I need some advice. I want to widen my axles 1-1 1/2". I want to get 15x10 wheels and should I just get offset wheels or wheel spacers? If I go with offset wheels, how much offset do I need to get 1-1 1/2" wider? Any suggestions on where to get cheap black steel wheels?

 

get an IFS rear end then spacers for up front..

 

Track width vs. wheel width and back spacing/offset:
- http://www.4crawler.com/Diesel/Tires...ningTrackWidth

 

my black wheels are procomp 15x8s they were about 55 bucks a pop. check out the cragar soft 8s form summit racing i think there cheaper

 

get 15x10 wheels with the same backspacing as you already have and they'll be 2-3" wider.

stay away from spacers if you can... its just one more point of failure.

summit

Al

 

Here is my truck with 15 X 8, 3.5" BS who knows what brand black wagon wheels, the lower pictures show it with a 1.5" spacer if that gives you an idea.

Before spacers:

After 1.5" spacers:


spacers are not a necessity for me at this point. I have all the crap to convert to V6 Calipers, LC Rotors, Turbo Diaphragm and bigger MC-supposedly you need to run a spacer though I will find out when I get the junk on.

eventually I would like to convert these rims to a DIY bead lock which would had 1" or so width...

 

Maybe 15x10's with 4.75" Backspace will get me what I want. How much lift do you have? I have 33's and want 35's. I have a 3" lift and may need more to fit 35's. Maybe a 1" body lift?

 

You won't be able to fit 4.75" backspace on without spacers. 3.75" is about the max on a stock front axle or the steering arms will hit the inside of the wheel. Same in back the tires will rub on the frame with the stock (narrow) rear axle.

 

sounds like 1.5" spacers would be better. My back tires rub now and limit travel. Will 1.5" spacer bolt right on?

 

if you mean my truck, in that picture it had what I believe is a 3" lift, it has changed since than. Tires in the pic's are 33x12.50's.

The spacers will just bolt on, sorry I don't have a picture of the spacer mounts on just the hub, but this one might give you an idea of what they look like mounted ...

spacers have mixed opinions. A lot of people love them. I would recommend checking on them periodically. Especially after a wheeling trip.

 

Any ideas on where to get spacers at a decent price? Does National Tire and Wheel carry them, or maybe Marlin Crawler.

 

Many places carry them:
- Marlin Crawler, Trail Gear, AllPro Offroad, Performance Wheel

 

www.datinfab.com has wheel spacers for the cheapest I have found...

also are wheel spacers good on a DD

 

I've run various spacers ever since I got my '85 about 12 years ago, has been a DD for a number of those years. As long as you check the lug nuts (there will be 2 sets of them) periodically, the seem to be fine. To check the lugs, you will need to remove the wheel, torque the lug nuts on the spacer/adapter and then re-install the wheel and of course torque those nuts and re-check them after a little driving. So it is more work than no spacers.

 

good to know about the DD question. Mine is a DD as well. I've heard that wheel spacers can burn up wheel bearings. Any thoughts?

 

I've never worn out any wheel bearings in 10+ years on my '85. With routine maint. you should get many 100's of thousands out of a set. Maybe the spacers would drop you from say 300K to 200K miles on the wheel bearing life, but that is not a big deal.

 

1.5" wheel spacers on the way. I found them on ebay for $108 for a set of 4 with free shipping.

 

Put my spacer on today! I think my lugs need to be longer though. I can only get about 1/2" of threads on the lugs when I put the spacer on and I would like the lugs to be about 1/2" longer. Any ideas on where to get longer lugs. I think the stock ones are 44 mm long.

Before Spacers


After Spacers

 

Dorman 610-073 is 2-3/8" long or 610-144 is 2-7/8" long (these are 1/2" not 12mm).

 

Do your wheel spacers bolt on to the hub with supplied nuts or do they just slide over your existing lugnuts effectively shortening the usuable threads. If they slide on I would toss them in the trash. There will be too much stress on the lug nuts and I would be worried about losing a wheel. Constant re-torquing will be required. Only use a spacer that mounts to your hub (on your original lug studs) and holds your wheel to the spacer with is own set of lugnuts. That would mean 12 lugnuts per wheel. 6 holding the spacer to your hub and 6 holding your wheel to the spacer