OEM Leveling Kit + Wheel Spacers = "Unsafe"

[Lester did that]

Picking up my '21 HE late today and had asked my dealership to install the OEM front leveling kit + a set of Spidertrax wheel spacers (that I provided, of course). They've been tremendously helpful and agreed to install. Here's where things went sideways. They installed the parts and, after doing so, the service manager deemed the vehicle "unsafe" and had the service tech take the parts back off. Very confused. I could see them not loving the wheel spacers - but not being willing to keep the OEM leveling kit on is frustrating / confusing.

Anyone else had a similar experience? Particularly with the dealership refusing to use OEM parts...?

I am going to be "that guy" again. Wheel spacers are illegal in South Africa, Australia and most of the world. Britain does not care. The rest of Europe they have to be TUV certified or OEM and marked clearly. Even Russia has ruled regarding wheel spacers. OEM wheel spacers are legal everywhere.

I don't like dealers. But in this case I can see their caution. After market wheel spacers. They are not safe. Especially when you start stacking them. Besides all that 99% of dealers don't want to mess with anything that it modified beyond factory specs. Raise the vehicle 2" or drop it 2", add a supercharger with headers ect ect. That is beyond the average service departments scope of work. I don't think it is fair to complain about the stealership when they refuse to do the work on a modded vehicle. There are a few unicorns out there like @Eric Sarjeant that are willing and ready to help but you could count those dealerships in this country one hand missing a thumb.

Find a really good 4x4 shop for this type of work not the dealer. They can and will check alignment after the spacers and readjust the radar or what ever else is needed. The shop rate is usually about the same as the dealer or maybe 10% more. You will save the 10% and then some because they are faster and know what they are doing.

 

[bloc]

I am going to be "that guy" again. Wheel spacers are illegal in South Africa, Australia and most of the world. Britain does not care. The rest of Europe they have to be TUV certified or OEM and marked clearly. Even Russia has ruled regarding wheel spacers. OEM wheel spacers are legal everywhere.

I don't like dealers. But in this case I can see their caution. After market wheel spacers. They are not safe. Especially when you start stacking them. Besides all that 99% of dealers don't want to mess with anything that it modified beyond factory specs. Raise the vehicle 2" or drop it 2", add a supercharger with headers ect ect. That is beyond the average service departments scope of work. I don't think it is fair to complain about the stealership when they refuse to do the work on a modded vehicle. There are a few unicorns out there like @Eric Sarjeant that are willing and ready to help but you could count those dealerships in this country one hand missing a thumb.

Find a really good 4x4 shop for this type of work not the dealer. They can and will check alignment after the spacers and readjust the radar or what ever else is needed. The shop rate is usually about the same as the dealer or maybe 10% more. You will save the 10% and then some because they are faster and know what they are doing.

After seeing the procedure for calibrating the cameras for a 16+ I’m not sure that’s within the scope of even good 4x4 shops, but I could be wrong.

 

[ElTeaKay]

Given the significant rake on the HE, I had Toyota of Cedar Park install the 1" factory spacer on the front springs. It did make a little difference, but one must look closely to notice. IMO and hindsight 20/20, I'd have skipped this upgrade and waited to do a suspension upgrade (front or all around) later on. When they did the installation, they also had to align the wheels. They did not reset any sensors, lights, or the front camera, as lifting the front an inch makes little difference until you get beyond the reach of said devices (if one can recall the study of angles in geometry). Attaching before and after photos here for reference (before is with the roof rack, after is without but with Slee slider installation done by the dealership because they'd installed several pairs of Slee sliders before mine.)

The factory wheel spacing is designed as such within the wheel well to accommodate for snow chain clearance. If you do not plan to run snow chains, the Spidertrax wheel spacer works well and sets the stance at a tasteful space and good look. 4 Wheel Parts installed mine and I've had zero issues thus far other than when I walk away from the truck I stare a little longer than usual. If you run a larger tire plus a wheel spacer, check for clearance of the front wheels at full lock in both directions as light trimming of plastic may be needed.

 

[bloc]

They did not reset any sensors, lights, or the front camera, as lifting the front an inch makes little difference until you get beyond the reach of said devices (if one can recall the study of angles in geometry).

Not sure I’d want to trust the operation of safety devices to this logic unless I had specific knowledge about their technical aspects and limitations. The vehicle can automatically adjust safety systems for different rear heights via the ride height sensor back there, but there isn’t anything like that for the front, and there is specific directive from Toyota not to alter ride height due to impact on safety systems, if I remember correctly.

