Noise on acceleration/slowing after wheel spacer install

[Delhux]

I recently had some G2 wheel spacers installed.

I noticed a new noise while accelerating or slowing down while driving (smooth and flat roads included).

The sound is slight and I can feel it with my left foot in the floor board. It sounds and feels a bit like when you drive over one of those road traffic speed/counter cables in the street.

While I was installing mud flaps, I noticed it seemed the lug nuts “might” be sticking slightly further out than before (impossible to say for sure).

I came across this post saying the factory lug nuts were too shallow to work with an aftermarket rim after installing the G2’s.

I have the factory lugs and factory Overland rims.

I took a video of the lugs and have emailed the shop to see if I might need different lugs.

I am just concerned the current lugs may just be snugged up to the ends of the spacer studs and possibly not fully snug against the rim.

Two questions for the group:

1) The other post said the issue was resolved with aftermarket 1.5@ lugs. The factory lugs—are they not 1.5” deep lugs?

2) The noise just seems like some sort of slipping as momentum changes, and definitely only occurred after wheel spacer install. Is this lug theory realistic? Should I ask my shop to check for any other specific thing?

The video:

Sponsored

 

[Gren71]

I had a similar issue with my JK

Turns out that the lugs connecting the spacer to the hub allowed just the smallest shift of the hub during acceleration / deceleration. I broke a TON of wheel studs on my JK before i figured it out....The bolts holding the spacer to the hub were as tight as I was able to get them.

I had a similar sound when I used taktic wheels on my JT, I immediately pulled the wheels and have stuck to stock rims and lugs. Until recently I added a 1/4in spacer..no noise and no issues with this as it still uses my factory studs and lugs.

Not sure if this is your issue or not but maybe give the bolts between the spacer and the hub a look.

 

[Delhux]

I had a similar issue with my JK

Turns out that the lugs connecting the spacer to the hub allowed just the smallest shift of the hub during acceleration / deceleration. I broke a TON of wheel studs on my JK before i figured it out....The bolts holding the spacer to the hub were as tight as I was able to get them.

I had a similar sound when I used taktic wheels on my JT, I immediately pulled the wheels and have stuck to stock rims and lugs. Until recently I added a 1/4in spacer..no noise and no issues with this as it still uses my factory studs and lugs.

Not sure if this is your issue or not but maybe give the bolts between the spacer and the hub a look.

I had the local shop check the install twice, and I am fairly assured the spacer/wheel install is solid.

Next up is taking it to the dealership which recently installed my Mopar lift to see if anything in the suspension might need an adjustment.

 

[jeepin48]

Stop driving it first of all!

Wheel lug nuts could be too short and it is not actually tightening up to the wheel spacers.

Wheel might not be seating all the way back to the spacers because the spacer lugs or lug nuts sit tall on the spacers (aka the wheels are not sitting on the spacer and instead sitting on the studs or nuts)

Or it has nothing to do with it and is something on your lift.

 

[Delhux]

Stop driving it first of all!

Wheel lug nuts could be too short and it is not actually tightening up to the wheel spacers.

Wheel might not be seating all the way back to the spacers because the spacer lugs or lug nuts sit tall on the spacers (aka the wheels are not sitting on the spacer and instead sitting on the studs or nuts)

Or it has nothing to do with it and is something on your lift.

I just looked under there—is this light grey thing broken?

 

[Blade1668]

I might be mistaking but in your video clip the lugnuts don't look seated fully or against the rim. If so your going to have a bad surprise. The factory lugnuts might not be deep enough for the wheel spacers lug studs to fully seat. Or just as bad not enough thread engagement with studs. Something you can try to check is put in 4WD jack up tire off ground then see if the tire rocks around or can be moved by hand, you might be able to feel the tire moving around on the hub. If so something needs to be done before driving it.
IMHO: I'm not a Dr. or play one on T.V. and I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn last night.

 

[Gren71]

I just looked under there—is this light grey thing broken?

the light grey "flag" looking object is normal. That is an attachment in the nut on the back side of the track bar that allows to be placed and tightened correctly. You can always check the tightness of that bolt as that can cause some rattle.

