Jimmy Two-Jacks Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Hi Just got some 265/75s on my 90 and they stick out a bit too far and maybe illegal and do look a bit silly, like something from a Mad-Max movie . The question is keep the 30mm wheel spacers and get bigger arches or loose the spacers and keep the standard arches. Anyone got any views that might help? Cheers J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutz Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Loose the spacers, i guess you needed them at one point. But if your wheels are now at the same offset as you had been with the spacers do you need them? I have 235/85r16 on 8 spokes and although a thin tyre, they go to the edge of the eyebrow, i have a set of spacers i was going to fit but dont actually need them now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialbikejames Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Without spacers 265/75's don't stick out more than a few mm (depending on rim offset). So ditch the silly spacers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Get rid of the spacers -no doubt about it. They make the steering heavier and more vague, make the vehicle follow tarmac ruts (eg. motorway first lanes) and road camber much more strongly, increase pull from a deflated tyre or uneven braking and greatly increase wear in steering rod ends, steering boxes, swivel pins, wheel bearings and stub axles. They are the spawn of Satan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 What exactly are the spacers doing in the first place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Two-Jacks Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 What exactly are the spacers doing in the first place? Well I though that because I have lifted her by 2" I would need to increase the track to preserve stability...or something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialbikejames Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Get them off the truck and onto ebay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Two-Jacks Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 Thanks all for the words of wisdom I can see the error of my ways now off they come and eBay here they come. Cheers J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Drumstick Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Get rid of the spacers -no doubt about it. They make the steering heavier and more vague, make the vehicle follow tarmac ruts (eg. motorway first lanes) and road camber much more strongly, increase pull from a deflated tyre or uneven braking and greatly increase wear in steering rod ends, steering boxes, swivel pins, wheel bearings and stub axles. They are the spawn of Satan! So how exactly does a wider off set rim not do this??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 So how exactly does a wider off set rim not do this??? A wider rim witht he same offset as a LR rim won't, but rims (even the same width) with different offsets do. Oh, how my 109 has taught me that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danebrewer Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 AFAIK, it'd only be illegal, if you can see the actual tread of the tire past the eyebrow, sidewall is OK I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Two-Jacks Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 Ahem.....This is illegal then... It looks like a combine harvester!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Drumstick Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 A wider rim witht he same offset as a LR rim won't, but rims (even the same width) with different offsets do. Oh, how my 109 has taught me that... But that's exactly my point. Some/too many shun spacers as the deveils work, but would happily run a more heaviliy offset rim moving the wheels centre line to same position in blissful ignorance that the end result has been the same.Some RTC/CCV trails people I know will even cut the wheel centre out of a rim and re-weld it in so as to produce more backspace clearance. Yet this same people will still then harp on about wheel spacers on standard rims being dangerous and wearing out wheel bearings.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 But that's exactly my point. Some/too many shun spacers as the deveils work, but would happily run a more heaviliy offset rim moving the wheels centre line to same position in blissful ignorance that the end result has been the same. Some RTC/CCV trails people I know will even cut the wheel centre out of a rim and re-weld it in so as to produce more backspace clearance. Yet this same people will still then harp on about wheel spacers on standard rims being dangerous and wearing out wheel bearings.... My shunning of them was tongue in cheeck, but the effects I mention are real enough. It's down to the owner to decide if they're happy witht he worsened handling and feel and the mildly increased maintenance frequency. My wheels are offset, and I'll be getting rid of them once I have fitted Defender axles to the 109. I have had those rims for 18 years, bought well before I understood about all these issues.There is one difference between using spacers and using offset rims - the spacers' nuts have a tendency to loosen behind the wheel boss, and while they can't come off, they can lead to wheel wobble and stud damage. This means that the wheels should be frequently removed to check the spacer nuts are tight. Thread lock doesn't seem to help much in my experience and from what I have heard from others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Drumstick Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 My shunning of them was tongue in cheeck, but the effects I mention are real enough. It's down to the owner to decide if they're happy witht he worsened handling and feel and the mildly increased maintenance frequency. My wheels are offset, and I'll be getting rid of them once I have fitted Defender axles to the 109. I have had those rims for 18 years, bought well before I understood about all these issues. There is one difference between using spacers and using offset rims - the spacers' nuts have a tendency to loosen behind the wheel boss, and while they can't come off, they can lead to wheel wobble and stud damage. This means that the wheels should be frequently removed to check the spacer nuts are tight. Thread lock doesn't seem to help much in my experience and from what I have heard from others. The wheel nuts should be no more prone to coming lose than the ones holding the wheel on??? Certainly sounds odd to me. I've had spacers fitted on and off since 2004/5 and never has a single nut been lose on removing the road wheel. Not sure I agree with the handling comments either. A wider track will be more stable, less nimble and less darty, but improved high speed cornering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrfarmer Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 But that's exactly my point. Some/too many shun spacers as the deveils work, but would happily run a more heaviliy offset rim moving the wheels centre line to same position in blissful ignorance that the end result has been the same. Some RTV/CCV trails people I know will even cut the wheel centre out of a rim and re-weld it in so as to produce more backspace clearance. Yet this same people will still then harp on about wheel spacers on standard rims being dangerous and wearing out wheel bearings.... i've done it to tractor wheels and would do it to ccver wheels, but wouldn't want to on any road car as i'd worry about balancing the rim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KKMobile Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 The wheel nuts should be no more prone to coming lose than the ones holding the wheel on??? Certainly sounds odd to me. I've had spacers fitted on and off since 2004/5 and never has a single nut been lose on removing the road wheel. Not sure I agree with the handling comments either. A wider track will be more stable, less nimble and less darty, but improved high speed cornering. Must say my 2 pence worth!! I'd agree with the above! Never had any issue's with bolts coming loose since fitting my spacers & i check them regular. Been comping with them for years never had issues. I'm running 285/75r16 insa special tracks on Mach 5's with spacers to give clearance on hockey stick's. Changed my arches for 6inch QT looking ones! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillis Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 I Know a mate that had spacers on his hilux,, coming back from wales on a corner, one of his front wheels when flying in front of him, to say the least he said he had brown pants!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Well, I correctly torqued up the nuts on the spacers and they would all come loose over a couple of hundred miles; about a 30 degree tweak was needed each time. I have heard the same experience from several other people, though they said it was only a problem that cropped up when the spacers were new. I suspect it might be the greasiness of the new electroplating on the spacers and their nuts combined with slacker threads inside the nuts and mismatched bevels on the nuts and the stud holes (giving very small contact area between the nuts and the spacers and thus little friction. The point is, I was far from unique in my experience and had been warned before the vehicle was even used with them fitted. As for the handling, they most certainly do make the steering heavier, more prone to following camber and ruts, more likely to pull to one side and more vague. yes, the increased track can be beneficial for side slopes and can help increase the clearance of the front radius arm to increase steering lock, but if the spacers help you cornering on road, that merely signifies you are driving too fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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