Spacers and Tire Shop OMG!

[BCfish]

Sungod money must be no object for you obviously have you ever used spacers? Didn't think so...Wheel spacers when installed properly there are no problems. It's not like told day when they just cut a piece of stock drilled holes and called it a spacer..I'm sure with the amount of users on the forum that use spacers on their vehicles would be able voice if there are any problems. :snacker:

 

[Aquabear]

I have been lucky cause Goodyear in NY and Fl, Mavis tire and my local truck shop have all had no problem working with my wheel spacers. Find a different shop that is ok working with your spacers. These days most shops will price match OR BEAT to get your business.

My spacers have worked great. And I'm sure others will agree and others not. Hey if I was ok with getting new rims then great but since I'll scratch the s*** out of them like last week at Rausch Creek, I'd rather scratch up my stock rims so I'll use my Spider trax wheel spacers.

If you read certain individuals posts they have a bad habit of blasting mods people do on here. They have a negative way of saying things, whether they are correct or not.

 

[4RunnerB4]

Since the tires are here and paid for Im just going to load my stock rims w/tires and take them back. I know I have some trimming to do and when Im done I can sit back and enjoy my work. What a pain in the ass. Thanks Toyota!

My 2000 4Runner was sooooo easy to lift and add 285s.

 

[roadster-nh]

Regarding spacers (Spidertrax specifically)... this is an interesting post on one of the Jeep forums. I can't speak to the credibility etc., but interesting nonetheless.

Spidertrax Wheel Spacer Safety

 

[chayos00]

Regarding spacers (Spidertrax specifically)... this is an interesting post on one of the Jeep forums. I can't speak to the credibility etc., but interesting nonetheless.

Spidertrax Wheel Spacer Safety

That is some good analysis these guys did if what he says is true.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I would trust Spidertrax, mostly because they have and are still used and sponsoring professional Baja Trucks, Rock Crawlers, and other off-road vehicles. These teams don't need a wheel snapping off on a course, so I can assume that if they put the spacers on their vehicle, their built tough enough for us.

Now, other brands or styles of spacers I can't speak for. But at least Spidertrax has the pedigree and reputation to put your mind at ease about their product.

 

[Sungod]

Sungod money must be no object for you obviously have you ever used spacers? Didn't think so...Wheel spacers when installed properly there are no problems. It's not like told day when they just cut a piece of stock drilled holes and called it a spacer..I'm sure with the amount of users on the forum that use spacers on their vehicles would be able voice if there are any problems. :snacker:

Last I checked there was no price to put on safety. If you can't afford to pay, don't play. Would you jump out of a plane with a parachute that had added section of line put in it because someone was too cheap to get a new chute? It is not a question of if, but when you have problems. That is a risk that I don't see taking to save a few dollars.

It is like this. You will never have a problem with spacers if you don't use them. If you do use them you have introduced an unnecessary risk because you are cheap. I would even go farther and say ignorant because there are plenty of used wheels on the market that are probably close to what spacers cost.

I wouldn't say adapters are much better. They have their own inherent risks, but it is the same issue of introducing a point of failure that does not have to happen. Just because Mario Andretti runs Ethanol in his race car does not make it acceptable for a car that is driven on the road.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I agree with you SunGod on most of that, but these are really over engineered. I like the analysis that was posted, I don't know how good other spacers stack up. But if I am building a truck for off road use, I want to take ideas from what the professional teams are doing and apply them to what I want to do.

I support spidertrax, I've seen their product and they are made very well, as the engineering analysis showed, I would expect the wheels to fail before the spacers.

I understand your point on safety, I have seen many spacers that were just poorly made or not well engineered. I haven't heard a set of spidertrax failing on normal vehicles, let alone professional rigs, I void l coughs l could be mistaken, but that in its self says something.

 

[krupnation]

:nicethread:

Last I checked there was no price to put on safety. If you can't afford to pay, don't play. Would you jump out of a plane with a parachute that had added section of line put in it because someone was too cheap to get a new chute? It is not a question of if, but when you have problems. That is a risk that I don't see taking to save a few dollars.

It is like this. You will never have a problem with spacers if you don't use them. If you do use them you have introduced an unnecessary risk because you are cheap. I would even go farther and say ignorant because there are plenty of used wheels on the market that are probably close to what spacers cost.

I wouldn't say adapters are much better. They have their own inherent risks, but it is the same issue of introducing a point of failure that does not have to happen. Just because Mario Andretti runs Ethanol in his race car does not make it acceptable for a car that is driven on the road.

This is just your opinion, I say leave it be. If you don't want to run spacers then by all means don't. If some people want to, then they can, who bloody cares man. You have yet to prove to me that I'm going to die from running spacers so I'd consider you the ignorant one for even bringing up this discussion.

You would never have problems with CV angles if you didn't lift your truck...blah blah blah, yada yada. Whatever, we get it.
GOD! I love the internet! :zoom:

:toilet::toilet:

 

[4RunnerB4]

Ok, after reading these posts I feel I need to look into rims now. I agree these things are sold in handfuls. With that I would think if there were ANY serious incidents a lawsuit would ensue. Thus putting harse WARNING lables on these and not as many being sold.

Dont get me wrong. I think they are an add-on that a proper set of rims could avoid. So they are not 100% safe but not that dangerous.

If Im staying with a 17in rim. What backspace do I need to equal the stock rim with the 1.25 wheel spacer so I wont rub?

Still getting the 285s...............

 

[Sungod]

:nicethread:

This is just your opinion, I say leave it be. If you don't want to run spacers then by all means don't. If some people want to, then they can, who bloody cares man. You have yet to prove to me that I'm going to die from running spacers so I'd consider you the ignorant one for even bringing up this discussion.

You would never have problems with CV angles if you didn't lift your truck...blah blah blah, yada yada. Whatever, we get it.
GOD! I love the internet! :zoom:

:toilet::toilet:

There is a big difference between a ripped CV boot and seeing your tire go rolling past you at 80mph. You do realize that when you are running spacers that your wheels are riding on the studs and not the hub, right? Do you really think your studs were designed to support weight? I could go on, but it doesn't change the fact that spacers add risk that you won't have with properly fitting wheels.

 

[4RunnerB4]

UPDATE: I got the 285/70R17s home and installed them. I really anticipated doing more trimming than I did. I moved the front liners forward and trimmed the front corner of the fender flare and thats it. No rubbing anywhere. I removed the rear mudflaps, traced the fender flare outline to mudflap and cut it with a pair of scissors. Looks factory and covered the ugly hole. Did I say I Have NO rubbing?