Wheel spacers

[Ronanjordan]

Hey all
I am thinking about wheel spacers for my 2002 lwb,
What views have you all got on these? worth it???

I have looked through old posts, not all of them but some of them.

Thanks in advance

 

[Chas]

After my experiences with wheel spacers, never again, I've had wheels fall off three times now, the first time I had just managed to get back to my drive when the wheel fell off,

The second time was on the A3 near Guildford at about 50mph on my way to the Devils Punchbowl for some 'playing' I just managed to get it to the central reservation, more by luck than judgement I think

The third time was near Poitiers in France on my way back from Morocco in 2009, now it's not too bad when this happens near home, but in a foreign country it's a bit more of a problem,

After removing the spacers I've had no more problems. The bearings had been properly maintained by Julian V who had advised removing the spacers. The only advantages I can see for spacers is that they make the truck look a bit more 'butch' and they ride the cushion shaped sleeping policemen better. They just place a lot more strain on the bearings, and as you can see from the second and third times can also cause body damage when the wheel flys off and disappears into the distance.

 

[Graham]

I think this is a conclusive NO.
Instead of fitting spacers, why not some wider rims and tyres.
I really don't think spacers are a good idea after seeing them photos.

Graham

 

[Ben]

why not just buy some wheels with a bigger off set?

ive got 10J x 15" black modulars with a massive -38mm off set.

this is where i got mine:-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/15-x-10-Steel-DEE ... 1638wt_905

i think they can also get them in 16".

 

[fridayman]

How does a bigger offset rim differ from using a spacer (assuming both are say 30mm)?

 

[karl webster]

Ive had a rear wheel come off due to using cheap spacers on my opinion.

With the 80s i think checking play of the bearings are a must quite often.

Gavs front bearing had alot of play yesterday we had to tighten it up on route.

If your going to run them buy the more expensive ones rarther than the cheap ones and just keep your whits about you regarding any play.

Still run with them and will carry on doing regarding misshaps

karl

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Wheel spacers vs offset wheels is no different from the bearings point of view.

 

[fridayman]

Wheel spacers vs offset wheels is no different from the bearings point of view.

That is what I was thinking. So is it the bearings that are failing when using the spacers, or the spacers themselves? I'm curious why we don't hear about people having large offset wheels coming off..?

 

[Chas]

If your going to run them buy the more expensive ones rarther than the cheap ones karl

My ones were the expensive ones from TBR £175 squids worth, they bolt to your hub, then the wheel bolts to the spacer rather than the type that 'slip' over the existing nuts. Trying to get the hexagons lined up means that some will never be torqued up correctly and you end up with play where you certainly don't want it. but I still had the problems, so even the good ones aren't perfect.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Trying to get the hexagons lined up means that some will never be torqued up correctly and you end up with play where you certainly don't want it. but I still had the problems, so even the good ones aren't perfect.

Hexagons? Quality spacers don't have hexagons, or play and definately do torque up correctly I have run wheel spacers and don't find them to be a problem but they will increase bearing wear and need more frequent inspection imo. I would guess it's the outer bearing that's failing for you Chas, it's not a huge bearing but takes most of the extra forces the spacers cause.

 

[Chas]

Trying to get the hexagons lined up means that some will never be torqued up correctly and you end up with play where you certainly don't want it. but I still had the problems, so even the good ones aren't perfect.

Hexagons? Quality spacers don't have hexagons, or play and definately do torque up correctly I have run wheel spacers and don't find them to be a problem but they will increase bearing wear and need more frequent inspection imo. I would guess it's the outer bearing that's failing for you Chas, it's not a huge bearing but takes most of the extra forces the spacers cause.

I perhaps didn't make it clear, the ones I had did not need to have the hexagons lined up, I did say "they bolt to your hub, then the wheel bolts to the spacer rather than the type that 'slip' over the existing nuts" I thought that would differentiate mine from the cheaper ones.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

It was the 'but I still had the problems, so even the good ones aren't perfect' that threw me, I read it as you couldn't get those torqued up correctly. Anyway, £175 for 4? is not the expensive ones but from TBR they should still be quality and from what you've said the wheel spacers weren't failing, it was the bearings that failed? Spacers are not automaticaly bad but they are an extra load on the hubs. Ran them on my 80 with no problems and I run them on the 100 without problems ...

 

[Mal Eade]

Hi All

Well thats spacers off the list.

I had a wheel come off in Morrocco and it is not nice. Mine was due to some Arab not being able to tighten my nuts up for me.

His sister did a better job. !!!!!!!

Mal

 

[karl webster]

Chas, with my experiece it was the cheap spacers. Wheel bearings are a common thing on 80s I've found over and over.

I find that people who don't check bearings often enough have probs.

Gav was lucky on sun that he noticed a wobble as if we were on a lane he wouldn't have felt it and we would have had another victim of loosing a wheel

Karl

 

[foxing2night]

Is this spacer problem an 80 issue??
or does it apply to the 90 series aswell???

Darrel

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

My experience is that if you are doing them by the book you will keep having to adjust them or suffer failure if you're not keeping an eye on them and it pays to give them a wiggle on a semi regular basis to avoid surprises

 

[Gav Peter]

I shall be checking my bearings with more regularity from now on, thats for sure

Thanks for the field mechanics display again KW - good job I carry all those nice clean shiney tools around innit...

 

[silvercruiser]

I run spacers on my 90 and (fingers crosssed) have had no problems
I purchased a second hand set and they where the slip over type but i ended up buying the better ones from roughtrax. no real reason apart from the voices telling me the slip over type where no good


Joe

P.s Chas, were the bearings that failed yota ones or pattern

 

[Chas]

Joe
P.s Chas, were the bearings that failed yota ones or pattern

I'm not sure, they were fitted by Julian V, I think probably Yota

 

[Ian Rubie]

I run spacers on the green car and have not had any problems.

Ian