The Rodding Roundtable

Motorhead Message Central => Rodder's Roundtable => Topic started by: jaybee on March 27, 2025, 09:27:43 PM

Title: Wheel spacers, yea or nay?
Post by: jaybee on March 27, 2025, 09:27:43 PM
Given a good quality, hub-centric spacer, would you consider using wheel spacers behind modern, high back spacing wheels? Have you done it in the past? To be clear, I'm not talking about abusing the wheel bearings, but something like a 1" spacer to make up for an extra 24-26mm of "extra" backspacing. That keeps the tire roughly centered over the bearings as it should be, doesn't blow the scrub radius out of balance, etc.

Benefits would be the ability to use a more modern looking wheel, as late models aren't compatible with the deep dish wheels of the '70s.
Title: Re: Wheel spacers, yea or nay?
Post by: kb426 on March 28, 2025, 07:17:13 AM
I used spacers on the rear of the 72 F100 to make up for lack of tread width. No issues that I was aware of.
Title: Re: Wheel spacers, yea or nay?
Post by: Crosley.In.AZ on March 28, 2025, 08:01:41 AM
Only item I have seen done improperly IMHO with spacers is not enough thread into the lug nutz.  I like to see the stud long enough to to fully engage the lug nut

 :idea:
Title: Re: Wheel spacers, yea or nay?
Post by: chimp koose on March 28, 2025, 04:31:39 PM
Hub centered is the way to go . If they locate off the studs only that would be asking a lot of a stud .
Title: Re: Wheel spacers, yea or nay?
Post by: jaybee on March 28, 2025, 07:58:44 PM
Thanks. All good points. I think even with wheels that have oversized center bores it's a good idea to use hub centric rings to make them index off the hub.
Title: Re: Wheel spacers, yea or nay?
Post by: kb426 on March 28, 2025, 09:39:20 PM
I made hub centric rings because of mismatched wheels and spacers. I tried without and the runout was too much. Every time to would bolt the wheel back on, it was different.