Wheel Spacers: how much can they damage hubs, etc?

I am looking to put Maxtrac spindles on my 2WD and love the stock Texas Edition 17" rims it came with.
I have been informed that I can put wheel spacers on to give the required backspacing. However, I have read some posts on TW saying they are bad and a local shop which focuses on lifts says they can't install them because their insurance won't cover the work.

What say you??

 

I am not an expert. I'm have been wanting to add spacers to my truck as well. You are how to hear many good examples of why to and why not too. From what I see, they are no different than getting a larger rim with a different offset. Just what I have come to think but I am not an expert. Good Luck.

 

Thanks REDdawn6. I was beginning to wonder if anyone would ever respond to this thread. LOL

 

Reddawn6 answered it right. There are so many people who run them and take their truck out wheeling under some intense conditions. Their longevity is great given you buy a high quality billet aluminum one as well as longevity of the stock rotating mass does not affect it any more less then if you were to buy a rim of the same offset.

 

Got 50k miles on my spidetrax and I offroad a lot! I have changed both my wheel bearings but that seems to be a common prob with and without spacers

 

Do you run spacers?
Are these the right quality you speak of?
http://www.spidertrax.com/Toyota-Hub-Centric-Spacer?sc=2&category=9982

 

Thanks for your personal experience with the Spidertrax. That is what I was considering. My concern started when the local shop that is specific for truck lifts told me that they wouldn't put my lift on with wheel spacers because their "insurance wouldn't cover it" and that it can be very dangerous. So I am trying to find out as much as I can about them.
Mind you, I am pretty new to trucks in general and am in the medical field. I am no mechanic, but I want to learn what I need to for my taco sake.

 

I have been running 1.5 spidertrax. . No issues and I wheel my truck almost every weekend.

 

Spidertrax only offers the largest spacing of 1.5". I run a Bora 2" spacer on the front. Still made of billet aluminum, but these are black instead of blue. They are built to order however.

 

Your shop is full of crap, or just living in fear by trying to protect themselves from getting sued by every tom, dick, and harry. Standard spacers are a huge no no because they are essentially large washers that allow for less thread engagement of the lug nuts. These are a different sort of "spacer." These are both centric in lug and hub portions and essentially rely on both and create a new hub face for the wheel to rest on. They are secured using all 6 lugs and use 6 all new studs that come out of it to allow you to secure the wheel on. Hope this explanation helps.

Put it to you this way. The picture on my signature, was done while I had wheel spacers on. And I did stuff like that a lot that weekend. Drove the vehicle home no problem. Never touched the wheels.

 

Thanks man, this is great info. Exactly what I was hoping for with this thread.

 

Yes.
Hub centric> lug centric
Don't go past anything more than 1.5" they'll leave more room for failure between the hub and wheel.

Daily driver, wheel every now and then and no problems at all
Plus they helped clear my wheels

Edit: also discount tire has worked on my truck even though I have spacers, just got new tires last month.

 

The use of thread locker is subjective. However, that is a different debate for a different thread. Let's let the OP decide onwhether or not he wants to get some in the first place before we anticipate here.

 

Is it bad to run them in just the front?

 

if you do get spacers make sure they extend the thread and not just a basic washer like stated. Im running the spidertrax with no problem.

 

I run fronts only. If anything it gives the vehicle better road handling manners by keeping the front end with a smaller track width then the front.

Speaking of which, I have a set of 1" Bora spacers just sitting in my garage, I intended to put them in the rear end, but never did. I kind of like the current stance it has now so I might just keep it that way.

 

I suppose some 1.25's are in my near future

 

Kind of a bad picture, but here it is so you can see it. Securely mounted to the hub, studs mounted within the assembly to ensure a solid mount to the wheel.

 

I am really considering putting the spacers on. Probably only about 1" because with my rims I have 4.96" BS and need a minimum of 4.75" so I am very close before the spacers.

Would ya'll mind explaining the "thread locker"?

 

Loctite is applied to the threads of the lugs, it's like glue. It makes it that much harder for the spacer to come off which is what you want. Otherwise say bye to your wheels on the highway.