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Are wheel spacers dangerous? (I've been reading for a while, still don't know)

J

Jackhill442

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Atlanta
I have a 96 Country with 215K. I have aftermarket 5 spoke wheels with rear discs. The calipers are so close to the wheels that they rub slightly every now and then. I would like to add 1" billet 6061 spacers to the rear wheels only, to get them away from the calipers and to have them stick out flush with the flares for a meaner stance. Are the spacers safe or not? There is alot of conflicting info on here, and seeing how disastrous a failure would be, I would like to know for sure before using them. I drive like a maniac on the highway, and I don't feel like dying because my aluminum spacers broke off. Also, I obviously do some moderate off roading, and the occasional leap several feet in the air at high speeds. Please provide any insight and experiences. Thank you!! (I already bought new wheels and I like them, I am not buying more, and I am certainly not going to swap in a wider axle).
 
The biggest problem with spacers is that they may make it hard to keep the lugs torqued to proper specs.
When they loosen up is when breakage occurs.
Even on a trail rig they may be iffy.
Just make sure to check the torques frequently.
 
New JP magazine page 78. Not that I believe everything they print, nor do I know anyone who actually runs them, but it's a good article.
 
why is it hard to keep the lugs properly torqued? which lugs come loose, the original lugs or the wheel to spacer lugs? Could I use lock-tite on the original lugs and still remove them periodically and reinstall?
 
I've always used a torque wrench, never a drop of lock-tite, and never a problem. I'd stick to a name brand with a good rep, such as Spidertrax, IMO.
 
i had a set of the "good ones" i locktighted them i torque them, one still came loose, and this was on the street on my way to work! know what happends next???.......if your lucky, you'll find where your tire, rim, and spacer went to.
 
Good advice on torquing them properly, I've run 1.25" billet aluminum wheel adapters to achieve a 4" BS for 6 years and NEVER had a single problem with them loosening between tire rotations. I haven't heard of any documented failures or faults caused by running properly installed billet wheel adapters. I personally don't believe that they are dangerous, as my wife hauled my kids around in the Jeep for years.....trust them with my most precious cargo. My Jeep is a daily driver with regular offroad trips, btw.

Stick with the ones made from 6061 alum. Performance Wheel is where I got mine, Spidertrax and other reputable shops sell them as well.
 
Last November, rock buggie, EIGHT lugs, spacers, 40"s.
Nuts came loose and broke four studs, ON THE WAY to the trail.

The run before that, the same buggie did the same thing on a trail run.

Too much torque from a vortec engine to the tires?
No problems before the spacers.

You be the judge.
 
I've heard they shoot out ball joints and are hard on much of the front end. No personal experience though, since my 1/4" ones barely even count as spacers.
 
If you get too much of a spacer in there it will put extra strain on the axle. Think of it as a wrench, is it easier to turn holding close to the socket or easier to turn holding it out towards the handle? The farther the center of the rim is from the axle, the more strain on the axle.

That being said, I personally have never heard or seen any problems with wheel spacers, and I imagine that if you torque them correctly there shouldn't be any problems.
 
Osprey413 said:
If you get too much of a spacer in there it will put extra strain on the axle. Think of it as a wrench, is it easier to turn holding close to the socket or easier to turn holding it out towards the handle? The farther the center of the rim is from the axle, the more strain on the axle.
Click to expand...

while this is true - different offset rims will do the same thing...
 
MJR has been running them on his woody for years without a problem. He wheels more than anyone I have ever met (what, 27 major trips in 2005?) and hasnt seen an issue. he's running 35" creepy crawlers on rubicon wheels with 1.25" spacers.

I think if you torque them right and check them from time to time, you wont have a problem.

-C
 
I have a 4.6L stroker and 33s and drive my XJ like its a sports car. I have the Spidertrax 1.5" spacers that change the bolt pattern to 5x5.5 on the rear and have never had an issue with them in 6 months I have had them with constant drag racing with the rear spooled as well as rock crawling. I purchased them used from a local guy who had them for a year with no problems as well. Make sure everything is clean when installing them, a drop of locktite, and a good torque wrench.

AARON
 
3/4 inch spacer on the front, here. No issues either. I check mine when other parts of my axle break and the wheels have to come off or during tire rotation.
 
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