Wheel spacer question?

[caratnic]

I have a 4dr 2021 Jeep sahara 4xe which has the wide track axles. So I went a little crazy yesterday and bought a metal cloak 3.5"GC with outboard shock mounts, new metal cloak steering and drag link, Fox DSC 2.5" shocks, and new tires. Now I see metal cloak recommends 4.5" backspace, but the new method wheels I have are 4.75 with -18 offset. I found a simple 1/2" spacer too add to bring it under that 4.5" requirement with a little to spare..... but will this 1/2" spacer make the threads to short and not be long enough for the lug nuts too properly secure the wheels correctly? Or do I need to change the studs out?

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[jadmt]

BORA has good info on what is required as far as lug length

 

[Odyssey USA]

Hubcentric spacers only…

 

[jadmt]

I would try your wheels with the lift. Flex it out and see if there is any issues before getting spacers. Generally it is the rear swaybar links hitting the tire that is the concern. You are only 1/4” off right now so i bet you are ok

 

[aeonixx1001]

I have a 4dr 2021 Jeep sahara 4xe which has the wide track axles. So I went a little crazy yesterday and bought a metal cloak 3.5"GC with outboard shock mounts, new metal cloak steering and drag link, Fox DSC 2.5" shocks, and new tires. Now I see metal cloak recommends 4.5" backspace, but the new method wheels I have are 4.75 with -18 offset. I found a simple 1/2" spacer too add to bring it under that 4.5" requirement with a little to spare..... but will this 1/2" spacer make the threads to short and not be long enough for the lug nuts too properly secure the wheels correctly? Or do I need to change the studs out?

Honestly I would not use spacers. They aren't safe. You are adding another fail point as well. Talked to a few guys at the 4 wheel shop and they all said the same thing.

 

[Upnarms]

Honestly I would not use spacers. They aren't safe. You are adding another fail point as well. Talked to a few guys at the 4 wheel shop and they all said the same thing.

While i personally wouldn't use 1/2 spacers or any that do not bolt on and have their own lugs, a general statement that spacers are unsafe is simply not correct. Bolt on, quality hub centric spacers are perfectly safe and won't cause any more issues than aftermarket rims with same back spacing. Only one thing is needed and that is to check your lug nuts on them whenever you rotate your tires. But in over 30k miles with mine and literally thousands of off road miles, i have yet to have any loosen. I know several people who run them without issues.

For the OP, if you do need small, hubcentric spacers id be more comfortable with 1/4 inch to give you a little more thread and hope that is enough. I have read you want at least the same amount of thread engagement as the diameter of the lug. So you'll need to figure out what you are getting currently to see how much you can spare. Do a search on thread engagement for more info.

 

[jadmt]

they use spacers on vehicles that can go 200mph......I have been using Spidertrax and BORA adaptors for years. check the torq when rotating tires and never once had one single nut that needed additional torq. High quality spacers with proper install is important.

I currently am using 1" BORA adaptors with stock wheels. The pockets in the stock wheels are deep enough that I could use 7/8" spacers without having to trim the lugs.

 

[aeonixx1001]

If you are going to maintain checking torque every so often then not an issue. But people put them on and forget about them. This is an issue. Sure on race cars they get checked 10 times a day. My Jeep will go 0-60 when it gets there. Last thing I thought was did I check my lugs and spacers?

 

[Upnarms]

Honestly if they are installed correctly, in theory I'd never needed to check mine since they haven't ever loosened nor have @jadmt ever loosened according to what he stated. It would take pretty much 4 or 5 of them to come loose to be an issue. Would i recommend never checking them, heck no! I check them every 5k miles but again, they never once even needed any tightening. They are applied with thread locker as well.

I have the 1.75" synergy ones. Boras are supposed to be the best. I trust these more than i trust some of these $120 after market rims with the same back spacing, and i wouldn't expect those cheap Chinese rims to fail either.

