Wheel Spacers are bad but wider tires aren't?

Anybody up for a manual trans vs. auto trans thread ?

 

unclear on my part. of course it increases the moment over stock. however the increased moment from a wheel with an inch less backspacing or a 1 inch wheel spacer are the same.

agreed

 

manual
/thread

 

This, except this truck... because the manual is 100% epic fail on this truck.

 

sounds like a second gen problem to me...

 

Yup. I love real manuals, like a solid T-56

 

Yes (check my pics) but it was a 5mm (~0.200") spacer, not spidertrax. Read the link I posted and you'll have everything you need to know there to run the wheels you want. I even posted where to buy the spacers, lug nuts, etc...

correct..... BUT you'd rub like hell! The further you push out the wheel from the hub, the more the tires move forward and backward when you turn the steering wheel. A 5mm spacer is all you'll need to clear the caliper and will cause less rubbing... MUCH LESS RUBBING... than a 1.5" or 2" spacer.

With a 5mm spacer I had to cut my cab mounts, trim some plastic, get an off road bumper and move the LOWER CONTROL ARM as far forward (towards the front bumper) as possible (~1.0" over stock - this gave me a longer wheel base), I bought LR UCA's due to the ability to adjust caster more than any other UCA advertised and THEN was able to get full clearance at full stuff with the wheels turned - NO RUBBING! My alignment is dead to rights on caster, camber and toe. All of this is required to run the wheels you want. Good Luck!

 

ok i have read all the posts and i am still curious....
i have a 2005 Taco and am having a 6" Fabtech performance lift installed with 35x12.5x17R with 17x9 wheels having a +18 offset and 5.75" backspacing, i know its alot so i was planning on buying the spidertrax 1.25" wheel spacers, do you guys know if i will have to do alot of trimming, i am also installing so Bushwacker extended fender flares

 

it's simple physics. get in a normal pushup position. then put your hands out wider. which is harder to hold? the wider one.

 

35's usually warrant a cab mount chop. I didn't see an aftermarket bumper, but perhaps with the flares you don't need it? Not sure.

 

stock bumper, brush guard only, i will not be doing any hard off roading

 

This is false and is the source of your misunderstanding.

The tire is always centered on the rim, and it is from that center point that offset is measured.

In fact, this is why spacers, or wheel with increased negative offset, is necessary as wider tires are fitted.

 

Probably you'll have to trim. The bushwackers won't help clearance matters at all. They just provide a little (and I emphasize "little!") extra tire coverage.

 

35's and not offroading... k.

But with the stock bumper on 35's, you're definitely going to have to trim.

 

Meh, the tires will trim the plastic just fine on their own

 

So you're saying an equivalent wheel offset does not change the loading on the wheel bearings as does a spacer?

 

what would be the widest wheel spacer you can use and still be considered "safe"? Im thinking about getting 2inch spacers for the front.

 

doesn't adding a wheel spacer do the same exact thing as adding a wheel with more backspacing? the wheel sticks out farther either way?

 

Spacers just add additional complexity. For example, if you take it into a tire shop and they use a impact tool - the lugs on the spacers could get loosened, so they recommend no power tools once you have spacers on.

Also, lug-centric spacers seem particularly problematic because they basically shorten the studs. Hub-centric seem to be the way to go...