Spidertrax wheel spacers are they really that much better?

whats all the hype about spidertrax? Its just a aluminum spacer we are talking about not a rear end gear or a motor or someting that can break easy if not manufactured to extreme quality specs. Its basicly a solid piece of T6 billet alu. with a 108mm hole in the middle and grade 8 lugs built in, and percision holes drilled by a computer. Why are spidertrax said to be so much better than everyone else when they use the same T6 alu? only difference in the ones im getting and spidertrax that IMO is mine are not anodized blue(which I dont want anyway) and I have to buy my own loctite. I know spidertrax was one of the first if not the first manufactures of wheel spacers for trucks/jeeps but are they really worth $100+ more than what you can get from another company? Or are you just paying the extra $$ to say you have spidertrax spacers? Please someone let me know if im missing something here....

 

Wondering the same thing

 

I believe they use better hardware (grade 8) or higher. Also the lugs are the correct lengths, you don't have to tap them out and get new ones. Also some companies claim a lug centric will be fine on a hub centric when they won't. Another thing, Spidertrax only doea 1.25". Other companies do 1", 1.5" and 2". Not sure about the one, but when you start going over 1.25 you get a lot of shake. And finally gentleman, you're paying for a name yes, but also a reputation and quality. I hope you have enjoyed this discussion

 

You'll run across fewer stories of Spidertrax failure. The difference isn't necessarily in the materials, it's in the reputation.

 

Wheel spacers are a bad approach to solving wheel positioning issues regardless.

Obviously if you were to use them, you'd want them to be manufactured to a high quality standard. I can tell you that T6 Aluminum isn't all the same. Heat treatment processes DRASTICALLY affect strength and ductility.

But don't use wheel spacers. Get new wheels with the correct backspacing and offset to solve your clearance issues.

 

I chose Spidertraxx because they had a good rep and I was wary of adding any spacers to begin with; might as well go with the ones with the best reputation.

IMO there's nothing wrong with adding spacers to a taco: light truck plus 33" or less tires...

 

ok like I said before, the spacers that I had made are with grade 8 lugs and were the same length as my stock. No difference IMO just paying a $100 extra dollars for that name.

 

this is true but who has an extra $1000 to throw out on new wheels? And do you have any evdience supporting the fact that spidertrax drastically heat treats their T6? If you do please post it in this thread. All T6 Alu is heat treated but I dont think there is any paperwork supporting spidertrax heat treating their spacers anymore than the next company. wheel spacers work fine IMO unless your going out and just mudding on a set of MT's. My truck in a DD that only sees off road when I go huntin so I think the spacers will be fine

 

I agree with you completely on the adding spacers. But I still think using spidertrax spaceres, your just paying for a name. I think they came out with them first and set a price of what they thought they should charge for spacers. Other companies started making the same spacers out of the same material and sold them for less but spidertrax never came down on their prices because they are advertised as the biggest and best company in spacers.

 

Cost is higher, but I'd rather save for a while than have a wheel spacer fail on me at some point. To my mind, this one of those take-longer-but-do-it-right situations.

Not at all, and never claimed they did...just that T6 Aluminum isn't the same all around, processes in forging and manufacturing can make big differences in the material's characteristics, including strength. Caveat emptor.

 

I'm not advocating either way but:
New wheels can be had for $500 - $600 for a set of 4. $1000 for new wheels are some pretty expensive wheels. Also, you can sell your stock wheels for around $300 probably. So, $200 for spacers all around or ($600 - $300 =) $300 for new wheels. It's really not that much more for new wheels.

I have spacers myself cause I just couldn't decide on new wheels I like. Eventually I will get new wheels but untill then, spacers work.

 

I dont know where your selling stock wheels for $300 but i want in on it! And for a good looking set of wheels for a 6 lug tacoma, your going to spend atleast $1000. This is not the point of this thread anyway, the point was wheres the evdience in black and white that spidertrax spacers are better than the rest.

 

I dont see a solid 1.25inch thick piece of T6 alu failing at any point and time but if it does, ill let everone know about it

 

x2

 

its not the spacer that fails its the fact that you have the weight of a vehicle resting on bolts that werent designed to have that kind of pressure.

 

so you got yours for free? I only paid $100 for the spidertrax when I had them..

true, its not the alum piece that fails, its the studs sticking through the alum that break

 

well I damn sure couldnt find them for $100. Anyways, so you guys are saying that the spacer itself wont break but the lugs will..... funny you should say that because I could have sworn eariler in this thread I noted that spidertrax had grade 8 lugs and the ones that I had my buddy make also has grade 8 lugs. Next im sure someone will chime in and say that not all grade 8 bolts/lugs are the same! lol the bottom line really is that spidertrax has a good rep for there spacers no doubt about it, but if you cant show me any PROOF that they are manufactured out of any different material or not by a cnc machine or use someting other than grade 8 lugs then you are strictly paying for the spidertrax name. And if that gives you a warm and fuzzy inside then thats really all that matters but what gives me a warm and fuzzy inside is knowing that I got the same product that everyone else is paying $200 for and I paid under $100! and BTW, the T6 my buddy used is aircraft alu. and the lugs he turned are also made of aircraft grade metal so I dont believe they will be failing anytime soon. If they do our military aircrafts are in serious danger! I found this topic to be a very interesting discussion though!

 

Just go get the other ones then. Why the hell do you need any of our input?

 

OK first off, there are several different types of "aircraft grade" aluminum... is it T6-6061? T6-7075?
"aircraft grade" is just a marketing term informercials like to throw around to make stuff sound impressive.
Second, not everyone has a buddy with a CNC machine... lets say you didn't. Wouldn't you want to pay for the ones that have the better reputation? Wouldn't that give you your warm and fuzzy feeling?

 

I think $200 for 4 is cheap; I can't make them and I'd gladly pay someone $200 to make them for me. I wasn't intentionally paying for the name, I was paying for the only spacer brand that hadn't been problematic for others.

As far as them being superior I doubt they are 'extra special', like you said it's just a chunk of aluminum with some studs in it and anodized blue in my case.

But i agree with your argument, if you can get the same quality for less then do it.