using tubes as wheel spacers?

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diymirage

diymirage

HP@idle > hondaHP@redline
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hey guys, i want to run some wider wheels, and according to my calculations, the new wheels have 3 inches more of backspacing then my old ones
so, to keep the tires out of the frame, i figured i could install some longer studs and cut some tube to use as spacers
as long as all my tubes are close to the same length, and i bump my wheel studs up to 5/16th i should be good right?


almost forgot to mention, im talking about a 5.5 hp go kart, of course
 
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The mounting surface areas would be only the size of the "tubes". Go kart maybe OK
try it but go slow and take the wheels off and check for bent studs cracks and misalignment.
 
I wouldn't even try that on a go kart. I made a new rear axle for a buddy last year out of 1" dia 4140HT after his kids snapped the OEM one. They take a beating.
 
If someone is intent on winning the Darwin award for the year, I say who are we to stand in the way of greatness.
 
When wheel studs are installed in a normal application and torqued, the load on the stud is compression due to the torque of the lug nut and pure shear from the weight of the car. This shear is reduced if the wheel center rests on the axle register.

With your tube spacers, the studs will have a bending moment applied as well. This is because the tubes can rock. Not only that but the bending moment will oscillate with the rpm of the wheel leading to fatigue.

Five separate spacers are different than a single larger spacer with five holes due to this ability to rock.

Three inches is a lot, but if you are determined I suggest finding or fabricating a single spacer with five holes.
 
Do not fabricate your own spacers.
Just my opinion as i do not like them at all. Had an engineered billet one crack then break on my truck a few yrs. ago.
Damn near lost a rear wheel and almost wrecked.
 
Oldschoolcuda said:
Do not fabricate your own spacers.
Just my opinion as i do not like them at all. Had an engineered billet one crack then break on my truck a few yrs. ago.
Damn near lost a rear wheel and almost wrecked.
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Was that a simple spacer, or was it an adapter to change the bolt pattern? I would think the adapter would much more likely to fail.

Don't get me wrong. I think the entire thread is insane. Where is he going to get 3 inch longer wheel studs anyways? I just meant to say that a single spacer is much better mechanically than 5 individual spacers.
 
Just get the correct offset wheels for your combination. Unless it only gets driven on and off a trailer at .25 mph.
 
PocketAces said:
Where is he going to get 3 inch longer wheel studs anyways? I just meant to say that a single spacer is much better mechanically than 5 individual spacers.
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well, they will technically be bolts, grade 8 i was thinking
i can take the hub off, bolt the rim to the hub and then put it back together
 
:popcorn:
PocketAces said:
Was that a simple spacer, or was it an adapter to change the bolt pattern? I would think the adapter would much more likely to fail.

Don't get me wrong. I think the entire thread is insane. Where is he going to get 3 inch longer wheel studs anyways? I just meant to say that a single spacer is much better mechanically than 5 individual spacers.
Click to expand...
FYI
s-l300.jpg
:popcorn::rofl:
 
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PocketAces said:
Was that a simple spacer, or was it an adapter to change the bolt pattern? I would think the adapter would much more likely to fail.

Don't get me wrong. I think the entire thread is insane. Where is he going to get 3 inch longer wheel studs anyways? I just meant to say that a single spacer is much better mechanically than 5 individual spacers.
Click to expand...
Simple 1 “ spacer.
 
its a fiberglass body, with steel brushguards all around
 
Seriously I would not try to space the studs individually. I think they will sheer under hard acceleration/braking. Use the right spacer or different rims.
 
halifaxhops said:
Seriously I would not try to space the studs individually. I think they will sheer under hard acceleration/braking. Use the right spacer or different rims.
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to be honest...it doesnt have brakes
i got some from a dirtbike im going to adapt to work on it, but im not there yet
 
That's pretty funny actually. You don't want to know what I was thinking. Was going to send you a box of crayons to chew on!
 
Me , I would just make one, Aluminum sheet the proper thickness and a drill.
 
You would probably have better results using a couple hunks of 2x8 stacked to get the 3" thickness. Drill for the longer studs, mount with washers and nuts, start it up and use a belt or disk grinder to knock the corners off as the axle spins. If would be fitting with the half-asses effort and at least the load would be spread out evenly. Might actually survive if you stacked up some hardwood planks.
 
Well I tried that several years ago on a go kart,. Wanted to put riding mower tires on it for more ground clearance, and the new tires wouldn't clear the drive sprocket on the axle. I did exactly what your talking about, cut a 2" thick piece of wood, roundish, and put longer studs on it, solved the clearance problems, but I suggest you keep a socket and ratchet in your pocket because you'll be lightning it up every 10 minutes

Just a thought, If you took and made your wood spacer, and sleeved the bolt holes with the tubing, just a little less than the thickness of the wood, the wood might compress enough to bottom out against the tubing and keep it tight while giving more support than just the tubing

And before you say anything, yes I'm a hillbilly at heart
 
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