Wheel Spacers or 'Spaced Wheels'

This may be a slightly technoid question, if so please move it.R)

How strong are the spacers for between wheels and hubs? Like if I want the back wheels spaced out from the rear hubs so the distance between the rims is the same front and rear? I only ask, because some P.O. added what look to be coil spring mounts to the rear frame on my '60, which stick out far enough to really interfere with the tires on the stock rims I'm trying to install. The rims the 30x9.5x15's were on had most of the rim to the outside of the mounting surface and the stock ones don't. Ain't no wonder these wider tires and rims are so hard on the stock steering box! If the spacers are strong enough for mild off-roading I'll get a set so I can use the poor old beastie until I can get close to a cutting torch to remove the spring mount add-ons. (cut the bolts, and any welds).

 

Many differing opions on this. My take is that the expesive billet aircrafft grade ones are fine. I have been running a set on the rear of my CJ for a couple of years now with no problems. The problem is a set of these will set you back what a set of deep offset wheels will cost.

The cheap autozone cast aluminum ones are another thing all together.

 

I'm running spacers and just busted a rear hub. If you have the tapered D44s it would be a good idea to check the hubs and tourque the castle nuts to be on the safe side.

 

I put 2 inch high end billet spacers on mine.

I got less than 100 yards after locking in the front before I broke a u-joint on the outer axle. I continued in 2WD. A day later, but only a half dozen miles of wheeling, I broke the other side of the same diff when the backing plate broke off the knuckle.

And yes, I agree that the spacers alone likely didn't "cause" the failures, but I can't dismiss the idea that the added stress and strain they applied to shafts, bearings, seals, u-joints and everything in between likely hastened an already possible failure.

I needed at least an inch of clearance to keep the tires off the springs, and the inner metal in the rear. Got 2 inch spacers because if a little is good, more 'should' be better, and 2 inch was only $2.00 more than 1 inch or 1 1/2 inch.

Spacers are NOT in my future ever again.

On a related subject can anyone explain how a negative backspace on new wheels would have any different effect on putting too much stress and strain on bearings, seals, u-joints in the axles, or the shafts themselves?

Ken

 

On a related subject can anyone explain how a negative backspace on new wheels would have any different effect on putting too much stress and strain on bearings, seals, u-joints in the axles, or the shafts themselves?

Ken[/QUOTE]

I was asked the same thing the other day.
And I think it would amount to the same stress on the bearings ect.
It also adds something new to fail.

It really is just a bandaid for something that should have been setup better to began with.

But... we all have a bandaid or too somewhere on our jeep dont we.

The only good thing I see about the spacer is you could use them on one axle but still rotate all four tires as the rims would still be the same.

 

I run different offset wheels front and rear on black jeep. You wouldn't even notice it unless I told you.

One of the guys in our club ran the wheel spacers for quite a while with no issues. He had a YJ with a 350/700r4/300 setup so he was putting a lot of power to them with no issues.

 

I run 7/8" spacers on all 4 corners of my V8 YJ (355/700R4/NP231C), they have been there for 2 years now. Mine are the spidertrax style that bolt to the hub, then the wheel bolts to them. They are aircraft grade aluminum as well. I really liked my Gambler wheels but the back spacing was horrible and the rear 8.8 was already narrower then stock by about a half inch either side. then when I added 33's they would rub the wheel wells under flex, and the front would hit the springs lock to lock and did not want different wheels so I got spacers.

I have beat the hell out of them (jumped the jeep a few times at silver lake) not to mention the other trails they have been down. I have never had an issue with them. The thing that sucks is when you install them, afer 20-25 miles you have to pull your wheels off and retorque the spacer, then put the wheels on and run another 30 and retorque the wheels... it is a pain dealing with 40 lug nuts for the initial install, or if you have to do a bearing or seal change.

 

This is why I have them. I run a NT Dana 44 and a WT Dana 30. I use the spacers on the 44 to bring the width out to match the 30. I don't think I would ever run a spacer on a steering axle.

 

Guess I'll have to run up to Desert Rat and see if they have any.