 

[Renegade]

I might be mistaking but in your video clip the lugnuts don't look seated fully or against the rim. If so your going to have a bad surprise. The factory lugnuts might not be deep enough for the wheel spacers lug studs to fully seat. Or just as bad not enough thread engagement with studs. Something you can try to check is put in 4WD jack up tire off ground then see if the tire rocks around or can be moved by hand, you might be able to feel the tire moving around on the hub. If so something needs to be done before driving it.
IMHO: I'm not a Dr. or play one on T.V. and I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn last night.

I think you identified the problem. It appears the studs of the new spacers are too long for the factory lug nuts.

 

[Blade1668]

Kind of a situation I might have if I get a set of spacers to keep using my LJ's factory rims with 33's. I'm not a big fan of using wheel spacers due to added stress on hubs. Not like I don't have 2 NIB waiting to be used on my LJ or XJ.

 

[jeepin48]

Also Hubcentric wheel spacer are are a must VS regular spacers.

 

[Delhux]

Stop driving it first of all!

Wheel lug nuts could be too short and it is not actually tightening up to the wheel spacers.

Wheel might not be seating all the way back to the spacers because the spacer lugs or lug nuts sit tall on the spacers (aka the wheels are not sitting on the spacer and instead sitting on the studs or nuts)

Or it has nothing to do with it and is something on your lift.

I just looked under there—is this light grey thing broken?

Also Hubcentric wheel spacer are are a must VS regular spacers.

While the G2’s are supposedly wheel and hub centric, I ended up taking them off last night and plan to return them.

I believe that both the spacers and rims were torqued down properly, but for some reason either the wheel or the spacer was able to slip slightly under load.

I am back to having a bit of rubbing on my lower control arms at full lock, but feel way better about that vs an unnerving driving condition at nearly all times.

 

[Delhux]

I think you identified the problem. It appears the studs of the new spacers are too long for the factory lug nuts.

I actually had the shop flip over one of the spacers and place it over the hub wheel studs to compare (along with a caliper measurement), and they appeared to be identical in both methods.

For some reason, with everything seated, wheel or spacer was definitely slipping.

One observation I had was that when I removed the spacers, there was no sign of red loctite (which the shop assured me they used) .

 

[bgenlvtex]

Those lug nuts have a tin cover over the actual nut, if the stud was bottoming in the nut and properly torqued, it would deform the tin cover.

If I was going to use those spacers (I wouldn't) I would measure the pilot pad diameter, verify for flat, install at proper torque spec and if the problem persists, throw them in the trash can.

ETA : if the installer initially over torqued the hardware (got them as tight as they could comment) it is possible if not likely that they have stretched the studs, and nothing will ever maintain torque on them.

 

[Delhux]

Those lug nuts have a tin cover over the actual nut, if the stud was bottoming in the nut and properly torqued, it would deform the tin cover.

If I was going to use those spacers (I wouldn't) I would measure the pilot pad diameter, verify for flat, install at proper torque spec and if the problem persists, throw them in the trash can.

ETA : if the installer initially over torqued the hardware (got them as tight as they could comment) it is possible if not likely that they have stretched the studs, and nothing will ever maintain torque on them.

I asked them to check for bottoming-out. Their measurements showed a quarter inch of clearance when tightened down.

Then, they put a glob of yellow paint on the end of one of the wheel studs coming off the spacer and tightened down the OEM lug with the rim installed to 130 ft-lbs, then backed it off, but there was no paint at the bottom of the lug.

Despite everything appearing to be the right length and tightened properly, either the spacer or the wheel was slipping—my guess is the spacer was slipping. There was still some light corrosion on the hub where the spacer mated to it. My gut says that allowed just enough clearance and loose material to enable it to slip under load—just a theory.

 

[Renegade]

I asked them to check for bottoming-out. Their measurements showed a quarter inch of clearance when tightened down.

Then, they put a glob of yellow paint on the end of one of the wheel studs coming off the spacer and tightened down the OEM lug with the rim installed to 130 ft-lbs, then backed it off, but there was no paint at the bottom of the lug.

Despite everything appearing to be the right length and tightened properly, either the spacer or the wheel was slipping—my guess is the spacer was slipping. There was still some light corrosion on the hub where the spacer mated to it. My gut says that allowed just enough clearance and loose material to enable it to slip under load—just a theory.

You happen check your brake caliper bolts? My caliper bracket bolts were loose from the factory on the driver’s side...

Sponsored