Wheel Advice

[lockedlex]

I've been running the stock 5 spoke Limited wheels for my 00. But I'm over using spacers. I'd like to change to a 16" rim that has the proper offset for my 285/75R16 tires.

I will most likely replace the tires as well from BFG KO2 to the new KO3. I could I guess change the tire size as well at that time if there are no 16" wheel available, but I really don't think I want to go up in wheel size since I do offroad and overland.

I'd appreciate any recommendations for wheels that aren't crazy expensive (maybe 1k total?), have proper offset for these size tires and are 16" Thanks!

 

[Endlessblockades]

I can't help but I had the same thoughts. My old plasti-dipped factory star wheels were looking haggard and I was not confident in their strength anymore. I wanted to use the opportunity of badly needing new tires to lose the spacrers. After looking all over, I stuck with the spacers and went with Method Bead-Grips 701s (on their BF+Markdown, plus an order snafu* got me 5 at $179 each) in matte black. I just wasn't seeing wheels that seemed to tick the BS/OS measurement boxes I thought I needed in 16", and I didn't want to make a costly mistake based on my possibly flawed maths. I'm happy with my choice a year later.

 

[2TH4IST]

I too, have been looking to ditch the spacers, but alas I have not found one rim that has the correct offset to remove the spacers. They are either oem offset or just a hair deeper.

I'm looking at most of the method bead grip, and even some bead locks. But have decided going up 1 rim size to 17". More tire selections available.

 

[lockedlex]

oh darn, I can't believe it's this complicated, LOL. I just need (using the 285 I have now) like .5" farther in (so the tire sits farther out).

So that means everyone w/ wider tires and aftermarket rims are using spacers?

 

[lockedlex]

also the spacers I have now are driving me batty. They're only .5" (or maybe .75) but sometimes they're perfectly smooth and sometimes they get shaky. Go figure. The same roads surfaces do result in the same shake tho, so if I'm driving around the same parts of the highway, I just know it's going to come back.

everything is tight otherwise and if I take the spacers out, the truck drives smooooth as glass on all roads. Weird huh?

 

[phattyduck]

everything is tight otherwise and if I take the spacers out, the truck drives smooooth as glass on all roads. Weird huh?

Are the spacers hubcentric?

If you are planning on getting new wheels, maybe consider going up to 17's - there are so many OEM offroaders with 17's that there are now more wheel and tire choices in that size.

The 17" TRD wheels for the 5th gen 4Runners have 11mm less offset (pushed out) than the OEM wheels (3rd gen 16's or 5th gen 17's are both 15mm vs. 4mm for the TRD's).

I run 5th gen 17's, but they are the OEM 15mm offset wheels and only 265/70-17 size tires.

-Charlie

 

[mtbtim]

I had the same dilemma. I was running 2" spacers due to a rear outboard shock kit and wanted to ditch the spacers. I ended up going with a set of Method Bead Grip wheels with a -38 offset. The bead grip wheels are great for 4wheeling because you can run really low air pressure without breaking a bead. They are a nice alternative to bead locks.

If you find a set of Method wheels you like, we have a link in the video description you can use to Save 20% on your purchase.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RIm2dKFb18I?si=NzX2wNXYnaYh--0G" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[lockedlex]

Are the spacers hubcentric?

If you are planning on getting new wheels, maybe consider going up to 17's - there are so many OEM offroaders with 17's that there are now more wheel and tire choices in that size.

The 17" TRD wheels for the 5th gen 4Runners have 11mm less offset (pushed out) than the OEM wheels (3rd gen 16's or 5th gen 17's are both 15mm vs. 4mm for the TRD's).

I run 5th gen 17's, but they are the OEM 15mm offset wheels and only 265/70-17 size tires.

-Charlie

Yes, hub centric and from what I can tell between runouts and measurements, it's in perfect shape/balance. Also I'd imagine it'd be always shaky if it weren't.

Interesting, I wonder how they look, I think 11mm LESS offset would be just enough to clear and even more so if I were running 265s. It also seems if I downsized from my current 285/75/16 to 265/75/16, that it would also clear using the stock rims, esp. with the 2-3" Sonoran Steel lift I already have in place. It just seems like it's the width that's the gotcha.

But that would mean going from 33" down to 32ish". Maybe not the worse change, but I do like the meaty look of the 33s now.

I guess 17" rims aren't too bad either though, I don't mind that if that means it fixes all these issues once and for all and lets me run the 17" equiv of 285/75/16

 

[lockedlex]

I had the same dilemma. I was running 2" spacers due to a rear outboard shock kit and wanted to ditch the spacers. I ended up going with a set of Method Bead Grip wheels with a -38 offset. The bead grip wheels are great for 4wheeling because you can run really low air pressure without breaking a bead. They are a nice alternative to bead locks.

If you find a set of Method wheels you like, we have a link in the video description you can use to Save 20% on your purchase.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RIm2dKFb18I?si=NzX2wNXYnaYh--0G" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Thanks as usual Timmy! If I end up with Methods, I'll definitely reach out for the code. The bead grip concept is pretty cool too, never knew about them until now.

