newbie..a bit...about wheel spacers..

[Deleted member 33783]

Hi all. New guy here, to this forum anyway. Had Lexi my Ex for over a year now. Been in forums for my other vehicles before, but new to this one!

So, on to the stuff. I have an '01 XLS 4x4. 235/75/15 on it now. She has 47k on her and it is about time for some new treads. Can't beleive I got 50k out of the stock Wrangler RTSs. I hate how "puney" she looks though. Looks like a rail car. Wide up top with narrow track wheels below. I want to make it a bit more beefier. I've already planned on getting some tires with a more aggressive tread pattern. I most likely will get the Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revos. Everything I've read on here and elsewhere about them have been great. I'm planning on keeping my stock wheels as nothing is wrong with them. After reading, I've found out some things about spacers and am looking into those. I think some more aggresive tires sticking out more will help the truck look more aggressive. Not too much though..just flush with the fenders or so.

My question is..has anyone put spacers on the stock XLS 15" steel wheels? If so, how much on the front and rear? I've searched the forums high and low to no avail. I know to get the ones that bolt on to the factory lugs and then have their own lugs. And I know the somewhat risks, but my version of offroading is going down a gravel road. LOL. So has anyone done this? Have any info/suggestions? If anyone has an idea for tire size, that would be great too. I'd love to have something a bit taller, but don't want to go too wide due to the snow around here. But I don't want that skinny tire look either. haha.

I'm sure someone has been in my shoes. Wanting a more aggressive look without a lift etc. If anyone has any suggestions, ideas, etc, I'm open!

Thanks in advance!

K.R.

 

[philipb123]

I heard that spacers/adapters are bad, like if you go over pot holes or something they like bust or somethin like that

 

[Deleted member 33783]

I heard that spacers/adapters are bad, like if you go over pot holes or something they like bust or somethin like that

Yeah. I read that in a few places, but also read of people who have had them for years and thousands of miles. From the research I've done, and the kind I want, as long as I keep them torqued, I should be fine. Since I rotate my own tires and have my own torque wrench, that won't be a problem at all.

Have any suggestions on size of spacers for the stock wheels? Or does anyone else? Everything I've read was for custom wheels and huge tires.

Thanks in advance.

K.R.

 

[jake the snake]

i have seen two kinds of spacers. the ones you buy at pep boys/auto zone up to 5/16 or 7/16 inches, and the ones you can buy on ebay or a few years ago as a group purchase through this site that bolt on. the type you can buy at auto stores just slip over your lugs and act as washers almost, just creating more space between the wheel and the hub. they are risky to use because the holes for the lugs are wider than the lugs. no matter how hard you torque them, they can still slide/shift if you hit a pothole or something just right, possibly shearing off a lug or two. forget about off-roading safely. both kinds throw off the geometry of your suspension, and wear everything out quicker. all those parts (steering parts too?)are designed for the weight to be right over the hub and rotor/drum. the farther out it is, the more stress you put on those parts. its just a risk you take using spacers. ther are other threads about this too

 

[Deleted member 33783]

Yeah, I've read the risks. That's why I was looking at the ones that bolt on to the lugs, rather than the ones that are just big washers. But man, I can't afford and don't want to spend $1200 on a good set of wheels, but I really want the thing to look better. It just looks too puny and weak right now. The body just overhangs the wheels/tires too much.

Anyone else have any other ideas I should consider?

 

[NusenseSD]

wouldn't recommend putting adapters on your current rims.. You will put to much stress on the suspension than what its desinged for. (Bearings, lugs, etc..)

I currently run adapters on my ranger but I have wheels with a FWD offset. With the Adapters the wheels sit where they would normally. No extra forces are being put on the lugs and front suspension this way.

If you want something to make it look beefier buy rock crawler rims.. You can get 15X8's for like $40 a wheel.. Look for 15's on Ebay, should be able to get a really good rate since most people are looking for 17's and up nowadays..

