wheel spacer sanity check

[Yooper74]

I apologize for the variety of questions on this but wanted to double check and be sure nobody has had any bad experiences with titan wheel spacers

I have a set of 8" wide wheels on the way with 4.5" of backspacing.

I am going to run 285/70/17 tires

My plan is to order the spacer linked below 1" thick to give me an equivalent of 3.5" of backspacing.

Best I can tell this should line the tire up where I'll like it and I should avoid rubbing my radius arms

2.5" duff suspension lift and a 1" body lift on a 74


https://www.titanwheelaccessories.c...eQXfsPIeEOUvLbJ-f2Twsxt7-xEyQIA0aAoJ1EALw_wcB

 

[Apogee]

I don't know anything about them, however I do get nervous when I see fully machined bolt-on wheel spacers that cost less than the amount that I would pay for the material alone. That said, it's nice to see them anodized at least...I can only guess what they're using for material. I'd like to assume 6061-T6, however they could be cast 356-T6 or some other common wheel type alloy/heat treat.

I can't find any pictures on their website showing the opposite side of the bolt-on spacers, the one that contacts the hub or rotor. I'm curious whether they include any sort of torque-ring or torque-pocket feature(s) on the mating surface to help ensure uniform contact stress and help maintain lug nut torque.

 

[Yooper74]

I’ve got a chat open with titan. I’ll ask those questions. Michigan company and I think they are made in house. Assume not shipped in from overseas

 

[Yooper74]

Responsive folks.

T6 6061 billet aluminum with 12.9 grade studs pressed in was the response I got.

 

[DirtDonk]

Well so far so good then. Will they send you pics of the backside just for giggles?

And as far as rubbing the radius arms, only the final fitment will prove that out or not. It's not uncommon for even 31" tires to rub, if they have a deep backspacing like on a stock wheel.
You're starting out well with the 3.5" space, but it's a pretty tall tire too, so only time will tell unless someone that's got the same setup chimes in. Or did we already hear from them and I don't remember?

The "cure" for a rubbing tire on the arm is to adjust the steering stops out on the knuckles. These are the bolts that have a tack-weld on them you can find under the knuckle's (rear side I think?) backside.
Sometimes you can turn it out enough to work, other times you replace the shorter stock bolt with a longer one, but the concept is the same.
Or you could just let it rub and not turn quite so tight, because in most cases there is no damage done as mentioned previously I think. Just a gnarly sound emanating from the nether regions!

Paul

 

[Rustytruck]

sounds like good stuff done right. be sure to re-torque them often until you are sure they hold torque. ask them what torque spec and the proper nut to torque to the axle. usually takes a few re torquings till they seat and stay.

 

[DirtDonk]

Any reason to use a thread-locker on the spacer-to-flange nuts?

Paul

 

[Yooper74]

I was wondering about thread locker also. I’ll get some more info from them. Try to grey a picture also

 

[Madgyver]

you will need to cut your wheel studs shorter on the front and probably on the rear also with a 1" spacer.
Cut fenders?
I went with 2" for the rear (added longer studs) and 1.5" in the front.
17"x9.5"

 

[sprdv1]

you will need to cut your wheel studs shorter on the front and probably on the rear also with a 1" spacer.
Cut fenders?
I went with 2" for the rear (added longer studs) and 1.5" in the front.
17"x9.5"

got 2" has well here, but didn't use them

 

[sprdv1]

Well so far so good then. Will they send you pics of the backside just for giggles?

And as far as rubbing the radius arms, only the final fitment will prove that out or not. It's not uncommon for even 31" tires to rub, if they have a deep backspacing like on a stock wheel.
You're starting out well with the 3.5" space, but it's a pretty tall tire too, so only time will tell unless someone that's got the same setup chimes in. Or did we already hear from them and I don't remember?

The "cure" for a rubbing tire on the arm is to adjust the steering stops out on the knuckles. These are the bolts that have a tack-weld on them you can find under the knuckle's (rear side I think?) backside.
Sometimes you can turn it out enough to work, other times you replace the shorter stock bolt with a longer one, but the concept is the same.
Or you could just let it rub and not turn quite so tight, because in most cases there is no damage done as mentioned previously I think. Just a gnarly sound emanating from the nether regions!

yes sir.....

 

[Yooper74]

my rear fenders are cut.

 

[Yooper74]

madguyver - what size tires are you running? What lift

 

[Madgyver]

madgyver - what size tires are you running? What lift

37"s 5.5 SL going back down to 3" lift as the added height has no benefit for me. actually 5.5" lift limits my bronco from going everywhere. its a driver and some parking garages it won't fit with the 5.5". i have and want to add my roof rack.

 

[blubuckaroo]

Any reason to use a thread-locker on the spacer-to-flange nuts?

Paul

Why would you use thread lock?
The spacers have tapered lug holes, just like a wheel does.
But I do check the torque a few times, just like I would any alloy wheel.

 

[Apogee]

Responsive folks.

T6 6061 billet aluminum with 12.9 grade studs pressed in was the response I got.

So the material and studs should be good, but did they provide any pictures or information regarding torque-rings/pockets on the mating surface of the bolt-on spacers? Most of the failures I've seen with respect to bolt-on spacers could be traced back to localized failure of the material directly around the wheels studs due to exceeding the yield strength of the material, roughly 35 ksi for 6061-T6.

Once that material has yielded and plasticly deformed, you get a net loss of tension in the wheel stud/lug nut which results in a loss of torque on the lug nut. Your wheel studs don't see any force that is not in excess of the preload applied by torquing them to begin with, so as the torque level drops, you introduce a fully-fluctuating load scenario in bending and the studs will fail very quickly.

 

[Yooper74]

They havent sent any pictures of the back yet. I'll hit them up again.

Happen to know of any spacers that properly design and build that area you are referencing?

 

[Apogee]

H&R Trak+ spacers have great geometry, but don't offer truck applications or do customs AFAIK.

Goeske Racing (www.wheeladapter.com) makes custom bolt-on spacers, but again, I'm not sure whether they have the torque-ring/pocket features.

I've machined my own for my Nova, but can't seem to do it cost competitively given what others like Titan, Goeske and Motorsport Technologies charge, as well as the plethora of Ebay sellers selling who knows what.

At the end of the day, I would probably just plan on adding the torque-ring/pockets to an otherwise decent spacer made by someone like Titan, Goeske, etc. You can do it in a matter of minutes in a lathe or milling machine, or if you have a big enough countersink, just countersink the holes in a drill press so that the material directly around the holes has been removed. This removes the failure point assuming you have enough material under the lug nut seat so as not to compromise the strength and safety of the part.

Tobin