wheel spacers - Page 2 - F-Body Online

RamAirThree · 09-14-2007, 10:14 AM

Hey I just stumbled on this thread and though my question is not f-body related we all usually have the same interests in other vehicles so maybe someone can help me out here. I always had a truck and usually a truck that was no push over. My last truck was a 1987 Silverado pickup with an 8ft bed 10" of lift and 40" TSL tires, she had a 5.7 fi Goodwrench motor mated to a Muncie 4-speed that pushed 4:11 Eaton Lockers just to give you an idea. Anyway I finally gave into the gas prices slaughtering me and last year got my hands on a 91 Jeep Wrangler Renegade with a (cough) 4.0 HO and a 5-speed with Dana 40 rears. I am all new to this Jeep thing and have enjoyed many things that came with it like easy parking and fitting almost anywhere my Harley could... lol. The gas mileage isn't as good as I expected but it a heck of alot better then my truck was but here is the problem, I need height and some performance, I am so bored after 60 mph. So I was going to do a coil suspension conversion which would have gave me 4" to 6" of added height, but after some feedback I came across I decided that it was to expensive right now to find out I am not happy so I am re-arching the leaves and adding one or two and taking my tire size from 30" to as close as 35" as I can get for a secure ride. Here is the thing, going up means I need to go out to keep some equal center of gravity, now I had decided not to go with BFG's because I just m not that happy anymore with them and wanted a ballon tire look. I was counting on using spacers and longer studs until I read this thread. I am sure I will not clear the tires without some enhancement so is there anyone experienced with this that can point me in the right direction? For the record I do off road and I am a harder rider, so thanks for the heads up saving me a costly experience.

Phate · 09-14-2007, 03:22 PM

Especially if you put alot of stress on them, its a terrible idea. On an off-road vehicle it isnt a terrible idea, its disasterous. Think about it this way, you are either adding another set of lugs that could be put on off-center, mis-tightened, stripped, or you will be making the threads of the stud shorter, giving you less grabbing area for the lugnut, and a higher chance of it stripping and losing a wheel.

Not to mention you have to take into account the fact that you are changing the weight distribution of the car. By spreading it like that, you are putting more stress on all of your suspension parts.

Im not sure any other way you can get your desired results without using them other than getting a wheel with a different backspacing, or just getting larger axles.

RamAirThree · 09-14-2007, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phate

Especially if you put alot of stress on them, its a terrible idea. On an off-road vehicle it isnt a terrible idea, its disasterous. Think about it this way, you are either adding another set of lugs that could be put on off-center, mis-tightened, stripped, or you will be making the threads of the stud shorter, giving you less grabbing area for the lugnut, and a higher chance of it stripping and losing a wheel.

Not to mention you have to take into account the fact that you are changing the weight distribution of the car. By spreading it like that, you are putting more stress on all of your suspension parts.

Im not sure any other way you can get your desired results without using them other than getting a wheel with a different backspacing, or just getting larger axles.

You mean a total swap of the rears then I take it for the width, I am guessing rims molded in the offset would not be much better due to the change in weight distribution so..... yet another hurdle I need to overcome. I was fearing this but it seems I will now need another suscription to some sought of Jeep magazine for ideas.

Hey man thank you,
~Lou

Phate · 09-14-2007, 08:03 PM

Of course man, anytime.

I'd much rather let you know now, than read a thread later hearing about the problems!

MarkuzLS1 · 09-14-2007, 08:40 PM

I ran Skulte 2" aluminum spacers for probably 20k miles back when I had my old '88. I had salad shooter wheels on it and the backspacing is 2" off on the 4th gen wheels. They did just fine for me.

Phate · 09-14-2007, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkuzLS1

I ran Skulte 2" aluminum spacers for probably 20k miles back when I had my old '88. I had salad shooter wheels on it and the backspacing is 2" off on the 4th gen wheels. They did just fine for me.

Dear god those are massive lol. But I think 3rd gens either take those or 1.5" to fit 4th gen wheels?

RamAirThree · 09-14-2007, 11:32 PM

Thanks Phate, that would have been a crappy thread to have to post. I see MarkuzLS1 says he used it on his car and a 2" no less but just the same I am now thinking the Jeep would be more stress with the leaf spring suspension bouncing around off road and on pot holes on these NY streets. I will research a little further. Maybe you are right and my answer would be to spend the labor and the money on the rear themselves.

Good Looking out man..... CHEERS!,
~Lou

Dragonsys · 11-30-2007, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phate

Dear god those are massive lol. But I think 3rd gens either take those or 1.5" to fit 4th gen wheels?

I run 2" to fit the 4th gen wheels. 1.5" will not give enough clearence.
2" is, pretty much, the minimun for running 4th gen wheels, most people go with 2.25"

strc09 · 02-20-2008, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkuzLS1

I ran Skulte 2" aluminum spacers for probably 20k miles back when I had my old '88. I had salad shooter wheels on it and the backspacing is 2" off on the 4th gen wheels. They did just fine for me.

This is what I'm going to be running in order to put the black ZR1 wheels I've been wanting on. There was a red Z28 at F-Body Week last year brought down by Blazin' High Performance that was running them. They looked pretty solid and I've got shots of him doing a pretty sweet burnout.

Dragonsys...now I have a good idea of what my car will look like with the black ZR1s.

Very nice look. What size rubber are you running?

MarkuzLS1 · 02-22-2008, 11:49 AM

You want to buy a used set? I'll cut you a pretty decent discount over what they'd cost you new from Skulte.