LC200 Wheel Spacers?

[Mineral]

Thanks Markuson.

Sounds like to run hard service chains up front w the spidertrax might also require flaring out the fenders...

 

[Markuson]

Thanks Markuson.

Sounds like to run hard service chains up front w the spidertrax might also require flaring out the fenders...

I’m only speaking from my own experience. Maybe talk to the Utah and Colorado gurus and residents about it. Cruiser Outfitters in Utah or Slee Off-Road in Colorado will be able to comment with much more experience than me.

 

[TonyP]

Snow tires or chains only in the rear (like the manual says). You'll have no problem on snowy roads.

 

[Mineral]

Just added spidertrax spacers, due to sway bar rub following OME lift (2702/2721). Stock wheels w 285/65R18 STT Pros.

This post will show pics of the truck from the outside, so you can see the impact to stance:

And for a perspective on how far they stick out:

Last photo is looking down on drivers side rear tire.

 

[Mineral]

Now, will show the sway bar rub that precipitated the need to either relocate the sway bar or add spacers.

After talking w Slee, went w spacers bc they claimed the sway bar relo has caused some front end components to warp over time.

Passenger side

Driver side

 

[Mineral]

As @Markuson said, adding the spacers traded one problem for another. But, I’ll take trimming plastic over trimming a sway bar.

Here’s the front mud flaps after trimming

And here’s some work I still have to address on the front bumper wheel well liner, rubs at full lock and only in reverse. Am thinking applying the heat gun to the bottom inch of so of the raised channels.

 

[Mineral]

About a year and a half later, have an update worth sharing.

Last night, weather was great so put all windows down. Began hearing a clicking noise when turning right. Noticed at full lock, noticed also when just drifting to change lanes. Slight click when turning left.

I thought, crap - cv has gone bad.

Put the vehicle front end up, rotated and shook the tires...

Solid. Half shaft boots looked in good working order.

Noticed the SPC UCA boots were covered in grease and some 4R forum said greasing the zerks got rid of a clicking noise in the front end.

Well, called SPC and talked to one of their mechanics for 20 min (Mark). Mark was super helpful and walked me through how the UCAs work and other potential origins for clicking/noises from the front end - brakes, UCA bushing, UCA ball joint, and axle shaft.

Note: I’ll need to hit the zerks w SPC approved grease to keep the UCAs in good working order.

Ruled brakes out, bc noise happens on acceleration. UCA bushings, bc that’d be a more of a squeak. And UCA ball joint, bc that’d be more of a clunk and not a repetitive click click click.

Shoot, was back to cv. Started looking for the part online. Aftermarket - don’t trust. OEM - super expensive. Remanufactured - wasn’t having luck finding for the 200, tho 100 was pretty easy. Now I understand another value of swapping to the Tundra front end - easy to find Tundra half shafts.

This was beginning to look pretty grim.

Took it into Camelback Toyota, just to double check the diagnosis.

Turned out the culprit was... the spacers had come loose and needed to be torqued down. Only bugger is a missed opportunity to test out my new torque wrench. But, glad that was all the problem was. Easy fix, but could have been really bad left ignored.

I share the above in case anyone else could benefit from this experience.

 

[Markuson]

About a year and a half later, have an update worth sharing.

Last night, weather was great so put all windows down. Began hearing a clicking noise when turning right. Noticed at full lock, noticed also when just drifting to change lanes. Slight click when turning left.

I thought, crap - cv has gone bad.

Put the vehicle front end up, rotated and shook the tires...

View attachment 2126341

Solid. Half shaft boots looked in good working order.

Noticed the SPC UCA boots were covered in grease and some 4R forum said greasing the zerks got rid of a clicking noise in the front end.

View attachment 2126340

Well, called SPC and talked to one of their mechanics for 20 min (Mark). Mark was super helpful and walked me through how the UCAs work and other potential origins for clicking/noises from the front end - brakes, UCA bushing, UCA ball joint, and axle shaft.

Note: I’ll need to hit the zerks w SPC approved grease to keep the UCAs in good working order.

Ruled brakes out, bc noise happens on acceleration. UCA bushings, bc that’d be a more of a squeak. And UCA ball joint, bc that’d be more of a clunk and not a repetitive click click click.

Shoot, was back to cv. Started looking for the part online. Aftermarket - don’t trust. OEM - super expensive. Remanufactured - wasn’t having luck finding for the 200, tho 100 was pretty easy. Now I understand another value of swapping to the Tundra front end - easy to find Tundra half shafts.

This was beginning to look pretty grim.

Took it into Camelback Toyota, just to double check the diagnosis.

