A while back I ordered some 1.5" hub/wheel centric spacers for my 2011 F250 from Fred Goeske (at wheeladapter.com).

I’m just now installing these. I took the wheels off, then put the spacers on, and tightened them to the hub using the supplied nuts. When I go to put the wheel/tire on the spacer, I noticed that the wheel doesn’t go flush against the spacer itself; and the inner ring lip around the hub is about 1/8” or so away from the inner of the wheel. It seems the wheel is actually stopping and resting against the lugs from the hub that are sticking out past the spacer.

I’m able to put the factory lug nuts on the wheel/spacer and tighten them so that the end of the lug is at flush with the end of the lugnut.

Will this be a problem and be unsafe, or am I good to proceed?

Here are some pictures for reference.

 

Those are not flush, they are recessed.
Doesn't look good, to me.
It kinda looks like the spacer is sitting on the flange head of the axle bolts.

 

Just did the other side, same result, tightened them up, but yes the lugs of the spacers are a bit recessed within the factory lug nuts.

I took it for a drive down the road once all was tight; didn't seem adverse at this point; was thinking that since it wasn't flush on that center lip it may be a bit out of balance and hoppy; but it wasn't.

Do you think that the thread and torque on the spacer lugs w/ factory lugnuts would be enough to fully secure the wheel to the spacer?

The nuts to the hub lugs securing the spacer are for sure secure. The back of the spacer is flat and fully against the hub; just seems like the factory hub lugs are extending too far beyond the spacer for the wheel to fully seat against the spacer.

Do you think that the wheel being secured against the hub lugs vs. the flag surface of the spacer would present an issue?

Seems if I had gone with a 2" spacer this wouldn't be an issue at all.

 

Contact the maker and see what they suggest.
It just doesn't look right, or safe.

 

The wheel absolutely, positively MUST sit flat against the spacer! If necessary, you can trim the wheel studs a bit, but the wheel shouldn't touch the studs, much less be held out from the spacer by them.

BTW, I think Fred passed away last year, so contacting him is going to be problematic.

 

Tom,

What are your thoughts on cutting the studs? Seems if I do that, I'm possibly limiting myself to only use the spacers I have or anything that will match that spacing.

What would be the best way to trim those? Just a cut off wheel?

 

If you just cut them enough to clear, you should have enough stud left to safely reinstall the stock setup. Worst case, you have to replace the studs.

I installed a set of spacers once (not on my Super Duty) and had to cut the studs. I used a Sawzall and it worked great, but a cutoff wheel should work fine, too. Screw the lug nuts all the way on before cutting the studs. When you remove them, they'll help clean up the threads.

 

Okay, I may try that. I imagine sending these back and getting 2" spacers would be quite expensive.

 

Well, that took about an hour to do just one hub with sawzall and an 18 tpi and a 14 tpi metal blade. Cut them so that with the lugnut on, there was 1 1/8 of lug sticking out.

All fits flush, tight and nice now.

On to do the other 3 hubs!

 

i have done this is three trucks
cutting with a cut off wheel is much faster!!
trucks studs must not stick out past the adapter unless wheels have reliefs in them between the lug holes
if not spacing out the front 1 1/2 looks better than 2 inch

 

I haven't put the spacers on the front yet; only the rear.

Will tackle that tomorrow probably; will try and use a cutoff wheel.. either way, will need more sawzall blades!

I have 1.5" spacers for front and rear. Are you saying that 1.5" will look better than 2"; or are you suggesting 1.5" rear and no spacers on front?

Seeing the 1.5" it does seem to make the fender flares look a bit better; but I do wish I got 2".. the main reason I got the 1.5" was because ReadyLift said that with a 0 offset wheel I can run 37x12.5R20; didn't want new wheels.. so the 1.5" = the mm offset difference between factory.

 

That's much better. I don't remember it taking that long with the Sawzall, but it's been a while. And it was a 6-lug truck.

 

Finally got them all done. Ended up going through 8 metal blades on sawzall; Dewalt and Lenox.

Before

Before (Front-Side)

After

After (Front-Side)

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Before

Before (Front)

After

After (Front)

 

Looks good do you have any pictures from the rear?