Using washers as wheel spacers
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Joined: Jan 2010
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Using washers as wheel spacers
i know this sounds like a rigged up deal but i want my tires to stick out just a little more but dont want to get actual wheel spacers because i do quite a bit of towing and i just dont trust them. and i just thought putting 2 washers behind the wheels on the studs would work or just a really bad idea.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,627
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From: West Valley Utah
B: Really bad idea!
Why do the tires have to move out 3/8"? What are you trying to accomplish? Anytime you move the wheel away from the axle/bearings, you change the amount of load on the wheel bearings. Also creating a stress point on the studs. Get wheels with the amount of offset you want the tire to stick out but personally I wouldn't even worry about it.
Why do the tires have to move out 3/8"? What are you trying to accomplish? Anytime you move the wheel away from the axle/bearings, you change the amount of load on the wheel bearings. Also creating a stress point on the studs. Get wheels with the amount of offset you want the tire to stick out but personally I wouldn't even worry about it.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 18,488
Likes: 22
From: The Big, Oregon
That's especially a bad idea on the SD because the lugs only hold the wheels on, the hub is what centers it. Move off that, and you'll have some serious damage unless you switch to a different style wheel and lug nut. If you do that, though, then just get the right wheels to do the job and don't risk loosing one.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: northern va
dont forget that wheel spacers change your steering geometry not good for on road or towing I did it once and it was ok at low speeds but higher speeds it over steered bad. Never again buy wheels for the wide tire look
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 910
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From: West-Central New York
Don't be afraid of properly built hubcentric spacers. They're more than fine for dually application in the rear. I run them on my truck and haul serious loads long distances at highway speeds. Plenty of other members here use them as well. No worries.
With a hubcentric design, if you push it out too far you fall off the hub as others have warned. Don't do that. You'll bounce your truck off the road.
That small of a change in track width won't affect your steering much more than switching to a wider tire.
I'd probably just start looking for a different backspace rim if you want them to stick out further. Keep in mind you'll end up wanting fender flares. When I installed my 3" spacers on the rear I ended up hitting my own hood with thrown rocks from a gravel road. Not to mention that when the front tires get pushed further out, the spray pattern directly hits your mirrors and front windows. Yeah, it's that obnoxious. Just things I've noticed on my own truck...
Oh, and I used 3 washers/lug as spacers in the rear with no ill affects for 2 years.
With a hubcentric design, if you push it out too far you fall off the hub as others have warned. Don't do that. You'll bounce your truck off the road.
That small of a change in track width won't affect your steering much more than switching to a wider tire.
I'd probably just start looking for a different backspace rim if you want them to stick out further. Keep in mind you'll end up wanting fender flares. When I installed my 3" spacers on the rear I ended up hitting my own hood with thrown rocks from a gravel road. Not to mention that when the front tires get pushed further out, the spray pattern directly hits your mirrors and front windows. Yeah, it's that obnoxious. Just things I've noticed on my own truck...
Oh, and I used 3 washers/lug as spacers in the rear with no ill affects for 2 years.
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mnm99
1978 - 1996 Big Bronco
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Apr 13, 2003 07:39 AM