 

[04UZJ100]

Not sure I’d want to trust the operation of safety devices to this logic unless I had specific knowledge about their technical aspects and limitations. The vehicle can automatically adjust safety systems for different rear heights via the ride height sensor back there, but there isn’t anything like that for the front, and there is specific directive from Toyota not to alter ride height due to impact on safety systems, if I remember correctly.

I have a different perspective. The safety system should be designed to operate throughout the entire range of suspension stroke. The rear has the greater impact on overall “levelness” of the truck. Should a user drive with 1,000# of payload in the trunk, the useful range of cameras should be able to account for the change in ride height and ass-down trajectory.

Translating that to suspension modifications, so long as the modification does not change the stock articulation limits, like long travel does, the safety systems should be able to account for a change in ride height. A car that rides level at stock height should function no different than one that rides level at 2” of lift.

My thoughts......

 

[bloc]

I have a different perspective. The safety system should be designed to operate throughout the entire range of suspension stroke. The rear has the greater impact on overall “levelness” of the truck. Should a user drive with 1,000# of payload in the trunk, the useful range of cameras should be able to account for the change in ride height and ass-down trajectory.

Translating that to suspension modifications, so long as the modification does not change the stock articulation limits, like long travel does, the safety systems should be able to account for a change in ride height. A car that rides level at stock height should function no different than one that rides level at 2” of lift.

My thoughts......

I see your points. And I agree the system should be able to operate within reasonable limits. But we just don’t know enough about it to say for sure what those cameras being aimed with a specific attitude accomplishes.

I’d love a technical description of what these cameras are actually capable of, personally. And maybe the engineer-level stuff. Toyota could very well have said don’t change ride height as a CYA move, or through some knowledge that it would actually impact operation. We don’t know.

 

[Lester did that]

After seeing the procedure for calibrating the cameras for a 16+ I’m not sure that’s within the scope of even good 4x4 shops, but I could be wrong.

Yes. It is set up procedure for sure to re calibrate the cameras and sensors. There are 4x4 shops that work on the higher end more modern rigs. LC, RR, LR, Ford, GMC ect that work on them all the time. This is not brand new tech and even if it was the gearheads in this type of shop is on it before it hits the market and is looking forward to it. And if you are doing serious mods they are your best friend. They have the professional experience and foresight. And if something goes off they don't loose their minds because they know things go sideways sometimes. They will also tell you Look man you have a 2017 and want a 2.5" lift. This is going to cost you a day or 1,5 to re calibrate all off the sensors back to factory plus the cost of the suspension and alignment. Oh there is rust so we suspect there might be some torches and tapping involved that might be another day on the final cost. We will call you as the work progresses with any addition to the estimate. I hope we don't have to call you but these are our hourly rates JIC. Spacers? Have you thought of getting a new wheel with a different offset? Or even flat out. With what you want to do it is not possible to calibrate the factory sensors for cruise and radar. We can delete them but that is going to void any warranty and may cause a liability issue going forward so you are going to have to sign this release form. (that we told you so, we warned you, it's your life, good luck suing us because this was all explained before we did the work and you are clearly owning this.)

Dealers won't do any of this. Why would they.

 

[DCOVIEL]

@jcn83 you probably do want a dealer to do it because of the sensor recalibrate. If you want me to do it, shoot me an email at esarjeant@edmartin.com. We charge $500. That’s parts/labor/alignment. We have take-off suspensions that we can replace if yours is high-mileage too, that’s $1000 for parts/labor and would include a KDSS leveling. I see that you are in Ohio, we have dealer-trade drivers that we could pickup/deliver for $15/hr and I could drop off a rental while we have the vehicle.

Eric's price is rock solid. +1

 

[terdrocket]

What should I do about my unsafe aftermarket wheel spacers? After running them for 20,000+ miles, and rotating my tires every 5000 miles, how long until they kill me?

 

[Lester did that]

What should I do about my unsafe aftermarket wheel spacers? After running them for 20,000+ miles, and rotating my tires every 5000 miles, how long until they kill me?

You just broke a rule. Now you jinxed yourself. A wheel will fall off this week. lol

If your running a proper spacer, and doing the work yourself you have an eye on it and probably doing it correct. =Safe. The issues arise when you take your vehicle in to have the tyres rotated or service work like an inspection done and the mechanic does not know how to reinstall correctly. That's a huge part of the problem. They are safe if you know what you are doing. But that is not the general public. The "general public" will stack 3 spacers on top of each other. The "dealer" won't know how to properly install a single .25" wheel spacer. If they are not installed right they are a hazard. So a lot of countries just banned them as blanket rule, dealers and chain stores like PepBoys refuse to work on them. Liable.

Not bashing wheel spacers. The problem with them is they are a cheap mod and a lot of people do the mod because its' not expensive and don't understand the mod or what is involved removing and reinstalling a wheel with spacers.