Wheel spacer controversy???

Why is there so many different opinions on wheel spacers? I understand with cheap spacers you get what you pay for. But, I'm looking into buying spidertrax 1.25" for my '18 TRD Sport. I read so many different things, it makes my head spin. Why do some people have absolutely no problems, and others have wheel bearing problems, etc? Is it driving style, driving conditions? Are people that have bearing problems spend more time offroad? Can anyone help clarify.

 

People are haters. Spacers are fine as long as you get good ones (hub centric). Spidertrax are top tier.

 

It also depends on the wheels you’re pairing them with. 1.25” spacers on 5” backspacing wheels won’t do much of anything to your wheel bearings, but 1.25” spacers on 3.5” backspacing wheels is putting a lot of stress on there

 

This is how it starts

Dave said so

 

1.25" spacers with stock wheels.

 

Its one of those things that get blown way out of proportion. The claimed effects on your wheels/hub/suspension are probably true, but minimal to the point that real world, functionally, doesn't actually affect anything. Everything is still within the trucks engineering tolerances.

This is also true though.

 

Don’t worry about your wheel bearings

 

Adding spacers somewhat changes the load on the bearings and suspension components -- moving the wheel further out gives it more leverage. Add in bigger, heavier tires, and the issue is compounded. It's just a scientific fact that all other things being equal, you will wear out bearings faster. Maybe not a lot faster, and I personally wouldn't be too worried about it. I would guess that driving style and conditions probably play into it just as much.

 

Could get interesting.....

 

A lot of people don't like them because they add 4 additional critical failure points to your vehicle. All that for the sake of appearance? Whatever floats your boat.

 

IBTL

 

Stress on wheel bearings will be higher, but about the same as running TRD SEMA wheels which are 4mm offset.

Bearing life on our trucks is pretty short to begin with. It may shorten from 80k without spacers to 60k with spacers, if you care.

Spidertrax prohibits the use of impact wrenches on lugnuts. Something to keep in mind if you EVER plan to take your truck to a shop for any work.

 

I have spacers right now on my stock wheels. The truck does look way better to me personally. I will not off road with them however, it just bugs me. The mod bug bit me so I’m lifting it already (only 1k on the spacers) and getting new wheels. From an engineering standpoint, I can’t imagine the stock wheels with spidertrax spacers is harder on my truck than the new fuel wheels I’m getting in -12 offset, especially with the larger tires with better grip and more rotating mass.

Let’s hear it...I have my flame suit on. lol

 

What size lift are you putting? Can you post a pic of your truck with the spacers? I'd like to see how they look.

 

I’m doing a 3” lift or whatever it settles too.
I added a camper shell and it looked a little like an old man truck to me so I added the spacers to help out with that.

 

Here’s one showing the side a little better.

 

Both pics look really good.

 

Thank you

 

Please see my responses below.

Spidertrax and Bora are well made, properly designed spacers which if installed correctly will never give you problems.

I also install my wheels while having the spacers on using impact guns when I do my rotations, tire replacements, or any sort of mechanical work which requires I remove the wheels.

Stress? Where does this kind of nonsense of misinformation come from?

I run 2" thick hub centric/ lug centric Bora wheel spacers with 4.5" BS rims on a permanent basis. I have run the ever loving piss out of my truck off road, jumped it with them on, (check the signature picture) just hit 100K, and my wheel bearings have shown no sign of giving up the ghost any sooner than any other truck which runs a stock setup has.

If you want to stress out your wheel bearings and your tranny and a whole lot of other suspension related items, run 35's.