2000 XJ with 16" Icon Wheels and 265/75R16 tires. Spacers???

[xtenson]

Do I need backspacers with this set-up? Just got the rims. Buying the tires and want to know what size spacers may be required. I have 15" OEM wheels now with 31/10.5 tires on a 3.5" lift and I get some rubbing at lock to lock turn. Thoughts?

 

[GrimmJeeper]

just about any stock XJ/TJ/ZJ wheel is going to rub with a 10.50 or bigger tire on it, you could probably get away with a 1/2" or 1" spacer but be aware this moves the centerline of the weight of the vehicle away from where it was intended to be - you're going to wear front and rear wheel bearings faster than you would with properly offset aftermarket wheels.

 

[Talyn]

How will running a spacer wear the bearings more than an offset wheel that accomplishes the same thing?

 

[O-Gauge Steamer]

I am running P285/75R16 with 2" spacers. They still touch the lower control arm on the 4-link L.A. set up. Not by much though.

So, it will depend on your front suspension set up. IMO the only way to know, for sure, is to install the tires and check.

 

[GrimmJeeper]

How will running a spacer wear the bearings more than an offset wheel that accomplishes the same thing?

I've always heard that it moves the leverage point out away from the centerline of the bearing putting a load on it in a direction it wasn't designed for. I don't have any techincal data to back that up but it seems to be a pretty common thought that wheel spacers trash bearings.

 

[Talyn]

Using spacers puts the same leverage on the bearings a wheel would with the same offset.

 

[O-Gauge Steamer]

^^ At issue is the center line of the tire with respect to the wheel bearing center line.^^

The further you move the tire center off of the bearing pair center, the more load is placed on the outer bearing. Sort of makes sense if you think about it for a bit. The outer bearing is being asked to carry more of the loading.

So, there really is not any difference, to the bearings, whether the offset is by the wheel or by spacers. Spacers are, however, inherently unsafe. I fairly regularly torque the fasteners that hold them to the axle as a little paranoia is a good thing..

 

[GrimmJeeper]

Thanks for the explanation :cheers: