Wheel spacers or no?

[Bo Daggart]

Throwing a 3" lift and 35" tires on the truck next weekend. Should I add wheel spacers or not? I dont have fender flares but I'm definitely not opposed to having them. I'd probably prefer them.

3" skyjacker
35x12.5r20 duratrac

 

[BOWERSFJ]

What are your wheels now ?


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[RedSRT4Me]

Throwing a 3" lift and 35" tires on the truck next weekend. Should I add wheel spacers or not? I dont have fender flares but I'm definitely not opposed to having them. I'd probably prefer them.

3" skyjacker
35x12.5r20 duratrac

If more stance is the goal then spacers will give you that look. I'm guessing the truck is RWD and stock rims?

Look for +1.5" Bora or similar for quality.
1.5" spacer minimum to avoid cutting wheel studs like I did.

 

[BOWERSFJ]

If more stance is the goal then spacers will give you that look. I'm guessing the truck is RWD and stock rims?

Look for +1.5" Bora or similar for quality.
1.5" spacer minimum to avoid cutting wheel studs like I did.

Stance, yes, but also, 12.50’s will hit the UCA without em ... So it’s kind of a necessity ... And yes, Bora 1.5” the way to go


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[Sgambots91]

I have 2” wheel spacers on right now. 275/60/20 Nitto ridge grapplers

 

[regal81455]

Stance, yes, but also, 12.50’s will hit the UCA without em ... So it’s kind of a necessity ... And yes, Bora 1.5” the way to go


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Yep - if stock wheel widest you can go is right at 12" without a spacer.

 

[BOWERSFJ]

Yep - if stock wheel widest you can go is right at 12" without a spacer.

Yup ... 295’s will spin, but **** it’s closer than I’m comfortable with


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[regal81455]

LOL - yeah that's where I ended up at - 295/65/20s on stock 9" rims - maybe a frog's hair of clearance!

Ever seen frogs' hair? Yeah me neither!

 

[Bo Daggart]

What are your wheels now ?


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Stock. Wheels and tires at the moment. I'll be using the stock rims

 

[BOWERSFJ]

Stock. Wheels and tires at the moment. I'll be using the stock rims

Then you’ll need spacers to clear those 12.50’s ... 1.5” spacer will give your total package a -19 offset, which is pretty common for 12.50’s ... Make sure they are hubcentric !!!!


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[regal81455]

For reference here is my truck with 4.5" lift +/- and Toyo OC AT3 295/65/20s ( 12" wide ) on stock wheel. No rubbing lock to lock or at the a-arm.

Are you wanting the offset?? My tires are basically even with the outside edge of the OEM flares so without you'd have some offset but nothing too extreme.

 

[BOWERSFJ]

For reference here is my truck with 4.5" lift +/- and Toyo OC AT3 295/65/20s ( 12" wide ) on stock wheel. No rubbing lock to lock or at the a-arm.

Are you wanting the offset??

View attachment 220297

He said he is trying to clear 12.50’s


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[regal81455]

Yes I know but he also said he may not want spacers - I'm just giving a feel for what it looks like without.

 

[regal81455]

Personally I'm not a big fan of the offset that the 1.5" to 2" spacers give when you account for the other things that they may or may not attribute too ( ie bearing wear ) and if you tow anything of weight I'd definitely recommend against them.

If you want that offset look then your best bet is to just buy new rims with it built in.

 

[Sgambots91]

Personally I'm not a big fan of the offset that the 1.5" to 2" spacers give when you account for the other things that they may or may not attribute too ( ie bearing wear ) and if you tow anything of weight I'd definitely recommend against them.

If you want that offset look then your best bet is to just buy new rims with it built in.

From what I’ve researched, wheel spacers don’t wear out your bearings any faster than wheels that would give you same or similar offset. I’m not sure if that’s 100% true, just what I’ve read. Can’t comment on the towing.

I’m debating taking my spacers off as I no longer have fender flares and the wheels stick out a little too much for my liking. When I had the fender flares, it was just the right amount of poke.

 

[Gary2]

35-12.50-20 BFG KO2's fit my 2014 Express with 9" wide chrome clad without spacers. Tried it with spacers and it looked kind of silly with a tire that size on a full size truck so I tried without and they never touched and looked better being thats not that big of a tire on a full size truck

 

[RedSRT4Me]

Personally I'm not a big fan of the offset that the 1.5" to 2" spacers give when you account for the other things that they may or may not attribute too ( ie bearing wear ) and if you tow anything of weight I'd definitely recommend against them.

If you want that offset look then your best bet is to just buy new rims with it built in.

I've had zero negative results running spacers and towing weight.

 

[regal81455]

Perhaps it's just a personal concern over the spacers then but I wouldn't want do it and I'm not trying to start a debate over it.

 

[regal81455]

35-12.50-20 BFG KO2's fit my 2014 Express with 9" wide chrome clad without spacers. Tried it with spacers and it looked kind of silly with a tire that size on a full size truck so I tried without and they never touched and looked better being thats not that big of a tire on a full size truck

Yes but keep in mind the 12.5" widith indicated for that specific tire is based on a 10" rim, when you put that same tire on a 9" rim you lose .5" of width.

Rule of thumb when you look at tires is to look at the rim width the width of the tire is based on. Then for every 1" of rim width difference it's equal to .5" of tire width.

Go up in rim width add tire width

Go down in rim width subtract tire width

That's why you fit in on your truck cuz the actual section width with your tire ended up 12" like I've been saying above. You can't just go by the advertised width cuz it will change depending on your rim width you are using vs the rim width the advertised section is basing it on.

 

[Gary2]

Yes but keep in mind the 12.5" widith indicated for that specific tire is based on a 10" rim, when you put that same tire on a 9" rim you lose .5" of width.

Rule of thumb when you look at tires is to look at the rim width the width of the tire is based on. Then for every 1" of rim width difference it's equal to .5" of tire width.

Go up in rim width add tire width

Go down in rim width subtract tire width

That's why you fit in on your truck cuz the actual section width with your tire ended up 12" like I've been saying above. You can't just go by the advertised width cuz it will change depending on your rim width you are using vs the rim width the advertised section is basing it on.

Im just posting what I have used that does work so people don't think all 12.50 tires on oe chorme clad 9"wheels rub . BFG run a hair smaller than others but they are still advertised as a 12.50. Now some one looking at KO2 may see this and now know 1 OE wheel that will work with a 12.50 tire and no spacer . Not every one wants spacers or the look ya get by using them. I understand all the other things you are saying but have nothing to do with my post