Bolt-on Wheels Spacers...

[93 x_SPORT]

What is the consensus on using the bolt on wheel spacers? Good/Bad? I'm thinking about using 2002 up wheels with 1.25" spacers which would put the hub mounting surface in the center of the wheel (outside to inside). I searched for this, but could only find a couple threads with no real explanations.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Personally I would not recomend it. That is a pretty thick spacer to use. You will most likely have to replace your current studs whith longer ones.

The spacers are not cheap. They will run you around $300 for a set.
Add that to the cost of 20 studs & lug nuts & the price of the wheels you will more than likely pay more for them than what you could buy the correct backspace/offset after market wheels for.

 

[93 x_SPORT]

Personally I would not recomend it. That is a pretty thick spacer to use. You will most likely have to replace your current studs whith longer ones.

The spacers are not cheap. They will run you around $300 for a set.
Add that to the cost of 20 studs & lug nuts & the price of the wheels you will more than likely pay more for them than what you could buy the correct backspace/offset after market wheels for.

The spacers I am talking about have 10 holes. 5 of the holes have studs the other 5 are countersunk so that you can attach the spacer to your hub using lug nuts.

After the spacer is attached to the hub, you attach the wheel to the spacer via the studs on the spacer.

The spacers I am looking at are on ebay. They are made of aluminum. They sell a pair of spacers with 10 lugnuts for 53.95 plus 12.50 shipping. So for around $125 you could have 4 spacers.

Any opinions on this set-up?

 

[Dan Whitaker]

You will still most likely need longer studs to be able to bolt the spacer to your hubs.
Are the ones on ebay machined from billet stock or are they cast aluminum.
If they are cast DO NOT BUY them.

 

[93 x_SPORT]

I'm almost certain they are billet. Also, I think I read a post on here that said 1.25" is the smallest spacer you can get without having to grind the stock lugs down for them to work.

 

[churd69]

bottom line is do you want studs holding your wheel on, or a piece of metal attached to you studs holding your wheel on. I wouldn't really feel comfortable driving 70 mph down the expressway with some plates holding my wheels on. Hopefully nothing would happen, but if it did I wonder what insurance companys policy is on wheel spacers? All in all just get rims with the right offset that fit your wheel will be your safest bet.

-Rich

 

[93 x_SPORT]

Was thinking about this a little last night...

With aluminum wheels you typically have to tighten the lugs after you drive for a few days because they will work loose. I wonder if it's the same for the aluminum spacers. Would you have to pull your wheels off after driving a week and tighten the spacer lugs. Then put the wheels back on and tighten the wheel lugs after about a week?

That would be a PITA. You can't really check the spacers with the wheel on there.

I wonder if you can weld a spacer onto the wheel...that's probably a stretch. It probably wouldn't balance.

The wheels that I want are the 16" FX4 Ranger wheels and they will fit w/out spacers, but I'm having a hard time finding them. That's why I was looking at the 17" explorer version that looks the same w/wrong offset.

 

[Explorer#2]

why not just get the right backspacing on the wheel? thats much safer than wheel spacers

 

[churd69]

Those rims are basically the same model that I had on my 01 sport, the only difference is that on the ranger version the bolts are exposed and on the sport version there is a center cap that covers the bolts. I was trying to sell them on here awhile back, let me search and see if I can find that post, because it has a pic. The backspacing should be the same.

-Rich

 

[churd69]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152669

this has a pic of the rims.

-Rich

 

[kabukie]

i put billet spacers on my sport. 2in on the rear and 1.25 up front. There was no need to change the stud lengths. 1.25 is definately the smallest you can get them without having to grind down the studs. i love the new stance and havnt had any problems yet. Ive had them on for at least 3months.

 

[93 x_SPORT]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152669

this has a pic of the rims.

-Rich

I'm kinda picky. I like the ones with the lugs exposed better. Good news though, I think I might have found a set of ranger wheels!

 

[tl1000r]

i say use them aslong they are billet i had a 1992 ranger that i put a 5.0 h.o mustang motor with a aod tranny had it lifted 9.5 " and i put a dana 44 in the front and had to adapt the full size lug pattern to the rear axle it had the 8.8 rearend and i had 4.56 gears to and i use to get on it all the time and never had problem, just make sure the mating surfaces are nice and clean

 

[churd69]

I'm kinda picky. I like the ones with the lugs exposed better. Good news though, I think I might have found a set of ranger wheels!

Make sure they have room for your hubs to fit.

-Rich

 

[ld50]

Hey,

3 and a half years with a set of 1.5 inch spacers on my Ex now and not a single regret other than the three times I wanted to inspect the rear break shoes. "They put no more stress on your axles than offset rims."
-just did some math and I ran them for aproximately 50,000 kms

any questions?

P.S. Just took mine off to get ready for fullsize axles, anyone wanto to buy them?
(They look dirtier now)

 

[kert0307]

I might be interested.... shipping to 50010?

 

[FROADER]

A lot of the SAS guys that are still running the 8.8 in the rear have 1" spacers. I've had no problems with mine and they get a lot of torque put on them whenever I take it out.

 

[jobunn]

I ran 1.5" billet spacers on my daily driver for 2 years and 33's as well and no issues, with plenty of off road abuse. I'll be selling mine shortly too.

 

[21robbie21]

ya i bought some 1.25 to put on my 8.8 to match the dana 44 going in, it does say in the insturctions that after a few days you should check if theyre loose and re torque if necessary, but i dont see that as being a big deal

 

[ld50]

I might be interested.... shipping to 50010?

Would have to box them and check at the post office on friday.

asking $250 CANADIAN for them locally so if a guy wanted them shipped we would add that cost to get a total, then the US buyer could convert and pay in US or whatever. Won`t hazard a guess as to how much shipping is. Just PM me if you`re interested. Obviously a better deal for a person near me who could pick up.

(sorry for going off-topic, thread-starter)