Wheel Spacers - Pros/Cons?

[cafecito]

I Know using a wheel spacer is a pretty common thing, but is there any potential detriment to your vehicle long term? I mean, I'm no engineer, but widening the points at which thousands of pounds are supported makes me cornered that the added stress is going to be on another critical piece of the vehicle somewhere.

I ask because I really want to look at some different wheels for my Mojave, but the factory backspacing makes finding replacements kind of tricky. Wheel spacers would give me a lot more options.

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[Mac]

Most of the aftermarket wheels have a lower offset than the factory wheels so you should have lots of choices that will fit without spacers. Mojave is +37 17x7.5

 

[cafecito]

Most of the aftermarket wheels have a lower offset than the factory wheels so you should have lots of choices that will fit without spacers. Mojave is +37 17x7.5

Is there a good site that let's you shop/filter by offset? I tried shopping online for some, but none that I saw had that as an option, and I didn't feel like scrolling through 20 pages of results and reading the offset of each one... lol

 

[Mac]

Is there a good site that let's you shop/filter by offset? I tried shopping online for some, but none that I saw had that as an option, and I didn't feel like scrolling through 20 pages of results and reading the offset of each one... lol

Tirerack does and allows you to filter by offset, they list 304 wheels for the Mojave

 

[cafecito]

Awesome, thanks man. I'll check them out!

 

[Rubi-Zero]

If you are looking at purchasing new wheels, there shouldn’t be a reason to use spacers unless you are purchasing wheels that have a higher offset.

 

[cafecito]

If you are looking at purchasing new wheels, there shouldn’t be a reason to use spacers unless you are purchasing wheels that have a higher offset.

Well I was initially interested in the factory Willy's wheels, but several people said I wouldn't be able to swap them due to them sitting closer in towards the shocks. I figured spacers would alleviate that. Is that right?

 

[Rubi-Zero]

Well I was initially interested in the factory Willy's wheels, but several people said I wouldn't be able to swap them due to them sitting closer in towards the shocks. I figured spacers would alleviate that. Is that right?

yes spacers would push the wheel further away from the shock.

If you are interested in the willy’s wheel take a look at Quadratec’s hard rock or the morphic wheels. They come in a lower offset and will give you the look you are going for without the use of spacers.

 

[NachoRuby]

In some areas (i.e., here in Pennsylvania) spacers are banned, and will cause you to fail inspection. So that might be a reason to avoid them for some. This state is strict on a lot of things. I imagine FL is a lot more lax.

 

[XJADDICTION]

Wheel spacers are fine as long as you run the hub centric spacer and I buy forged aluminum. I’ve never had an issue, though I do check them after first 500 miles and then very oil change (5000 miles). I haven’t had any loose after over 20 years of running them on trail rigs to DDs.
I like the stock wheels and Quadratec does have copies with better offset and width (my spare is a stock copy wheel). I may eventually get those but for now the 2” spacer on stock aluminum Rubicon Wrangler rims looks great IMOP.

 

[Fouts]

You won't find many wheels that have more offset than the Mojave. Just the Rubicon. Can't give you great reason but I would stay away from spacers.

 

[Gvsukids]

You won't find many wheels that have more offset than the Mojave. Just the Rubicon. Can't give you great reason but I would stay away from spacers.

A friend of mine had an issue when a spacer cut a bolt and caused his wheel to wobble.

 

[cafecito]

In some areas (i.e., here in Pennsylvania) spacers are banned, and will cause you to fail inspection. So that might be a reason to avoid them for some. This state is strict on a lot of things. I imagine FL is a lot more lax.

LOL dude, some people's wheels come completely out of the wheel well here. The cops don't do a damn thing, even though the law says the orange marker light is supposed to be the furthest point out on the side of your vehicle.

 

[Proximo]

My wrangler did what @Gvsukids described. Problem is, the torque on stock lugs is 130 ft lbs and the spacers were 80 or 100. So, when shops put lug nuts back on a few times at 130, it stretches the threads of the spacer making the spacer lugs weak. Which eventually "could" snap em. I had a great insurance company who covered all the damage ($2500) under some anti theft policy. As if, thieves tried to steal my tires

 

[Rattydude77]

Best advice I can give you is don't buy cheap and when you put your spacers on torgue them down to what the specification says put your rims back on drive a hundred miles take your tires off retorque the spacers again

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