Wheel spacers for lift...are they unsafe?

[DrkRam]

I just installed a 4 inch Zone lift and im running 2 inch BORA spacers, no problems and its been 5000 miles. If you torque them down to specs ull be fine.
What the hell is the difference , if your not running spacers and you neglect to properly torque down you lug nuts you lose a tire , right?

 

[muddy12]

Gotcha. Thank you.

Lastly, why does a 6" lift require a wheel spacers or custom wheels with back spacing? What does the lift do that doesn't allow the stock wheels?


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It's a clearance thing. This is the knuckle to tire clearance with a .25" spacer(35x12.5 tires). Without the .25", the tires rub.



Here's the clearance with the 2"spacers.



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[ramportin1]

I ran 2.5" spacers for a solid 15,000 miles. Not a single problem. Most shops will tell you that they will not touch spacers unless it's removing them for you, it's simply a reliability issue.if they rotate your tires for example, torque your lugs to factory spec, you leave the lot and your wheel falls off on the freeway you can't sue them (or at least you'll have one HELL of a up hill battle. ) now if they torque your spacers down to "factory" specs (because that's what they have to do) and it snaps your spacer bolts or something happens and you wreck you can sue them. I know this only because a acquaintance of mine owns a custom truck shop. He explained it to me that way, he won't touch any customers spacers either even though it's a custom truck shop, he'll only remove them

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[ramportin1]

I guess I should say that's how it is here in the Pacific north west, maybe different elsewhere

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[ramportin1]

Don't have a great pic as my truck hasn't been like this in about 4 years so I had to dig for this lol but this is 2.5" spacers on stock rims and 35x12.50. Zero clue what brand they are however, my acquaintance who owns the shop ordered them for me

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[Witch]

FYI:

I had to do some trimming on the back of the front wheel wells for my 2" spacers on a 6" lift

specs: 4.75 back spacing, -12 offset 37x12.5r20 tires

 

[Curlyp]

I ran 2.5" spacers for a solid 15,000 miles. Not a single problem. Most shops will tell you that they will not touch spacers unless it's removing them for you, it's simply a reliability issue.if they rotate your tires for example, torque your lugs to factory spec, you leave the lot and your wheel falls off on the freeway you can't sue them (or at least you'll have one HELL of a up hill battle. ) now if they torque your spacers down to "factory" specs (because that's what they have to do) and it snaps your spacer bolts or something happens and you wreck you can sue them. I know this only because a acquaintance of mine owns a custom truck shop. He explained it to me that way, he won't touch any customers spacers either even though it's a custom truck shop, he'll only remove them

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Thanks for the info. So, even if I have to take it in for warranty work at the dealer, they will not rotate the tires with spacers on? Why are so many places convinced they are bad?

It's a clearance thing. This is the knuckle to tire clearance with a .25" spacer(35x12.5 tires). Without the .25", the tires rub.



Here's the clearance with the 2"spacers.



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Thanks for the visual. Is this the knuckle?

FYI:

I had to do some trimming on the back of the front wheel wells for my 2" spacers on a 6" lift

specs: 4.75 back spacing, -12 offset 37x12.5r20 tires

Is trimming common?

Don't have a great pic as my truck hasn't been like this in about 4 years so I had to dig for this lol but this is 2.5" spacers on stock rims and 35x12.50. Zero clue what brand they are however, my acquaintance who owns the shop ordered them for me

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Thanks for the visual.

I just installed a 4 inch Zone lift and im running 2 inch BORA spacers, no problems and its been 5000 miles. If you torque them down to specs ull be fine.

What the hell is the difference , if your not running spacers and you neglect to properly torque down you lug nuts you lose a tire , right?

[emoji106]




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[muddy12]

Yes, that is the knuckle.
It is longer than the stock knuckle.


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[joeygster]

Usually the stock wheels have indents in the back that would clear the studs with 1.5" spacers but you could also split the difference and get 1.75" spacer if 2" sticks out too far

Like Quietpeen said, the stock 20" Sport wheels have indents so the wheel studs will fit nicely with the 1.5" spacers.