How many times have you had your wheels nearly fall off while driving your jeep? Me? Never in over 20 years and 3 jeeps. Maybe I've had a lug nut not AS tight as the others, but never to the point i could freely spin it or it didn't take a tool to loosen it. I've always tightened them to spec (90-100 ft lbs on my tj and jk, 130 on the JL). Are all you JL owners checking your lug nut torque every 5k miles? How many times have your wheels fallen off?

Sorry to beat a dead . I just get a little fired up when the "spacers are dangerous" comments go flying. Myth busted.

If you can get sufficient thread engagement with the 1/4 or 1/2 spacer, go for it. Won't be a problem. If not, find another solution.

 

[caratnic]

Thanks everybody for all the replies, awesome too see lots of people's views on it. Maybe I can get by with that 1/4... time will tell when everything starts to show up!

 

[aeonixx1001]

Honestly if they are installed correctly, in theory I'd never needed to check mine since they haven't ever loosened nor have @jadmt ever loosened according to what he stated. It would take pretty much 4 or 5 of them to come loose to be an issue. Would i recommend never checking them, heck no! I check them every 5k miles but again, they never once even needed any tightening. They are applied with thread locker as well.

I have the 1.75" synergy ones. Boras are supposed to be the best. I trust these more than i trust some of these $120 after market rims with the same back spacing, and i wouldn't expect those cheap Chinese rims to fail either.

How many times have you had your wheels nearly fall off while driving your jeep? Me? Never in over 20 years and 3 jeeps. Maybe I've had a lug nut not AS tight as the others, but never to the point i could freely spin it or it didn't take a tool to loosen it. I've always tightened them to spec (90-100 ft lbs on my tj and jk, 130 on the JL). Are all you JL owners checking your lug nut torque every 5k miles? How many times have your wheels fallen off?

Sorry to beat a dead . I just get a little fired up when the "spacers are dangerous" comments go flying. Myth busted.

If you can get sufficient thread engagement with the 1/4 or 1/2 spacer, go for it. Won't be a problem. If not, find another solution.

But you say in your post Use "Thread Lock" If there is never issue why would you need it? So Myth not Busted. But if you want to use them, Use a quality made one and that is your choice. Personally I would never use spacers.

 

[Upnarms]

But you say in your post Use "Thread Lock" If there is never issue why would you need it? So Myth not Busted. But if you want to use them, Use a quality made one and that is your choice. Personally I would never use spacers.

Spacers came with it. It's part of the directions to use it. If you install them correctly.... as in follow the instructions, you are to use the included thread lock and torque to 120ft lbs. At least the synergy ones come with it and require. Not sure on Bora

 

[jadmt]

But you say in your post Use "Thread Lock" If there is never issue why would you need it? So Myth not Busted. But if you want to use them, Use a quality made one and that is your choice. Personally I would never use spacers.

actually BORA says not to use thread loc as it is not needed. Spidertrax does say to use thread loc but I ran Spidertrax for years and did not use it as there is no need to if you install them properly. where people ran into issues is they failed to read the instructions (not a product problem but an installer problem, kind of like blaming a fork for making someone fat) there are pushed on steel clips (all my JK's had them but my JL did not) that hold the rotors on during the assembly process and people fail to remove those like the instructions tell you to do. the OEM wheels have built in pockets at the studs so they don't pose a problem with OEM wheels but the spacers do not have the pockets so the clips interfere with the spacers fitting properly. I believe Porsche and Ferrari have factory wheel spacers..

 

[Upnarms]

actually BORA says not to use thread loc.

Myth still busted

 

[jadmt]

If you are going to maintain checking torque every so often then not an issue. But people put them on and forget about them. This is an issue. Sure on race cars they get checked 10 times a day. My Jeep will go 0-60 when it gets there. Last thing I thought was did I check my lugs and spacers?

I agree with you, wheel spacers are not for you and would be a bad idea for you to use them. I rotate my own tires and do my own work so I am 100% comfortable driving 85mph all day long with mine. Heck I have retorqued my lift kit 2X already. I know people get lifts put on and they bolts never see another wrench even tho it is super important for your nuts and bolts to be checked especially your front track bar.

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