 

[Deleted member 33783]

Ok...now that I've found wonderful Rock Crawler wheels..lol...I have a question. Everyone suggests 15.8 wheels with 3.75 backspacing. My question is....if I go with a more aggressive tread pattern with my tires..such as Cooper Discoverer S/T or Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revos, what size? Should I keep the stock tire size of 235/75? Or go slightly bigger? Keep in mind this is a street rod/everyday driver. And no lift..lol

Also..another ?. I know. I'm full of them..I do appreciate the help! How far will 15x8 come out? Will it make it roughly flush with the fender flares? My wonderful XLS flares? Just wondering..

Thanks again!

 

[jake the snake]

you should be able to fit 31x10.5x15 inch tires. with that backspacing, they will probably meet your flares, maybe stick out a little more. also, search around for rockcrawlers before you buy them. summitt racing has them cheap, and in different brands (amer. racing, cragar, us wheel), and different designs. the cragars are the most affordable i think. the price of those wheel adapters is ridiculous. you can outfit your rig w/ new wheels for the price of those things.

 

[Saleen_SR71]

the adapter price is rediculous... the spacers ive found are $5 each at a local rim shop.

even the guy at the rim shop said "dont even bother with adapters unless you got a steal on the rims. i.e. $1500 for $2500 rims."

 

[Deleted member 33783]

you should be able to fit 31x10.5x15 inch tires. with that backspacing, they will probably meet your flares, maybe stick out a little more. also, search around for rockcrawlers before you buy them. summitt racing has them cheap, and in different brands (amer. racing, cragar, us wheel), and different designs. the cragars are the most affordable i think. the price of those wheel adapters is ridiculous. you can outfit your rig w/ new wheels for the price of those things.

Thanks for the input Jake. I went and talked to my tire guy today and he suggested 265/75/15. Those are 30.5x10.6". About what I'm looking for. Now I have to decide what backspacing to get if I decide to get new wheels as well. With that size tire I can get 15x7 or 15x8. If I go 15x7 with 4" I'll be out roughly 1.25" more than I am stock. So that gains me 1/2 an inch. Not sure it is worth it. He said he'd mount those tires on my stock rims to let me see how they look. Anyone else have that size of tire? Suggestions one way or the other! Speak now! haha...thanks in advance. Thinking kind of outloud right now..lol.

 

[Deleted member 33783]

the adapter price is rediculous... the spacers ive found are $5 each at a local rim shop.

even the guy at the rim shop said "dont even bother with adapters unless you got a steal on the rims. i.e. $1500 for $2500 rims."

Ahh. Adaptors are out now anyway. It's either just bigger tires or bigger tires and new rims with less backspacing. One or the other. haha.

 

[Saleen_SR71]

you needed spacers not adapters

you would only need adapters if your going for a different rim that wont bolt up to your car

 

[Critical_Level2]

I got some 31x10.5 bfg AT's on my stock rims on my 99 XLS. They come out a bit more cause they are wider but they do not stick out past the fenders.

 

[Deleted member 33783]

I got some 31x10.5 bfg AT's on my stock rims on my 99 XLS. They come out a bit more cause they are wider but they do not stick out past the fenders.

Have any pics you could post or send me? kcrowe@prismlyte.com. Would greatly appreciate it as I am leaning toward keeping my stock steel rims and just getting the 265/75 tires.

Thanks in advance!

 

[jake the snake]

almost every tire has different "real" dimensions. they advertise 31x10.5 but might actually be larger or smaller by up to 3/4 of an inch. my 31's were smaller than my buddy's 31's, both brand new. the manufacturer's website should have some sort of chart showing actual width and height, along w/ lots of other useful info. hey, if you are going to buy wheels, by 15x8's. it just doesnt make any sense to buy the same size you already have.
if you are going to but bigger tires and drop all that money, why not get the biggest you can? get 275's or 285's (if you insist on metric) or get 31's. they will fill up your wheel wells better. i just hate to drop a load of money and be kinda disappointed when i see what it looks like or find out i could have done better, ya know?

