I was wondering if anyone is using wheel spacers on their trucks. I'm looking at purchasing a set of 3" billit spacers to help the rear tires fill the wheel well and centering the rearend. I'll also be using a wider rear tire on the 8" rims. Anyone using spacers?
spacers I don't know about spacers but a few months back my kids and I were at our local town festival. They have a small display of vehicles etc and my oldest showed me an AD that someone had used either 20 or 22 inch rims on and had some fairly wide tires on it (you know the kind you see on all the caddys running around town) - anyway, that setup really looked nice and filled the large wheel opening with more wheel than tire - looked sharp! Larry R.
I looked into using spacers on the front of my 3800 to keep the inner rim on standard Chevy late model wheels from hitting the steering arm that was close to the brake backing plate. I was able to find a set of PACER polished aluminum wheels that had proper back spacing and didn't have to use spacers. In my research I found that the spacers that bolt on to the existing studs then have studs of their own (like when you use them to change the lug pattern) are best. If you use just a spacer with existing lugs (or longer) you will need to check them quite often to ensure they are tight. Apparently there is a tendency to loosen up due to vibration and whatnot. Good luck and let us know what you end up doing. Gater
spacers Wheel spacers put an additional load on the bearings, will have an adverse effect on the front steering geometry and are not that much cheaper than getting rims with the proper back spacing. Good suggestion on checking out Pacer (brandname) rims. They offer a great selection and most tire stores can order them in. I'm running their "star" pattern on my old truck and they set me back about half of what you'd spring for the "big" brand rims. No problems so far!!! Dave
I kind of look at spacers two ways. If one is going to use the truck as a truck then I'm a bit leary of them but if the trucks hauling days are over then there will be no more strain on the axles/spindles/bearings with spacers than there used to be when the truck was loaded and without spacers.
I think I'll be ok with them so I ordered a set today. Talked to some guys who have had them for years with no problems. I already have the rims, 17 x 8 Torq Thrust II's, otherwise I would just buy them with less back space. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Would something like wheel spacers work for my situation? I have chrome smoothie wheels, but on the front, the hub sticks out too far to put the center cap on. It lacks only about 1/4 inch. Is there something else I could use?