Turned out the culprit was... the spacers had come loose and needed to be torqued down. Only bugger is a missed opportunity to test out my new torque wrench. But, glad that was all the problem was. Easy fix, but could have been really bad left ignored.

I share the above in case anyone else could benefit from this experience.

That’s a good reminder.
Glad you figured it out!

Spidertrax includes red lock-tite with their spacers and recommends re-torquing 50 miles (IIRC) after initial install torque...

It’s a pain to check compared to wheels for obvious reasons, but whenever I rotate tires, I check spacer torque...or before an off-road outing...

Another problem some run into (I have). Sometimes tires shops skip messi g with spacers because they either get trained not to touch them (?) or...their sockets are too thick to fit into the recessed holes around the lug nuts in spacer holes. I’ve run into that a couple times...so I keep a thin-walled socket handy just for spacers & hand it over if a shops is messing with my tires. Also always find it interesting how they seem surprised if I ask for an exact torque value.

*One random cool fact I recently discovered re Discount tire...
-They have their torque wrenches calibrated ever 1-2 weeks, and they offered to check MY OWN torque wrench’s accuracy. -While they can’t “fix” the markings on mine if it’s off...it at least let’s me know where to set it so I get the proper equivalent...

 

[mep1811]

That’s a good reminder.
Glad you figured it out!

Spidertrax includes red lock-tite with their spacers and recommends re-torquing 50 miles (IIRC) after initial install torque...

It’s a pain to check compared to wheels for obvious reasons, but whenever I rotate tires, I check spacer torque...or before an off-road outing...

Another problem some run into (I have). Sometimes tires shops skip messi g with spacers because they either get trained not to touch them (?) or...their sockets are too thick to fit into the recessed holes around the lug nuts in spacer holes. I’ve run into that a couple times...so I keep a thin-walled socket handy just for spacers & hand it over if a shops is messing with my tires. Also always find it interesting how they seem surprised if I ask for an exact torque value.

*One random cool fact I recently discovered re Discount tire...
-They have their torque wrenches calibrated ever 1-2 weeks, and they offered to check MY OWN torque wrench’s accuracy. -While they can’t “fix” the markings on mine if it’s off...it at least let’s me know where to set it so I get the proper equivalent...

I had to fight with Discount Tire to do tires on my Porsche because it had factory spacers on the rear .
They said it was company policy not to handle spacers. I had to call their corporate office and send them a copy of my cars build list to show the factory spacers. They finally decided they could work on my car.
Apparently there is a liability issue with spacers.

 

[OBXDreamer]

Anyone have details on what advantage(s), besides a wider track, one would gain from addition of Spidertrax wheel spacers on a 200? My thoughts are that the look alone may be worth it but I'd really like to know if they give additional clearance for larger tires w/o a lift.

I don’t have my 2015 LC200 lifted (yet) and am consdering if I need spacers for Falken A/TW3s in size 285/65/R18…

 

[lx200inAR]

I don’t have my 2015 LC200 lifted (yet) and am consdering if I need spacers for Falken A/TW3s in size 285/65/R18…

Thread '200 Series Tire and Wheel Size Database'
200 Series Tire and Wheel Size Database - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/200-series-tire-and-wheel-size-database.818686/

I guess the first question since you mentioned lift is, are you talking about suspension spacers or wheel spacers? Either way the above thread covers pretty much everything.

 

[Markuson]

I had to fight with Discount Tire to do tires on my Porsche because it had factory spacers on the rear .
They said it was company policy not to handle spacers. I had to call their corporate office and send them a copy of my cars build list to show the factory spacers. They finally decided they could work on my car.
Apparently there is a liability issue with spacers.

Weird they were put off by your factory units…

I think their “rule” and fear is because not all spacers are created equal. Guys will slap on wal-mart generic spacers that don’t even provide a means to precisely center them, and that can lead to real disaster I wouldn’t blame them for wanting to avoid…

With my Spidertrax spacers installed now, and formerly my Bora spacers, Discount Tire here had no issues working with them. But these are hub-centric and impossible to sit anywhere but precisely center. I’m sure they run into loose generics that they wisely don’t want get behind…

 

[OBXDreamer]

Thread '200 Series Tire and Wheel Size Database'
200 Series Tire and Wheel Size Database - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/200-series-tire-and-wheel-size-database.818686/

I guess the first question since you mentioned lift is, are you talking about suspension spacers or wheel spacers? Either way the above thread covers pretty much everything.

lx200inAR I was referring to wheel spacers… thanks if you or anyone else knows. I will see thos week when the Falken A/T3W tires come in!