I'm running the Bora 1.5" hubcentric spacers on my stock Sport 20's on my winter setup.

I got them from the manufacturer Motorsportech.

Wheel Adapters, Wheel Spacers, Hub Rings, and much more! | Motorsport Tech

 

[Jb7054]

Wheel spacers are not unsafe as long as they are installed correctly and are good quality. I haven't installed any on my ram but I've had a set of spidertrax on my Jeep for almost 4 years through some rough off roading and high speeds and have never had a problem with them loosening up or failing. Make sure you get hubcentric spacers and use lock tight on the nuts. Also make sure the factory studs don't stick past the spacer when installed.

 

[jcagle]

The only issue I have had with mine is, since they put down loose gravel on my road in prep to repave, the edge of my painted rear bumper has about a dozen chips in the paint. So unless u plan on running fender flares, anything that the tire goes through will get slung against the body of your truck. I have since removed my spacers. Mine served no purpose other than looks anyway

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[Curlyp]

Wheel spacers are not unsafe as long as they are installed correctly and are good quality. I haven't installed any on my ram but I've had a set of spidertrax on my Jeep for almost 4 years through some rough off roading and high speeds and have never had a problem with them loosening up or failing. Make sure you get hubcentric spacers and use lock tight on the nuts. Also make sure the factory studs don't stick past the spacer when installed.

Thanks for the info.

The only issue I have had with mine is, since they put down loose gravel on my road in prep to repave, the edge of my painted rear bumper has about a dozen chips in the paint. So unless u plan on running fender flares, anything that the tire goes through will get slung against the body of your truck. I have since removed my spacers. Mine served no purpose other than looks anyway

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I'm still on the fence for fender flares. I didn't realize that using spacers would cause chips on the truck.




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[ramportin1]

I absolutely hate the look of flares, that being said even I would have put flares on if I could do it over again. I have hundreds of scratches and chips from rocks flinging up off my tires

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[Curlyp]

Well the thing that sucks is both shops that I've called that could do 6 inch truck lifts, will not do them without me purchasing wheels or supplying wheels. They do not install wheel spacers. So how do I go about getting a 6 inch lift on my truck and then putting wheel spacers to get use my original wheels?


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[ramportin1]

Will your wheels fit at all after the lift (to just cautiously drive it home) then put the spacers on yourself?

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[Curlyp]

Well the thing that sucks is both shops that I've called that could do 6 inch truck lifts, will not do them without me purchasing wheels or supplying wheels. They do not install wheel spacers. So how do I go about getting a 6 inch lift on my truck and then putting wheel spacers to get use my original wheels?


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No because of the stock factory wheels. Both shops won't even install the lift without having custom wheels.


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[stoviAZ]

If you wheel, then I'd be SLIGHTLY Worried about the spacers.. Mostly due to strain on bearings. And i mean very slightly. otherwise like everyone says, dont go cheap. Get hubcebtric QUALITY brand. You'll be fine.

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[Jb7054]

If you wheel, then I'd be SLIGHTLY Worried about the spacers.. Mostly due to strain on bearings. And i mean very slightly. otherwise like everyone says, dont go cheap. Get hubcebtric QUALITY brand. You'll be fine.

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Offset wheels would create the same strain as spacers. Either way your pushing the tire further from the hub which creates some leverage against the ball joints. The only real downside to a spacer is it's another Link in the chain. Another possible fail point. I've put my spacers to the test and have never had a problem in 4 years. Although I did upgrade the ball joints and control arms in my Jeep. I'd much rather have hubcentric wheel spacers than non hubcentric aftermarket wheels.

 

[stoviAZ]

Offset wheels would create the same strain as spacers. Either way your pushing the tire further from the hub which creates some leverage against the ball joints. The only real downside to a spacer is it's another Link in the chain. Another possible fail point. I've put my spacers to the test and have never had a problem in 4 years. Although I did upgrade the ball joints and control arms in my Jeep. I'd much rather have hubcentric wheel spacers than non hubcentric aftermarket wheels.

Which brand you use?

I'm building up an 09 FJ right now for overlanding [emoji3] [emoji3]

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