OK, so forgive me
I have never been able to understand "wheel math"

I have 20 x 9 BMF Sere's with 35x12.50 Mickey Ts
My BMFs are a -5" backspace and -4.5" is what is required to keep from rubbing the front leafs at full turn

The 2" spacers will push everything out 2" ,right ?
An earlier post seemed to indicate that these will not stick out beyond the fender wells.

 

So are the stock studs longer than 2" and need to be shortened?
I have not seen that on other post's.

 

No, the OEM studs stay the same.

Let me google that for you

 

That helps. Thank you.

I have read many posts now, but still struggle with one issue.
Help me understand wheel geometry.
I know this is backwards from the correct mounting procedure, but hear me out.

If you were to imagine the wheel spacer already mounted to a newer Ford OEM wheel with 4" of back spacing and now you have only 2" due to adding the spacer, haven't you just changed the geometry on the wheel to be more in line with a wheel made for the vehicle (not using adapters)?

It seems like common sense that you are not really putting your family or rig in jeopardy by using spacers. Unless the spacers have now created a weak point and could shear off under a heavy load.

 

Personally and I think this has to do with each user on this forum it's all in how you use your X. I have the eBay HUBCENTRIC spacers and love them. They were 1/3 the price and are made just as well. However I have a 2wd and the 5.4 PLUS I don't tow. So I am at the complete opposite end of the spectrum from the better half on here I'm what you call poor (see; eats shoes for dinner) so I buy what I can afford and do the best that I can If I could afford a diesel or a 4wd I would never have gone with the eBay spacers, but then again I wouldn't have been in the same income bracket.

 

This may really be reaching.

Can anybody with 2" wheel spacers post a pic of how far their tires sit out and list whether they have 8", 9" or 10" wide wheels ?

 

We all have 2 inch spacers if we're running the newer wheels and the OEM wheels sit where the wheels sit now. The spacers just put them back where they are supposed to be. It doesn't change anything at all, just the backspacing.

 

 

So if I have 20x 9 wheels and I add 2" spacers my tires WON'T stick 2 " further out ?

 

Well if the backspace is correct then yes they will, but if they are for a newer Ford then no they won't.

 

I don't want to use spacers, I do want to swap wheels and style isn't very important to me, is there a list somewhere of which years are directly interchangeable? Basically will '97 wheels bolt straight onto my '03?

 

No. 97 wheels are a 8 on 6.5 stud pattern, and the 03 has an 8 on 170mm stud pattern.

Also, with 2" spacers, the 97 wheels will stick way out.

 

'99 through '04 Super Duty and Excursion (including '05 on the EX) wheels will directly interchange with your EX without the need for spacers. All of them with the exception of the '04 only SD 18"s will be the same 16" size that you had stock without much variation in width. The SD wheels from '05 on all have a different back spacing that requires the spacers to fit our EXs correctly.

 

Great thread....great info.

My first thoughts are to get '04 SD OEM wheels and level the front with an 'extra' spring? (if i've read that right).

 

Not all '04 OEM SD wheels are the same though, most of the pickups that year had the same wheels as our EXs. Only certain pickup trim packages came with the 18" wheels, this thread will help to explain what they are where they came from.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...excursion.html

As far as the front suspension.......... You have tons of options depending on what exactly you are wanting end up with. Check out the Tech Folder at the top of the EX forum page for more info on suspension options.