Wheel spacers

[ericcris10sen]

Hey, I was wondering, how many of you guys use wheel spacers? There's a really awesome 4x4 shop over here that ordered some 1.5 wheel spacers for me and they REALLY wanted to make sure I got the right ones that would fit and wouldn't cause complications so I feel very comfortable with the ones they ordered.

But have you had any problems? Do you EVER feel a little nervous with them on? Do you constantly check the nuts to make sure they aren't coming loose or breaking off? How long have you had them on?

I've just been reading online about wheel spacers (I've always wanted them. I just can't afford 1k+ set of 33 in. tires and a lift kit) and I've been reading some nerve racking things. But then again, if you look into ANYTHING hard enough, there will always be negative reviews on it so you just can't base things solely off of negative reviews. From what I've read, some people used the wrong thread size or something like that and it was actually their fault, not the spacers. But I'm just wondering about what you think about them. So, just some reviews on them if you could.

 

[TJTJ]

Casper is right.

I'll add that all the negatives for the X are related to the FRONT though, not the rear.

There's zero difference in wear on suspension/steering between a rim with 1.5" less BS, and a 1.5" Wheel Spacer....just in case that's not clear.


For the X, using them in FRONT means you will have more tire rub/need to chop more metal to make the same tire fit, or, be stuck with a wussier tire than you COULD have fit with the same amount of trim work, etc.

So, worse turning radius, less flex, etc...not a good trade off unless all you care about is a wider stance with skinnier tires, etc.


For the REAR, you can use the 1.5" spacers w/o a problem - as that's a live axle, and, it helps clearance instead of hurting it....especially for opposite side stuffage/droop articulation and the stuffed inner tire's contact with the frame rails, etc.

I use 5.5" BS in front, so 33's clear with only plastic trim...and I can still turn tightly, etc. I use 1.5" spacers in the rear, as I needed the inboard clearance for my frame rails, but, didn't want to need TWO spares with different BS rims to get it.

By using the REAR spacers, I can swap the same sized spare rim on all 4 corners if I need to.


You DO need to torque them to spec and use lock-tite, etc....but I've never had one loosen on my jeeps or X's, so if you do it right once, they are pretty reliable.

 

[ericcris10sen]

@Casper I'll send you a PM but yes, I still will be able to purchase your sliders.
@TJTJ Well that would look terrible if I had them only in the rear and not the front.

Well shoot. Kinda sounds like it's not even worth it lol I have 31's so my tires aren't normal sized, but as Casper said, I just really wanted a wider stance. Hmmm....I may have to rethink this. I knew about the wear and tear. That's going to be a pain later on, but not a huge deal for me. I didn't think I would have to trim some of the plastic/metal, but yea that kind of would make sense. Sigh....

 

[TJTJ]

@Casper I'll send you a PM but yes, I still will be able to purchase your sliders.
@TJTJ Well that would look terrible if I had them only in the rear and not the front.

Well shoot. Kinda sounds like it's not even worth it lol I have 31's so my tires aren't normal sized, but as Casper said, I just really wanted a wider stance. Hmmm....I may have to rethink this. I knew about the wear and tear. That's going to be a pain later on, but not a huge deal for me. I didn't think I would have to trim some of the plastic/metal, but yea that kind of would make sense. Sigh....

This is what it looks like...I don't see it as "Terrible".



Those are 33 x 13.5/16's on there too, with only plastic trimming and a 2" BL.

1.5" Spacers on OEM 16x17 (5.5" BS) rims in the rear, and the same OEM 16x7 rims up front.

The stance IS wide, because I could FIT wider tires. So, compared to skinny smaller tires with less BS, I have fatter taller tires, more rubber on the road, more traction, more flotation AND a wider stance, with only some plastic trimming....instead of LESS rubber on the road, LESS traction and LESS flotation...with metal cutting.

 

[ericcris10sen]

This is what it looks like...I don't see it as "Terrible".



Those are 33 x 13.5/16's on there too, with only plastic trimming and a 2" BL.

1.5" Spacers on OEM 16x17 (5.5" BS) rims in the rear, and the same OEM 16x7 rims up front.

The stance IS wide, because I could FIT wider tires. So, compared to skinny smaller tires with less BS, I have fatter taller tires, more rubber on the road, more traction, more flotation AND a wider stance, with only some plastic trimming....instead of LESS rubber on the road, LESS traction and LESS flotation...with metal cutting.

Ahh well as you stated, you have 33's and a BL so that right there is really what makes it look mean in the first place. I'd like to see an X with spacers on the back with typical size tires and no BL. If I had a BL and 33's I wouldn't need spacers. Maybe one day I will, but I'm going to have to start saving a lot for that. Maybe I'll just save for a BL and larger tires. >.>

 

[TJTJ]

Ahh well as you stated, you have 33's and a BL so that right there is really what makes it look mean in the first place. I'd like to see an X with spacers on the back with typical size tires and no BL. If I had a BL and 33's I wouldn't need spacers. Maybe one day I will, but I'm going to have to start saving a lot for that. Maybe I'll just save for a BL and larger tires. >.>

LOL

The POINT is that the rear IS spaced out 1.5" father than the front, and, you probably would not look at this and say, cool truck, but the rear tires stick out too far, etc. (Your objection was that spacers only in the rear "would look terrible")

The spacing out of JUST the rears looks fine, not terrible.

And, I ONLY wanted to space out the rear to improve the live axle's inboard tire clearance in extreme articulation positions...I did NOT want to space out the front - as that would hurt my articulation, steering, etc.


I hope that helps!

 

[ericcris10sen]

haha it did help. But one reason I thought it'd look terrible was because I have never seen it with 1.5 spacers on the back and not the front, or I didn't know that someone was running spacers in the back and not the front. But I'm kinda passed that now. But again, I'm going to have to think what I really want to do.

 

[Frogstar7055]

Run 1.5 on the rears,just did WENT,no issues.

 

[metzican]

I run 2" on the rear. I run 315/75/16's and I just ran all black diamonds and double black diamonds along with the rock challenge at went...... I'm not worried.

 

[NoahSki]

2" spacers all around