 

[Deleted member 33783]

almost every tire has different "real" dimensions. they advertise 31x10.5 but might actually be larger or smaller by up to 3/4 of an inch. my 31's were smaller than my buddy's 31's, both brand new. the manufacturer's website should have some sort of chart showing actual width and height, along w/ lots of other useful info. hey, if you are going to buy wheels, by 15x8's. it just doesnt make any sense to buy the same size you already have.
if you are going to but bigger tires and drop all that money, why not get the biggest you can? get 275's or 285's (if you insist on metric) or get 31's. they will fill up your wheel wells better. i just hate to drop a load of money and be kinda disappointed when i see what it looks like or find out i could have done better, ya know?

Well, I've pretty much decided not to get wheels. The exact dimensions of the tires I'm looking at are 265/75 or 30.5x10.65. I don't want to go bigger because I don't want a lift and normally when you go taller, you have to go wider. I don't want wide tires because they suck int he snow/slush. I live in West Virginia and we have plenty of that. 60 degrees today and it's supposed to snow this weekend. haha. Plus I don't like the huge look. I don't want them sticking out past the fender flares and want to keep the smooth quiet ride. After all, this is pretty much a street queen. It is my everyday driver and come July when I get married, I'll be driving 20 miles one way to work everyday. So this is just for the look. Make it look better.

Thanks for the input and the suggestions. I just think 285 will be way too big. I mean..I'm going from 28.8x9.4 to 30.5x10.65. That's an just over 1 1/2 inches taller and just over an 1 inch wider. That's a pretty good jump on stock rims and all. haha. They are good looking tires though. Mastercraft A/Ts. Just like the Cooper Discoverer A/Ts. I've been with Coopers for years and the Mastercrafts are made by Cooper now. Only $85 a tire. We'll see how they look tomorrow I guess. haha. I'll be sure and take before and after pics!

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

welcome to the site kcrowe.

 

[jake the snake]

well cool man. sounds like you've got it all figured out. here's a joke for you:

Q: what is the only food you can feed a woman that will noticeably diminish her sex drive?

A: wedding cake HA!!

its stupid i know.

 

[floridaxlt]

I wanted a bigger more aggresive looking tire for my daily driver also. I live in Miami, pull a boat, and most of my driving is on the highway. But hell, I drive a SUV, got a brush gaurd, and wanna look like a mud slinger.
I looked into spacers, new wheels, etc.
When it came down to it, I bought just the tires. What I got was Bridgestone Dueler AT's, in a 265/70/15.. I know, I know, they are a little smaller.. But put the tires side by side, and they sit the same height as stock. They are noticably wider though, and look really nice. Lots of traction, and almost no road humm at all. Tires I took off where Goodyear conquest or something and I almost replaced all the wheel bearings as the tire humm was so bad. I could send you a pic of my 98 with the 265/70/15 Duelers to look at if you want. Let me know.

 

[Deleted member 33783]

I wanted a bigger more aggresive looking tire for my daily driver also. I live in Miami, pull a boat, and most of my driving is on the highway. But hell, I drive a SUV, got a brush gaurd, and wanna look like a mud slinger.
I looked into spacers, new wheels, etc.
When it came down to it, I bought just the tires. What I got was Bridgestone Dueler AT's, in a 265/70/15.. I know, I know, they are a little smaller.. But put the tires side by side, and they sit the same height as stock. They are noticably wider though, and look really nice. Lots of traction, and almost no road humm at all. Tires I took off where Goodyear conquest or something and I almost replaced all the wheel bearings as the tire humm was so bad. I could send you a pic of my 98 with the 265/70/15 Duelers to look at if you want. Let me know.

Thanks for the offer, but I'm done. haha. You were looking for what I was looking for, so I settled for just tires. 265/75/15 Mastercraft Courser A/Ts. Same as the Cooper Discoverer A/Ts. Same tire. Rides great, and lookes awesome! Now my next step is a Safari Bar. I'll have some pics up soon. Thanks for the offer though!