Wheel Spacer question

[4x4snowmachinejeep]

Hi everyone,

What's the real deal with spacers.

A. Who makes the best
B. What does it really affect
C. Any proof of what it affects and how many miles or how hard do you need to run the Jeep for the problems to show up.

thank you

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[Terpsmandan]

On my JK, I got 1.5" spacers from Amazon. They all seem to be alike. I know that will incite some people. I put them on when I was under 100k and ran them until I sold it at 225k. I wasn't bumping the diff off rocks but I did take it out an wheel it and never had any issues. Just check your torque periodically.

 

[SonofaSeabee]

Looking for info as well. Opening up a can of worms on this I am sure, but will dealer void anything warranty related on spacers. I guess than can say anything additional above stock can void anything.

 

[rickinAZ]

It's basically has the complexity of a hockey puck. It's best purpose is the correct the stance and to raise the vehicle to clear taller tires. I have Teraflex (2.0" front + 1.5" rear) - the different heights are to level the vehicle.

They have Pet Rock levels of reliability.

 

[19 JLUR Bright Whit3]

OP, wheel spacers or spacer lifts?

 

[4x4snowmachinejeep]

OP, wheel spacers or spacer lifts?

Wheel spacers

 

[72Blazer]

I installed some 1.75” Synergy spacers on my previous JL and just reinstalled them on the current JL I just picked up. I plan to run them into I go to 38s and KMC beadlocks. No problems here. A little bit of blue locktite and torque them down.

 

[rickinAZ]

Wheel spacers

I think that some responses on here is referencing spacer lifts - I know that I was.

 

[Htfan]

Spacer quality is everything! Don't go cheap.

I've been running Bora 1.5" for 25k without issues. Also, check the torque every 5k when I rotate tires just for assurance.

 

[XX4XEXX]

Bora 100%. Wheel spacers are not an issue ever. Back in the 80s and 90s when fools would run spacers like like kits and body lift and not tighten bolts cabs would be on floors like wheels passing you on the road.

Trophy Trucks run spacers all day for clearance. Your just gunna spens some coin for good ones. Also they must be tqed to spec like everything be hub centric and be checked every rotation!
It's easier to buy wheels but wheel spacers are perfectly safe.

 

[aldo98229]

Spacers double the number of lugs you need to keep torqued. The tricky part is half of those lugs are not even readily visible or accessible.

This is the main the reason many tire shops won’t touch a vehicle with wheel spacers. There’s too much liability risk for a shop that is torqueing literally thousands of lugs every week - spacers double that risk.

Beyond that, you are adding unsprung weight to each corner, with the effects that has on the vehicle’s ride, handling, and suspension performance.

IMO, spacers have a time and a place: when you want to accommodate larger tires or add a lift while reusing the OE wheels. But you should be aware of all of the above.

 

[Zandcwhite]

A hub centric wheel spacer with properly graded studs, installed with blue loctite and properly torqued is no issue. The 2" spacers have been on my ram so the 35's would clear for 70k miles. Wheeled hard, driven hard, worked hard, towed heavy, hauled heavy, absolutely no issues. The don't need to be "kept torqued" as they don't move. Hauled a 2,700lb pallet over 150 miles without issue 50k miles ago. Towed the 8k+ lb trailer with the jeep on it to CO and back over 15k miles ago no issues. The 2019 JLU had 1.5" spacers for ~40k miles on 37's and 38's without issue. The Rubicon, the dusy, cross country road trips, thousands of miles off road from rocks to mud to snow to high speed desert. Both sets were cheap Amazon buys but were hubcentric and grade 12.9 studs. They simply aren't an issue and are really no different than running wheels with the same back spacing as far as the vehicle is concerned.

 

[4x4snowmachinejeep]

A hub centric wheel spacer with properly graded studs, installed with blue loctite and properly torqued is no issue. The 2" spacers have been on my ram so the 35's would clear for 70k miles. Wheeled hard, driven hard, worked hard, towed heavy, hauled heavy, absolutely no issues. The don't need to be "kept torqued" as they don't move. Hauled a 2,700lb pallet over 150 miles without issue 50k miles ago. Towed the 8k+ lb trailer with the jeep on it to CO and back over 15k miles ago no issues. The 2019 JLU had 1.5" spacers for ~40k miles on 37's and 38's without issue. The Rubicon, the dusy, cross country road trips, thousands of miles off road from rocks to mud to snow to high speed desert. Both sets were cheap Amazon buys but were hubcentric and grade 12.9 studs. They simply aren't an issue and are really no different than running wheels with the same back spacing as far as the vehicle is concerned.

anyone else have a similar experience to Zan

 

[Old Dogger]

Spidertrax are one of the best. When you install them, just follow their instructions, and use their supplied Loctite. Buff your mating surfaces, before you install them. Them area's need to be clean. Make sure that they are torqued properly. If you perform the install correctly, you should not have any problems with them.

 

[Htfan]

Just a note on thread lockers - Bora is one of the few manufacturers that recommended against using thread lockers. However, I know many other spacer manufacturers recommend and provide thread locker with the spacers.

In either case, when I've checked my "non-thread locked" spacer lugs over many tire rotations, the lugs have not budged. So, if you install and torque appropriately, it seems more of a personal choice on the use of thread lockers.

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