 

[phattyduck]

Yes, hub centric and from what I can tell between runouts and measurements, it's in perfect shape/balance. Also I'd imagine it'd be always shaky if it weren't.

Interesting, I wonder how they look, I think 11mm LESS offset would be just enough to clear and even more so if I were running 265s. It also seems if I downsized from my current 285/75/16 to 265/75/16, that it would also clear using the stock rims, esp. with the 2-3" Sonoran Steel lift I already have in place. It just seems like it's the width that's the gotcha.

But that would mean going from 33" down to 32ish". Maybe not the worse change, but I do like the meaty look of the 33s now.

I've had hubcentric issues in the past and it would come and go (a little wobble at speed) - but that was on cars, not the 4Runner.

Is your clearance issue with the knuckle/a-arms or the body?

-Charlie

 

[lockedlex]

It's the end/tip of the upper control arm. Rest of the suspension seems to clear otherwise.

 

[mtbtim]

Thanks as usual Timmy! If I end up with Methods, I'll definitely reach out for the code. The bead grip concept is pretty cool too, never knew about them until now.

No need to reach out to me for a code. In the video description you click on a link and fill out some information and Method sends you the 20% discount code.

 

[foresty7]

wow i will also like to change to 16 as well

 

[phattyduck]

also the spacers I have now are driving me batty. They're only .5" (or maybe .75) but sometimes they're perfectly smooth and sometimes they get shaky. Go figure. The same roads surfaces do result in the same shake tho, so if I'm driving around the same parts of the highway, I just know it's going to come back.

everything is tight otherwise and if I take the spacers out, the truck drives smooooth as glass on all roads. Weird huh?

This could still just be tires...

-Charlie

 

[lockedlex]

This could still just be tires...

-Charlie

except, when I remove the spacers, it's smooth as glass at all speeds and all highway surfaces. So I think the tires/rims are OK.

 

[lockedlex]

Just took off the spacers, it definitely looks more .5" tucked in now, but liveable. And the highway ride was back to super smooth, argh.

I've probably spent 300+ just on extended studs, open ended bolts, various spacers and so much time, just to go back having it glass smooth without anything.

I'm tempted to save my $$ for some other expense or mod and just go down to 265/70/16.

Can anyone with 265/70/16 snap a pic of the clearance on stock wheels to the upper control arms and how it looks on their truck (front and side)? I guess at the end of the day it's only an inch smaller, but my hope is that it will then easily clear the UCA, esp with my 2-3" lift.

 

[phattyduck]

265/70-16 is stock sized. I think you are looking for 265-75-16, which is +1 from OEM but still clears the arms, etc. with OEM wheels. Also clears the rear of the front fender well with no mods assuming the alignment is reasonable (high-ish caster).

-Charlie

 

[lockedlex]

265/70-16 is stock sized. I think you are looking for 265-75-16, which is +1 from OEM but still clears the arms, etc. with OEM wheels. Also clears the rear of the front fender well with no mods assuming the alignment is reasonable (high-ish caster).

-Charlie

Oh sorry, yes 265/75-16 is what I meant. Any pics of those would be great. I'm still debating.

My other concern is even if I upgraded rims to proper offset and went with the 285 I've got now (33"), I'd be so bummed if it's not smooth like it is now back to not using spacers.

 

[lockedlex]

OK, so how unsafe are non-hubcentric wheels spacers?

I decided to try 1.4" (6mm) wheel spacers, I do have extended studs on the front wheels, so I get tons of bite. I torqued everything down, went for a drive and for the first time, it's as smooth at highway speeds as not running spacers have been. Which is funny since i'd have expected something shaking, but I guess all my other hub centric ones were 1/2"-1" so maybe that's enough to magnify any issues.

I've done some prelim research and there seems to be several schools of thought, that spacers are always bad. That Hubcentric are fine. That regular spacers are bad since the wheel no longer sits on the hub (so to speak) and even that regular spacers are fine as long as there is enough stud for at least X amount of turns and that it's the friction between the wheel hub and spacer that supports the wheel and that the hub centric situation is only there for initial alignment before you torque it down.

Then people have said that there are many aftermarket wheels whose hubs are much bigger than stock hubs on trucks like the 4Runner and those never pose any issues since it's not the hub doing the "supporting" so if NOT "resting" on the hub would be an issue, we'd see all these aftermarket wheels failing.

What is everyone's thought on this?

 

[Endlessblockades]

"What will happen if you don't use hub-centric rings?
Hub-centric rings keep the wheel centered on the axle during installation. A wheel that is mounted slightly off-center will vibrate while driving. It is possible to center the wheel by following Proper Installation Technique . However, hub-centric rings make it easier to get right." - The Internetz.

That said, wheels that don't require spacers are marginally safer/better, but roughly 75% of the weekend warrior rigs that I happened to look at the wheels at @ King of the Hammers were running spacers, and 1.25" hub-centric units from Spidertrax or Bora are the go-to size for our rigs. At that width, they have their own wheel studs, of course. I have 5 years on a set (currently with method wheels, 255/85/16)