over 2" and that is not something I wanted to do.

 

[smritte]

Run em. Don't go over 1.5 and enjoy. Follow proper torque procedures.

I've run them, I have friends who still run them, some of which drive pretty hard core. The only issues have been caused by the install. I'm also talking about an actual bolt on spacer not shim type spacers.

I could sit down and do the math on how they effect turning radius/scrub radius, bearing/ball joint load.... The bottom line is, unless your track racing, you will never notice the turning. Even then the general rule for anything is keep it 1" or less. The average person will never feel anything under 1.5 inch.
Ball joint/bearing wear, you will cause more issues going with a bigger tire, driving on dirt roads.
People don't like spacers but will put 38's on a vehicle and cause more issues but, that's ok.

The proper way to do it is to move the hub outboard and reconfigure the suspension and steering. We know that's not easy. The next best is replace the rim's with a diffrent off set. New rims and you still screwed up the weight placement and turning.

If we all played by the rules, none of us would change any part of the vehicle outside of what it came with. That means not just factory tires but factory brand.

 

[Bama_Kiwi]

I've had 1-inch spacers on my car for 4 years, in conjunction with 33-inch tires and a 2-inch lift. Zero issues.

 

[Smileyshaun]

Make sure to get a good brand and install them correctly
Bolt them on to spec with a torque wrench
Drive 50-100 miles
Take them back off and reinstall add just a tiny dab of locktite on you factory studs not the spacer stud and re torque to spec.
Most failures you see because people don’t seat them properly and they don’t use a torque wrench to install them.

 

[Savage_ZR2]

Personally I'm not crazy about them, but I've had them on previous vehicles (bought them with the spacers installed) without any problems. If you do them, make sure you get the hubcentric ones. It helps distribute the weight onto the hubs instead of relying the lugs to carry the load.

BORA is a good brand to look at.

Okay noted!!!

 

[Savage_ZR2]

Wheels are a better idea. Kenda makes some nice pizza cutters. You don't have to go too wide.

And "track width" is the term you're looking for. Wheelbase is length.

Oh okay!! thank you! i knew was a term for it but couldn'n think of it lmao

 

[Savage_ZR2]

This is all just speculation but, for your truck in particular I think spacers would just hinder your turning ability in tight situations. You have a long and already wide truck. Those folks in little 2 door Jeeps can push their wheels out to help with obstacles because they can turn on a dime, and they'll still be thinner than you on the trail.

Okay noted! and I: was thinking about it effecting my turning radius to be honest

 

[Savage_ZR2]

There are many different opinions on this. I've been driving my Defender with wheel spacers for around 250k miles now.

THat´s for a very simple reason. The spacers move the wheels further outwards and this has a big advantage on the Defender's front axle: with spacers it is possible to reduce the steering angle limit and thus significantly reduce the turning circle. I haven't noticed any problems, such as increased wear, in all this time.

Another option would be to go for rims with a different offset, but I like the look of the original HD steel rims, so I went for spacers. Depending on local regulations, you must of course pay attention to the legality/ technical control.

Oh okay Good to know!!

 

[Savage_ZR2]

If you drive hard on the trails I would not. Hwy or gentle cruising along good secondary roads would probably.
Best thing would purchase the right offset wheels.
Remember the weight of that vehicle corner has been moved away from the vehicle and supported by less than .5" studs and a .5" boss depending on the trucks spindle/hub assembly.
Zim

Yea I'm mostly easy on the trails, time to time ill drive it hard but okay thanks for the input!! Thank you for your service btw!!

 

[Savage_ZR2]

Besides the weak point at the wheel this also creates problems with not having your wheels in the wheel well. The further you push them out the more mud dirt and rocks you will start to throw around. Best to keep those wheels tucked in for everyone’s safety.

Yeah you're right i didn't think about that!!!

 

[Red_Leaf_Overland]

Run em. Don't go over 1.5 and enjoy. Follow proper torque procedures.

I've run them, I have friends who still run them, some of which drive pretty hard core. The only issues have been caused by the install. I'm also talking about an actual bolt on spacer not shim type spacers.

I could sit down and do the math on how they effect turning radius/scrub radius, bearing/ball joint load.... The bottom line is, unless your track racing, you will never notice the turning. Even then the general rule for anything is keep it 1" or less. The average person will never feel anything under 1.5 inch.
Ball joint/bearing wear, you will cause more issues going with a bigger tire, driving on dirt roads.
People don't like spacers but will put 38's on a vehicle and cause more issues but, that's ok.

The proper way to do it is to move the hub outboard and reconfigure the suspension and steering. We know that's not easy. The next best is replace the rim's with a different off set. New rims and you still screwed up the weight placement and turning.

If we all played by the rules, none of us would change any part of the vehicle outside of what it came with. That means not just factory tires but factory brand.

I agree with this. I have had wheel spacers on 3 different vehicles over the past 10 years ( 2 daily/light trail/camping rigs and 1 dedicated trail rig) I have 1.5" wheel spacers on my TJ, 1" wheel spacers on my compass and had 1.25" wheel spacers on my patriot. The spacers on the compass and the patriot were/are used to allow clearance for a more commonly used ( cherokee KL) winter wheel that runs the same bolt pattern but doesn't clear my brakes on the compass trailhawk, as well as the take offs and used market has more charokee KL parts than compass parts. The Patriot I used my wheel spacers to adapt to a 5x5 bolt pattern and used JK sport 16" wheel and tire combo take offs that were flooding the used market for cheap.
My TJ I have used 1.5" spacers on since nearly day one of owning and helps front tires clear the lower control arms at full lock with a slightly larger tire. I now run 37" tires locked front and rear on JK axles under the TJ and still run 1.5" spacers. never an issue.
the biggest thing as others have mentioned is to keep on top of them and make sure they are staying tight. I have a bad habit of not letting anyone touch my vehicles unless they have to so I am under them and check them at least twice a year around winter/summer tire change over and the trail rig usually gets looked at after coming back from each trip.
also as mentioned earlier stay clear of the shim type spacer. Those will reduce the amount of threads holding the wheel to the stud which is not really a good thing.