Wheel Spacers for BJ

[Glenn-BJ74]

I am considering 1.5" wheel spacers for the back (to start) for my BJ74 for a wider track and better off camber stability. I thought the back first since less weight there and less bearing stress.

What are the pros and cons ??

 

[prado t]

I was thinking the same thing. I cringe everytime I "BOWTIE" my rear axle and I hear the back tires rubbing in the fenderwell. You have the full-floater same as me so the strength is there.

 

[Phil in BC]

This is probably something I should be considering as well before I buy the new tires for my bj74. How do these spacers work? Do you not just get offsets on the rims to push the tires out?

 

[OILERSrule]

Ya offset on the rims is a better idea. No worries of nuts backing off and no extra stress on things, more important in the front though. just m2c!

 

[Greg_B]

There are a few basics to spacers. I've run spacers for a few years, installed them per instructions explained here and have never been able to move a nut when I have checked them.

When you install them clean off the wheel studs and then brake clean them, apply some removeable strength product, such as blue locktite. Put on the spacers, bolts and torque them to spec. Check them again in a week. Then, check them every tire rotation or oil change. If you do this you drastically reduce chances of problems.

Some folks have seen, experienced or heard of spacers coming off. I don't have knowledge of the install method in those cases, or know if they were rechecked at any intervals.

You could go with the IFS spacer kit on the front.

As mentioned, if you really are turned off spacers it would be best to find some wheels with reduced BS (say 2" or so) which would give you 3" more overall stance. Search on Mud for a few manufacturers who will make custom BS'd wheels.

No reports of bearing issues front or rear that I know of from slightly offset wheels or spacers.

This advice is worth exactly what you paid for it; install at your own risk.

hth's

gb

 

[BC40]

To add to that make sure the mounting surface of the hub is smooth/no rust. Hit it with a wire brush to be sure.

I wonder about the use of red locktite for this application. The red locktite is supposed to be permanent. If the aluminum seats did wallow out due to bad machining of the cone or whatever, the nut would stay in place on the stud. That would give a false torque as it would appear the fasteners were tight when they were not. To continue to function as a thread lock, each nut would have to be removed, thread cleaned, and the locktite would need to be re-applied prior to retorquing.

I use a 3/4" sandwich spacer with longer studs on my rear FF. I use antiseize and retorque after each wheel removal. So far I've never seen any symptoms of an imminent problem like lug nuts coming loose.

 

[Greg_B]

I wonder about the use of red locktite for this application. The red locktite is supposed to be permanent. If the aluminum seats did wallow out due to bad machining of the cone or whatever, the nut would stay in place on the stud. That would give a false torque as it would appear the fasteners were tight when they were not. To continue to function as a thread lock, each nut would have to be removed, thread cleaned, and the locktite would need to be re-applied prior to retorquing.

Yikes! And that is why the advise is worth exactly what was paid for it. Thanks for the heads up. Changed in the post. I had meant the medium removable strength grade...which is blue.

"Blue Removable - Used for things you may want to unscrew with minimal hassle. It cures into a brittle, glassy bond that takes one good twist to break, but removes cleanly after that."

Yes, any time you take off the spacers it would require cleaning the studs, and reapplication. Good point on the other issues.

All what I posted is meant for the bolt on style spacers. I am even more leery of running spacers that do not bolt on, as my understanding is an additional sheer point is created on the wheel stud.

hth's

gb

 

[Glenn-BJ74]

IFS spacer kit on the front.

Hi Greg

Could you point me to more info on IFS spacer kit on the front.. Thanks in advance.

 

[Letsgomoreplaces]

wheel spacers and adaptors

We sell 100's of these for many applications. No issues if installed properly. I run them on the front of my daily driver 100 series as well.

 

[BC40]

So far so good with the non-bolted 3/4" spacer and long studs. But I agree, it does add more stress on the studs and if it did come loose they could well shear. In retrospect I probably should have just gone to shallower backspace wheels for width.

Glenn, I think Greg might have been referring to swapping in front hubs from an ifs truck (to match the width you'd gain in the back with 1.5" spacers). The ifs hub has its flange 1.5" outboard of what the solid axle trucks had but is otherwise the same. Common swap on minitrucks if you do a search. A few options for making the brakes work with ifs hubs.

Again, custom offset wheels would probably be easier.

 

[Hulsty]

Personally I think wheelspacers are wrong, here in aus they are illegal and for good reason, they can come loose, and put extra load on you wheel studs. Offset rims are a good cheap way to get around things, but if you run multiple sets of rubber can become expensive. They also add load to your wheel studs. For me, I run two sets of rubber, 35'' and 32'' and dont wont either rubbing so I installed a 60 series rear diff, 70mm wider than stock, s0 35mm per side. NO extra stud or bearing load and easy mod. HEAPS of room for big tyres now. For the front I used a IFS hub kit. This one Axle Widening Kit

You use stock hilux IFS hubs and it all bolts up without a fuss and the spacer is used to position the disc back to its original position. 66mm total extra width and no extra wheel stud load, with a wheel bearing load the same as on a hilux. Very happy with the setup and car feels much more stable.

cheers

 

[lowenbrau]

I used IFS hubs to widen the 60 series housing on the front and spacers on the 60 series housing at the back.

Spacers work great!

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Let me guess.... that bright light is the reapplication of the red loctite?

~John

I used IFS hubs to widen the 60 series housing on the front and spacers on the 60 series housing at the back.

Spacers work great!

 

[lowenbrau]

Let me guess.... that bright light is the reapplication of the red loctite?

~John

<grin>

You got it

 

[BC40]

I blame them bling FJC wheels .

Too bad the rear hub body is longer than used on the front hubs (at least on a 45 axle it is). Otherwise IFS hubs with disk brakes out back would be a good low cost swap without needing custom length axle shafts.

 

[Greg_B]

We sell 100's of these for many applications. No issues if installed properly. I run them on the front of my daily driver 100 series as well.

What is considered proper application? My post was from no special data...just what made sense if I was going to run bolt-ons.

gb

 

[Ratpuke]

I used IFS hubs to widen the 60 series housing on the front and spacers on the 60 series housing at the back.

Spacers work great!

Lowenbrau, when using pictures taken by someone other than yourself you should quote your source. Looks like it came from my picasa site.



(FTR, just doing my daily internet stalking of you and mocking you for a reply you made in one of the other threads)

 

[Gold Boy]

Lowenbrau, when using pictures taken by someone other than yourself you should quote your source. Looks like it came from my picasa site.



(FTR, just doing my daily internet stalking of you and mocking you for a reply you made in one of the other threads)

how romantic............



i use 2" spacers, never had a problem......... yet.......

 

[Letsgomoreplaces]

Leave some nuts loose, and they'll back off - spacers or not.

I used IFS hubs to widen the 60 series housing on the front and spacers on the 60 series housing at the back.

Spacers work great!

 

[lowenbrau]

Leave some nuts loose, and they'll back off - spacers or not.

That's true.

Its weird though that every time a wheel falls off a truck with a spacer, its always the spacer falling off the truck and never the wheel falling off the spacer. Probably a dissimilar metals thing. I should trade mine in for a steel set. I don't think tapered nuts are appropriate for aluminum.

Oh and ring, how do you know you have no issues? I haven't spoken with my supplier about my issue. Maybe he gets them from you? How would you know?