RE: People with wheel spacers
 

I've run lugcentric wheel spacers for 5 years. Currently, i have 2" on the rear, and 1.25" on the front. This is with 33x12.50 BFG KM's. I haven't had a single problem with them. I wouldn't bother with neverseize or locktite on them. You need to be checking the torque fairly often anyways, so there's really no point in it.

I wouldn't hesistate to run spacers on my vehicle. They're perfectly safe, as long as you properly torque them.

RE: People with wheel spacers
 

Do you remember who makes or where to get the ones you have Jigg? I want to put either 2" or 2.5" on the back of my blazer and was wanting ones that were hub centric of both faces of the spacer. I guess lugcentric would be fine as well.

RE: People with wheel spacers
 

And that statement right there is where 99.9% of the problems come from. Its a crap shoot.

I'll say what I said the last time this topic came up (yeah, run a search, its been discussed before). The loads on the bearings WILL increase. I wouldn't worry about the rear end at all. The issues arise on the front wheel bearings. Using good parts, you may never have a problem. Worn OEM parts, "are you feeling lucky" should run through your head.

Many have run spacers without problem. Just because Justin has run them wheeling for 5+ years doesn't mean the next person hasn't had problems and that those problems are any less valid. I know of quite a few people that have had problems with either lugs snapping on lug centric spacers or with wheel bearings going out. These have been full size Chevy trucks, but the design is quite similar, if not heavier. However, I do not know what kind of maintenance was performed on these trucks.

If it were my truck, I would go with hub centric spacers at the least.

Bottom line is maintenance. You have to check the torque on a regular basis. Too tight or too loose and you run the risk of busting a lug, possibly loosing the wheel.

RE: People with wheel spacers
 

Yeah, without a doubt, the spacers put more stress on your front end. They're the same as getting wheels with less backspacing. As to lugs snapping and wheels falling off, that's an installer issue, and not the fault of the spacer. I've seen it happen to people with stock rims and no spacers (more often than people with spacers, actually). The lug nuts are corroded or overtorqued, and they snap. Once one goes, the others are more prone to snapping because of the increased force on each lug nut.

I've bought my spacers from cjbargains and completevalue on ebay, both are great to deal with. I've run like 5 different sets of wheel spacers in different combinations on my two blazers. I check the torque all the time, as i'm constantly doing maitenence or switching/rotating the wheels/tires.

RE: People with wheel spacers
 

Most of those spacers seem to be running grade 5 zinc plated studs...

Anyone ever stick grade 8 or stock studs into them?

RE: People with wheel spacers
 

The ones I bought claim to be grade 8's.

RE: People with wheel spacers
 

And this is why on a sealed bearing setup on a 2wd its not good to use adpaters or spacers!!!! I had my lugs snap clear off within a month of having them on, yes they were torqued properly and checked once a week!!!

RE: People with wheel spacers
 

Isn't the 4WD just as sealed?

Maybe you just got a bad spacer...

Ahhh well, you kept the shiny side up, that's all that matters!

RE: People with wheel spacers
 

Ever see a rotor after it slide on concrete from 65mph to a dead stop?
Imagine 1/3 of it gone up in sparks.
your fender will be pushed back into your firewall and hte loud bang was your tire as it decided it didn't want to play any more.
Something like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y7g5BJMrjo

Or something like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyMDN...eature=related

I am not saying why the tires fell off, just a visual for possible outcomes when they do fall off.

and how far will a wheel/tire go after it comes off?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_TTE...eature=related

Just fuel for thought.

Tehn again you could get lucky and mkae a perfect landing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTjiv...eature=related

RE: People with wheel spacers
 

I'll vouch for that one. I've had my 4.5' BS rims on for about 5k miles and I've started to develop a groan in the power steering system. Checking fluid level and for leaks momentarily, but I'm sure it's a result of the wider stance rims.

How much does a new pump run anyway :D.

In the mean time, Royal Purple, here I come..