MYJEEP

Who if anyone has had issues running the wheel spacers? A lot of talk on the board regarding the use, but no one seems to have a list of issues if any with the current crop, style, design, whatever. So if they are out there, what problems have occured? Outside of the need to re-torque. That seems to be a given. Thanks.

LinkSync

I'm running 1.5" spider trax spacers on all 4 wheels and a 1" spacer on my spare to handle 35 x 12.5 tires on stock alum. 16" wheels.

No issues even when HAMMERED going way to fast etc. to the point I bent my lower controll arms (factory) but nothing happened to my wheels/hubs axels or drive train....wfew!

This is legal in Arizizona but not in some states.
No idea why it wouldn't be except for corrupt political reasons.

Then again which cop is gona find out yer running spacers?
And whats the penalty if they do?

Spacers are way over priced but to me worth it if u need them.
I have seen some that are not "hubcentric" and much cheaper, but was very leary of such.
Having the proper locating dia.s to keep the hub/spacer fit on center just seems "right" to me.
Relying only on the counter sinks where the taper of the lug nut "makes" to locate the spacer has some engineering issues imho.

Bolt patterns have to have "slop" in them to allow a fit up.
All bolt holes have at least standard clearence for such and it's likely cheaper spacers would have more slop too.
All spacers I am aware of are made of Aluminum which while its a metal, is a SOFT one.
Any push into bolts/lug nuts and the Aluminum would allow the spacer to mushroom around the nut.
It could move it off center.
This is MORE true due to the distance the lug nut is away from the hub mounting surface.
So MORE SLOP.

So if you need them and are legaly inclined to use such I recommend making sure that they are hubcentric at the least.
Hard anodized to prevent corrosion.
Make sure the studs are permanently mounted and secure for life.

Keep in mind that by extending tires/wheels out from hub and prolly adding weight to same, you are adding leverage and torque and shear forces to work against stock equipment.

That being said on my rig it's not been an issue at all as I said previously.
I did have some doubts but no longer.
I also drive slower now too....not a lot slower as I do love to slide around on trails.
Just enough slower so I can say I am driving slower...
LMAO
nah
I'm just kidding.
I don't drive slower.
Not unless the wife is with me.
LOL

TEEJ

No one has had any problems with the wheel spacers we use here and now,

...people have TALKED about the problems that the "PepBoys Specials" and so forth DO HAVE...IE: Simple plates with holes in them...held on by your lug nuts squeezing them between the hub face and the rim.

The ones we use here and now are the Spydertrax, etc...which use one set of bolts to securely attach them to the hub, and another set to attach the rim....a COMPLETELY different product.



So - sure, there was some confusion, as those who only heard of the PepBoys type crap were under the CORRECT impression that THOSE SPACERS were dangerous, and, those were....

But, they were NOT aware of the differences between the one's they heard about, which WERE dangerous, and the new one's we were using, which were NOT dangerous....

....So - we had a bunch of incredulous "Well...I'd NEVER use them on MY rig!!!" type comments...


Kind of like that exit poll I saw, where the person came out, and said they thoroughly researched all of the smears made by the candidate's opponents, and the people PRETENDING to be unbiased, etc...and through thorough research found that ALL of the negative claims were bogus, and that NONE of the negative claims were valid...but decided to vote for someone else, as all the negatives had left a bad taste in her mouth.



IE: Confusion doesn't = lack of an answer.

The real spacers are fine, no problems.

SH0RTBUS

I have not seen or heard of any issues with the new designs (spidertrax, tereflex, etc) but still don't trust them. I've never been concerned that they would fail while on the highway or off road, but how will they hold up in an accident? They could possibly turn a relatively minor accident into somehting more serious. To me they also seem like a rig job. I prefer running the correct wheels. Especially when you can pick up a set of steel wheels with the correct backspacing for nearly the same price.

TINMAN080

I've been running 1 1/2'' wheelspacers-non-anodized 6061 billet with grade 8 hardware for 3 months. I threadlocked the inner lugnuts, have not had to retorque yet. I do 120 mile commute daily @75 mph average. NO issues, I was leary at first but day-to-day use has proven the doom sayers wrong...

Laughingstok

Have put 4000 miles on my spidertrax spacers and wheeled it, mudded it, hit it pretty hard.. zero issues.

Might as well be a part of the wheel hub.

Dustoff '68

Intelligent and safer solution.

ROCKST8R

I had them on mine for about 15,000 miles and had no issues what-so-ever. They worked out very well. They were the good ones and the only reason I took them off was that I got different wheels.

R

rubimonster

I've been running spidertrax 1.5" spacers for over 4000 miles... and zero issues even with moderate rock crawling.

adaycj

Just to add to TEEJs rant er .. points.

Another "problem" with these spacers is that there are ignorant people that absolutely refuse to use a torque wrench to make the final turn of their lug (and spacer) nuts. This adds to the spacer "horror stories" because some idiots cannot properly tighten lug nuts, let alone the extra nuts that need to be tightened to keep the spacers on. Then, when the wheel does fall off, the spacers get blamed. The sheared or failed lug studs on the spacer or the OEM hub look like real evidence that the "spacers failed".

Every board like this has stories about wheels falling off and lug nuts failing. If you get spacers or not, use a torque wrench.