Wheel Spacers/Opinion

[vap13]

Well how many have tried to save a few bucks and it was more trouble than it was worth? Everybody? I bought some Aluminum rims that were off a 90s Bronco in excellant shape. Had my tires mounted and took them home to install. Yea, backspacing was not right and they just barely clear my tie rod ends, and if you have a wheel wieght on the inside it will hit.
So I have 5/16 spacers but it does'nt leave enough stud sticking thru for the nuts. My question is do I install longer studs, ( means removing calipers. hubs, bearings,rotor,etc,Holy crap) or buy the deeper spacers with studs for all four wheels? I think I would need a 1" or 1-1/4" spacer to bring it flush with the factory length studs. For those that have them how do you like it. I have 32x11.50 tires 2-1/2" lift and the flares are about 2". I have no other clearance issues lock to lock.
Sorry for the long post
Paul

 

[stingray427]

Well how many have tried to save a few bucks and it was more trouble than it was worth? Everybody? I bought some Aluminum rims that were off a 90s Bronco in excellant shape. Had my tires mounted and took them home to install. Yea, backspacing was not right and they just barely clear my tie rod ends, and if you have a wheel wieght on the inside it will hit.
So I have 5/16 spacers but it does'nt leave enough stud sticking thru for the nuts. My question is do I install longer studs, ( means removing calipers. hubs, bearings,rotor,etc,Holy crap) or buy the deeper spacers with studs for all four wheels? I think I would need a 1" or 1-1/4" spacer to bring it flush with the factory length studs. For those that have them how do you like it. I have 32x11.50 tires 2-1/2" lift and the flares are about 2". I have no other clearance issues lock to lock.
Sorry for the long post
Paul

Do not use the floating spacers if that is what you have. They are extremely dangerous. You must use only the bolt-on kind that bolt directly to the existing wheel studs. When you install them, I would use some lock tite and make sure that you torque each lug to 100 ft. lbs. on all of the spacer lugs and also the wheel itself.

Madgyver, gave me the hookup with a reputable eBay seller so check my post about the very same thing. The seller is first rate and the spacers are really high quality and work great. I would use the 2" front and rear.

One word of caution, most tire places will not work on a vehicle that has spacers, due to safety precautions.

 

[Heus33]

I've got 2" spacers on all 4 corners. My wheels had a 5.5" backspacing so my spacers got me back to a nice wide stance. Take some measurements to make sure you get the width you want. Check your local laws to see if you're tire sticks out past your flares if you'll get a ticket. And make sure you use loctite.

 

[vap13]

Thanks guys, I was concerned about the safety issue, so it looks like the bolt on type is the way to go. Will be much easier too. I will definately check out ebay. Did you all go with 2" for clearance problems rather than 1-1/4" or just like the looks?
Paul

 

[Heus33]

Thanks guys, I was concerned about the safety issue, so it looks like the bolt on type is the way to go. Will be much easier too. I will definately check out ebay. Did you all go with 2" for clearance problems rather than 1-1/4" or just like the looks?
Paul

I did it for the looks, I wanted a wider stance. Plus I got a really good deal from a memer here on the spacers.

 

[broncotime]

I went with 1.5 inch spacers on each wheel. I like the wider stance but it made it harder to steer. By that I mean, the stock pwr steering box plus a saginaw pump was already struggling to turn my aired down 35 inch tires on the trail. With the wider stance, it struggles even more.

 

[blubuckaroo]

You know the tire squeel you get when you are making a tight turn? That's what happens with a negative offset rim or with spacers. It also puts a lot more load on your front end parts. Why don't you have the tire shop put on sticky weights where they will clear the tie rod?

 

[vap13]

I guess sticky weights are an option if they stay on. I have heard of something granular you can dump inside the tire for balancing, if it really works. The tie rod is so close to the rim, like a 1/16", it worries me. I guess that distance never changes.
Paul

 

[22213evl]

first pic without 2" spacers, second with. I like the wider stance as the bronco isn't as tippy as before.

 

[Clint]

running 2" spacers here. biggest thing is to torque them down correctly. then to torque the wheels down tothe spacers correctly.

 

[blubuckaroo]

I don't think you would have a problem as long as the tie rod doesn't actually contact the rim.
I had to grind the casting flash from the tie rod ends to get them to fit my rims. They are that close. Been running like this for a year with no trouble.

Again, just my opinion. I'll take function over bling. There are just too many negatives to spacers or negative offset rims.

 

[vap13]

Thanks for the pics everyone, I think I'll try it without the spacers for now and just make sure it clears all the way. I do like the looks of the wider stance, so I'll see how this works out.
Thanks - Paul

 

[mustangtoby]

I have ran the spacers on a heep, cause I had a set of Bronco wheels and the spacers adapted them to the Bronco bolt pattern. No issues with 1 1/4" spacers, worked fine although I'm sure it was hard on the wheel bearings and increased the scrub radius.

On the other hand, I balanced mynew 35's with beads and it works great! I can't say enough good about them. Go to this website and watch the video, it explains it real well:

magnumbalance.com

Also try this one:

http://www.innovativebalancing.com

I work construction, we run it in all of our truck tires with great results. Good luck!

 

[crankman]

vap13 i have been using 1/4 spacers for years with a long neck lug designed for that application. I got them at the local speed shop. my spacers are floaters but you must use the correct lug nut and torqued correctly there solid . your rims maybe different than mine and you may need to go the other route with the bolt on type but I didnt need to.

 

[lonesouth]

are these the wheels?

got em on with 1/4 spacers. I've since replaced the lugs with some shank lugs. Barely clears the tie rod and the tire shop was able to balance with the stick on weights.

also:

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124052


also I think the correct term for a 'bolt on spacer' is an adapter

 

[Dan76]

I've ran 2" wheel spacers on the back of my rig for a while now. 1 year worth of wheeling and daily driving on the highway and everything has been fine. Retorqueing them is the most important. My wheel spacer instructions said nothing about using loctite, I did some research on it http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?p=9779228 After reading that thread I decided to just cleanup the threads and torque and check them without anti-seize or loctite.

 

[vap13]

Lonesouth, Those look pretty close to the wheels I have. If they were steel wheels the mounting surface is thin enough to allow more stud to come thru. The mounting surface on these aluminum rims are so thick the stud barely comes thru with the spacer installed. So do the shank lug nuts actually screw down inside the hole before they bottom out against the rim?
I like the idea of the beads if it works. Anybody try them?
Paul

 

[lonesouth]

the shank lugs do exactly that. part of the lug is narrow enough to go down between the wheel and the stud to get you more bite. I am beginning to doubt that my wheels actually came off a 90's big bronco, i think they are far too shallow and i have yet to see a set that looks exactly like mine. I would have gone the adapter route, but i'm cheap and $200 is a lot of money right now...

 

[vap13]

I guess I am too, I could'nt spend over a thousand bucks for wheels and tires right now. So if the beads work I will try that so I can eliminate the weights.If not I'll look for the nuts with the shank and use my spacers. Thanks fo all your help guys.
Paul