Why are wheel spacers needed on the front axle when doing a SAS?
Is it for fender rubbing or caliper clearence? Do all companies include spacers, or do you need to measure backspacing to see what thickness spacer you need?

Thanks on any info...

 

The most common sfa to use is the pre '86 axle. Which is not as wide as the rear axle on the ifs trucks, hence the need for the wheel spacers.

Someone correct me if I am wrong but I think if you use the sfa out of an fj80 then it is the same length as the rear axle. Eliminating your needs for the wheel spacer. Of course it is much harder to find and more expensive if you do find one.

 

Matching the rear IFS axle width and so you can run larger calipers and to keep big meats off the springs.

 

Don't necessarily need spacers. But some reasons to use them, as mentioned above is to match the rear axle width (IFS rear is 3" wider than a solid front axle). Or if you want to re-use your stock wheels, they have too much backspacing to clear the calipers and steering arms on the solid front axle. Other options are to run a wide-vented brake kit up front, gets the wider track up front with the spacers part of the wide-vented rotor kit.

 

The wheels will hit the calipers when you try to put them on without wheel spacers.

 

thanks everybody!

 

I did my SAS and haven't installed front wheel spacers. I'm using vented rotors and IFS calipers without any clearance issues. My wheels are aftermarket. I can't see the width difference front and rear unless I take out a tape measure.

 

Are you using the ifs hubs?

 

Be sure to check out Skye Manufacturing widening kit. It is alot better set up than spacers and you can use your IFS hubs with it.