I've heard that wheel spacers can be extranneous stress on the balljoints of a vehicle, are these a bad idea? Originally, I wanted to buy a wider wheel so my tires would stick out a little more, but I think it's going to be awhile until I can afford rims to achieve that offset. So I will be using my offroad edition wheels in the meantime. If I bought a wheel spacer for a "5x5.5" bolt pattern, what thickness should I be looking for if I'd like to achieve a slight increase in the way the tires stick out? Beyond that, is it ok to mess with spacers, or are these a bad idea?

 

I don't think a spacer puts anymore stress on the bearings and hubs then a wheel with less backspacing. Both move the tire out and therefore add that additional stress. The main problem with spacers is that they have a reputation of failing, causing bad things to happen, like your tires falling off. I don't think I would trust a spacer on a full size truck application. The forces and weight involved are much greater then what you see on smaller cars where spacers might be fine. If you wheel your truck at all, I definitely wouldn't do it. Just my 2 cents.

 

I don't know I've heard enough bad about them too that I'm not sure I'd do it either. I don't know if I've ever seen anyone say theirs failed but I don't know many that run them either. As for putting stress on ball joints and hubs and stuff yes they will but so do wheels with a lower backspacing. The more they stick out the worse it is on that stuff.

 

With that said, I'm not so sure I'm crazy about that. I often tow with this truck, and use it for work. Thanks for the information.

Now hypothetically, I were to add a spacer, or get a wheel with a greater offset, should I buy longer studs for the lug nuts to go over? Wouldn't adding a spacer or a bigger offset wheel lessen the amount of thread the bolts can screw onto?

 

Spacers are never fine. Spacers are the NR way to accomplish something. A majority of spacers are not hub-centric (nor do they allow the wheel to be centered on the hub, or in this case the spacer, either.) This causes play in the wheel as it is mounted, this helps lead to failure. You can get a hub centric ring, but I believe (and I am not the only one) that they cause more problems than they solve. The other thing that leads to failure is that you will more than likely be using the same length studs and will therefor have less threads to hold onto, another area for failure. Do not get them especially for something as fickle as aesthetics.

 

Point taken. Thank You.

 

Spacers can be good or bad. When you use a spacer on a wheel with a factory offset, it pushes the center of the tire tread (where the vehicle weight is supported) away form the center of the balljoints and wheel bearings. This is a problem because steering sytems are designed to hold the weight exactly center on the balljoints and bearings. This multiplies the weight and adds leverage on the bearings and affects the steering. If you can imagine a factory setup, the center of the tire is centered on the steeing axis, when you turn the wheels they are pivoting on the center of the tire. Now if you were to move the tire centerline toward the outside of the steering axis, when you turn the wheel you will drag the tire and it will accually roll along the outside the axis as the knuckle turns.
I|have spacers on my Camaro. i agree that they arent the best if given a choice, but i use them because I use 1998 Corvette wheels on my 1987 Camaro which have a 2" offset difference. you may say thats a lot and it is, but when you get to spacers that big, they are a bolt-on design, where you bolt the spacers onto your hub with the factory lugs and the spacer has new studs that the wheel goes onto. This works because my car is a POS, it just goes kinda fast, lol. I wouldnt recommend using spacers on a daily driver unless they are under 1/4".

 

So both spacers and wide wheels will adversely effect ball joints?

 

it depends where the centerline of the tire is. the further its is to the outside of the steering axis, the more wear will occur

 

Nope, not at all. The mounting surface would basically be the same as any other wheel, it is just located farther toward the inside of the wheel (less backspacing), which makes the wheel stick out farther.

As far as spacers mount I am not real sure... don't know much about them.

I am in the same boat as you. I wish my off road wheels stuck out a smidge farther... just like an inch or less.