^^Real jeepers right there^^

 

If you don't mind, let me try - it's the point at which you hang the weight that is important. The further out the weight is placed on a lever, the more load will be applied. In this case, the point at which the load is applied is the bolting location. With a spacer you've just moved the loading point out by the depth of the spacer. This assumes that the stock wheel/new tyre is the same weight as the new wheel/new tyre combination though. If the new wheel is heavier than the stock wheel, you've just made the problem worse. However, it seems that general consensus is that the spacers are not the problem, but the installation of them could be. Don't ask me though, my JK is as yet untouched by the modification bug!

 

I hate when the engineers at work draw anything up

 

Ok most everyone adding spacers is.going to a 12.50 wide tire most of the time right? So doesn't the added width and in turn surface area displace the load, or have an impact on the effect of cantilevering? I'm probably wrong but seems that would have an impact to me

 

Spidertrax hub-centric aluminum wheel spacers have been around for more than 10 years.

I've read of people who who had problems who did not remove stock lug retainer clips, installed the lug nuts backwards, and/or did not periodically retorque the nuts.

I've never read or heard of any failures or premature wear resulting from their use.

I've run Spidertrax wheel spacers for the last 10 years on 2 different TJs and on my 2 dr JK--including with 40" tires with a net 3" wheel backspacing. I've never experienced premature ball joint or unit bearing failure as a result of the wheel spacers.


Guys with 1 ton dually trucks run steel hub centric wheel spacers on their rear axle to be able to run wider than stock tires.

Guys with drag race cars use wheel spacers to run wider tires.


The reasons that some tire shops have a policy to not touch anything with wheel spacers:

1. not all wheel spacers are precision designed and hub centric, with quality materials
2. some wheel spacers act merely as a shim between the hub and the wheel--leaving not enough stud/lug for safe use
3. some wheel spacers are made out of cheap materials and crack
4. proper use of well designed, high quality spacers requires periodic retorquing to assure the lugs haven't backed off, and the shops don't want to take the time to do this service or train their employees
5. because they are under the wheel, you cannot visually see if the lug nuts holding the spacer have backed off
6. brand new studs stretch and steel lug nuts slightly dig into aluminum--wheels or spacers--which requires periodic retorquing

The reason for the Loctite is not to hold torque. The reason for the Loctite is to prevent the lug nut from continuing to back off if a torque spec is lost due to a stretched stud or steel lug nut having scored the aluminum of the spacer.

For a hub centric designed, quality material wheel spacer--like Spidertrax--there is no material difference in wear on components compared to a wheel with the same net backspacing--like TheDirtman explained earlier.

The only difference in leverage would be between a deep dish wheel with the same backspacing as the net backspacing from using a wheel spacer. The leverage would not be because of the spacer, but because of the difference in the location of the weight of the wheel due to the offset. Most people who run spacers do not run wheels that would be heavy enough to make a material difference. In fact, most people with wheel spacers use stock aluminum wheels that are very light. There would be no difference in leverage from the tire run on a wheel with the same net backspacing.

 

do a google search there is a ton of info and most will come back to quality spacers like spidertrax are fine if used with common sense. There are even some professional rally cars using them (not sure of brand).

Not all Les Schwab tires are opposed to them. I have them and they had no problem mounting my new tires.

 

For discussion sake let me ask you this. Would the load point be the same if the spacer was bolted to the wheel and then bolted to hub? If installed properly, it should be treated as a solid connection between the hub and wheel regardless if it's a spacer or aftermarket wheel. Good discussion guys

 

good point. seems like if it was bolted to the wheel it would be in fact just like the force that would obtained when you had that amount of backspacing on a wheel and now in my pea brain head I am thinking crap if the spacer is not bolted to the wheel how does the wheel stay on lol. Seems like for the 1.5" spacer that most use there would be such a small amount of difference. Try using a 1.5" lever to lift something.

 

Well there is definitely increased stress with the addition of wheel spacers vs stock. However, I'm not convinced properly installed spacers vs 4.5" BS wheels there is a difference

 

yes I agree that was the point I was trying to make. I think a wheel with 4.5" back space all things else being equal will add more stress vs one with 6" backspace but adding a 1.5" spacer to the wheel with 6" of backspacing if properly installed should have very little impact compared to the 4.5" wheel. In fact I would think a quality alloy stock rim with 6" backspace and quality spacer may be more reliable then many lower quality aftermarket rims with 4.5" backspace.