Wheel spacers Pros & Cons??

-
JJUSE67GTS

JJUSE67GTS

Active Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
29
Reaction score
2
Location
St Albert
Hey, Want to get some opinions on wheel spacers? I want to run 15" Mags on my 5x4 bolt pattern and cant get the ones I want in the right bolt pattern, what is up with the wheel spacers? Do they work? How reliable are they? I am questionable on them due to the 440+ftlb of torque the car puts out? Any opinions or experience would be appreciated.
 
You will get a lot of different opinions on them but I can say that I have never had an issue using them. Another member on here has them on his A-body and he is running a 440. Big trucks use them from the factory. Plenty of them used on rock crawlers that are also street driven.
 
You are not talking about spacers, you are talking about adapters, two different things. These vary in quality. Your mileage may vary. You'll find people on here, including me, that have had cars or known people who've suffered with these. In my navy days, one guy really REALLY screwed up a perfectly good 'Stang when a rear wheel came loose with adapters.
 
Oklacarcollecto said:
You will get a lot of different opinions on them but I can say that I have never had an issue using them. Another member on here has them on his A-body and he is running a 440. Big trucks use them from the factory. Plenty of them used on rock crawlers that are also street driven.
Click to expand...

I am the other guy or at least one of them.

Mine makes 540 ft/lbs. Been on there 15 years with wrinkle walls. No issues.

ALL Dually trucks have them. Can't put any strain on them right?
 
If you are putting them on your '67, keep in mind they will widen your stance by at least 1" on both sides (they also come wider, I believe). Tire clearance can be an issue on those rear wheel wells - so just something to consider that your wheel choice will have to have appropriate backspacing.
 
I would be cautious of the cheap cast aluminum ones that are commonly available. For big power and traction a good set of quality billet aluminum adaptors will be just fine.
 
I've run the billet type adaptors as well. I was just using them as 1" spacers as I was going from 5x4.5 to 5x4.5, but same idea.

I wouldn't use cast ones, as I've seen some problems with these. The important thing to remember about the billet ones is that they are aluminum, and just like aluminum wheels you need to check the torque, but now you need to do it on BOTH sets of lug nuts. Install them, torque them properly, drive the car for 20-30 miles, re-torque them and then check their tightness periodically after that. They need to be checked more frequently than if you had no spacers and steel rims.

As long as they're torqued properly, you shouldn't have any issues. And if you're buying new rims, keep in mind you'll want to add an extra inch to whatever backspace you would normally use to keep the wheels in a similar spot.
 
Cool, I have taken into account back spacing and thanks for all the info Guys looks like I may be getting a set of weld pro stars after all!
 
I don't wanna go off topic here but If you call centerline or know of a centerline wheel dealer they will custom Taylor almost any of there wheels to what you want, even make 5x4 wheels for us sbp wheel guys. Unlike other company's. The price was a lot less then I thought.
I was gonna go the spacer rout untill I realized it probably wasent the best idea fort build.
But this is just my 2 cents.
Lots of people don't know centerline does this.
 
I have beat the **** out of the billet aluminum 1" thick 5 x 4 to 5 X 4 1/2 wheel adapters for years and never had a failure
 
Is there a reason you don't want to just get 5x4.5" axles and be done with it?
 
JJUSE67GTS said:
Hey, Want to get some opinions on wheel spacers? I want to run 15" Mags on my 5x4 bolt pattern and cant get the ones I want in the right bolt pattern, what is up with the wheel spacers? Do they work? How reliable are they? I am questionable on them due to the 440+ftlb of torque the car puts out? Any opinions or experience would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

My experience is OK on rear- I had problems when I used the on front- lusg would work loose- other options available
 
66fs said:
Sorry, It is a technical engineering term. You should know we engineers are socially challenged anyway...
Click to expand...

i was kidding , never cared for the KISS method , i find when i keep stuff simple , i have nothing left to waste my time on LOL

Gib Warnick said:
My experience is OK on rear- I had problems when I used the on front- lusg would work loose- other options available
Click to expand...

when the lugs are properly torqued to the hub, they do not come loose. i ran mine for 3 years, i would pull the wheels every 2 months and check the torque. every single time i got an immediate click on my torque wrench. adapters and spacers get a bad wrap because A) they use a cast aluminum spacer that are prone to cracking, which in my opinion are cheap and dangerous and B) user error, they just bolt them on dirty hubs and do not torque them down.
 
I appreciate all the feed back on the adapters. I have checked the centerline route out and I don't really like the styles they have and cost to get custom made rims, 8 weeks delivery for rims and with the US exchange right now and shipping it was $300 Canadian a rim!! I am an aftermarket parts dealer and that was my cost!! I feel confident going with the spacer/adapter and I can get into a set of weld pro stars with proper back spacing and the adapters for under $1000.00 Canadian.
 
I have been told its best not to use them because it moves the wheel further away from the wheel bearings that it puts more strain on the wheel bearings. Thats just what I've been told I really havent used them before so its just my 2 cents.
 
72_dart said:
I have been told its best not to use them because it moves the wheel further away from the wheel bearings that it puts more strain on the wheel bearings. Thats just what I've been told I really havent used them before so its just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...

WHile this is true, if this is your rationale i'm assuming you would never us a wheel with a different backspacing or width than stock?

Whether you change the backspacing with a spacer or with the wheel itself it's the same. ANd adding more width to the outside while reataining the same backspacing would do the same.

Does anyone have a picture of a dead horse being beaten?
 
roccodart440 said:
WHile this is true, if this is your rationale i'm assuming you would never us a wheel with a different backspacing or width than stock?

Whether you change the backspacing with a spacer or with the wheel itself it's the same. ANd adding more width to the outside while reataining the same backspacing would do the same.

Does anyone have a picture of a dead horse being beaten?
Click to expand...

I was going to say the same thing about backspace
 

Attachments

  • bats.gif
    9 KB · Views: 236
roccodart440 said:
WHile this is true, if this is your rationale i'm assuming you would never us a wheel with a different backspacing or width than stock?

Whether you change the backspacing with a spacer or with the wheel itself it's the same. ANd adding more width to the outside while reataining the same backspacing would do the same.

Does anyone have a picture of a dead horse being beaten?
Click to expand...

I know I'm still kind of new here but when would you go with less backspacing...usually people add backspacing to get a bigger wheel in the same opening. I supose you would be right if you were adding a wheel with more backspacing and a spacer...I personally wouldnt do it if I wanted to run wheels with bbp I would make the car bbp...which what I'm currently doing, better brakes,better ball joints, and a better selection of wheels.
 
72_dart said:
when would you go with less backspacing...usually people add backspacing to get a bigger wheel in the same opening.

If you put a narrower rear under the car you'll need less backspacing on the wheel. Wider rear will need more backspacing.

I supose you would be right if you were adding a wheel with more backspacing and a spacer...I personally wouldnt do it if I wanted to run wheels with bbp I would make the car bbp...which what I'm currently doing, better brakes,better ball joints, and a better selection of wheels.
Click to expand...

If you added backspacing and put a spacer and the differences were equal the bearings would know no different.

The best way to run BBP wheels is to run BBP axles. SOme people like to go about it the bard and roundabout way.

Now spacers on the other hand suit a totally different purpose. When you are running an inch or less clearence on both sides of the tire you need spacers to fine tune the tire in the wheel well.

I've had 1/4" slip on spacers on mine for well over 15 years. No issues. wrickle walls and 500 hp for 15 years.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top