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Wheel spacers

Zig

Zig

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So I'm wondering about the thin, quarter inch type wheel spacers and their application.
Do these things just slip over the studs and have the wheel pin them in place?
Thanks, and yes, I did get out to work on my truck a little bit this weekend. The front end is back up on blocks so I can run the brake lines and do some other stuff.
Still trying to figure out what castle nut goes on the drag link/pitman arm connection...
 
The answer is yes. They just slip on the studs and are held in place by the wheel itself. I had to use them on the front of my truck when I wanted to use other than stock wheels as the large rivets holding the drum/hub assembly together would not allow the wheels to sit flush on the drum. The spacers have holes in them to accommodate those rivets.

I believe I have a pair of those laying around if you need them. Just let me know if you want them and they are yours.

Andy
 
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I used a 1/4" thick set on the front wheels of a '72 Nova... you loose the hub-centric feature of the wheels.

Some of the thicker spacers will incorporate a counterbore in the back of the spacer for the stock hub, and a male hub on the front of the spacer, thus retaining the hub-centric feature.
 
A set of 1/4" spacers came with the front disk brake kit I put on my '57 GMC. I assume they were for caliper to stock wheel clearance. My truck already had late 70s six lug rally wheels which had plenty of clearance, so I did not use them.
 
In fact...

Bill Hanlon said:
A set of 1/4" spacers came with the front disk brake kit I put on my '57 GMC. I assume they were for caliper to stock wheel clearance. My truck already had late 70s six lug rally wheels which had plenty of clearance, so I did not use them.
Click to expand...

This wonderful guy passed them on to me! I was just wanting to make sure that's all there is to it.
I see the hub centric part is lost, so how bad is it to just go lug centric?
The other issue, if you wheel is not hub centric, does that mean wheel centers will not work either? (Wouldn't they tend to wobble around a tad?) Or does the wheel center come far enough under the opening to have the spacer as a backing for it?

Thanks all for the replies!
 
I want to run wheels like yours~

Lakeroadster said:
Hey Zig... what wheels are you running?
Click to expand...

Money's tight right now, so I will be running the original ones for a while.

hahaha... "running". That would imply my truck is moving...

But seriously, $ priorities are to put whatever I can to get it to where I can FINALLY drive it out of my garage. Next will be wheels and tires, and I want to get some like you're rolling on. Narrow as possible for up front, wider for the back end. (I would imagine spacers wouldn't be needed with those wheels.) Until then, I assume I will be rolling on what are on it. (Spacers needed)
 
Hub Centric - Lug Centric & The Saga of Uni-Lug Wheels

If the wheel has machined surfaces and/or counter bores that fit the lugs / or the lug washers tightly you should be fine.

If the lug nuts are conical and the wheel has conically machined surfaces to match the lug nuts that should be fine also.

My mag wheels (US INdy and Western Wheels) are not hub centric. This practice was pretty much typical back in the day with aftermarket wheels.

Ideally... hub centric minimizes run-out and is the best scenario.

Case in Point: Cragar S/S wheels.

These wheels were not hub centric. Most had unilug washers to allow the wheels to fit 4-1/2" through 5" bolt circles (Ford-Mopar or Chevy). They worked, but not real well in my experience. The washers were located by three cast raised surfaces. Notice I said cast, not machined.

I had a set of these on a 1970 Nova and a 1985 S-15 pickup. I remember my "procedure" was to install all 5 lugs and washers on a wheel and then tightening them with my bare hand only. Then I would rotate the tire/wheel by hand to try to get it as true as possible. I would use my knee as a reference point. Once I joggled the wheel until the tire was running true I would torque down the lugs.

The o.d. tire run-out would vary due to the stack up tolerances between the lug o.d. -vs- stud, lug o.d. vs. washer i.d., washer i.d. vs. washer o.d. and washer o.d. vs. cast raised surface. Multiply this times 5 lugs and you start to realize how hub centric eliminates the majority of all these stack up tolerances.

I also had a set of aluminum Cragar Mach 8 wheels in the late 1970's. These were also uni-lug but they had an insert that went into the back of the wheel, a much better design. The insert was basically 5 washers attached that had holes in the washers based on which bolt circle you needed. These worked great, but Cragar today is still selling the not so great uni-lug, and to my knowledge has abandoned the insert concept? Probably due to increased cost of machining the wheel for the insert.


Cragar S/S Wheel


Cast Raised Locating Surfaces


Uni-Lug Washers






Mach 8 Wheel Insert Adapter




​
 
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Wow! Talk about your pictures! That's great info there, Lakeroadster!
I guess I'm good, since the original wheels for these are machined. I just guess that means that any wheel centers used would need something to back them and keep them snug against the back of the wheel.

Feel free to tell me I'm wrong on this idea. ;)
 
Depends on the wheels Zig.

For all the mag wheels I have ever owned the wheel center cap always either pushed into the center bore of the wheel, or attached to the face of the wheel using screws.

Easy Peazy.
 
Hey, I'm all about easy peazy~

I was just wondering about the push through centers on wheels that lost the hub centric quality due to spacers. Would that allow the centers to get a little wobbly as you rolled on down the road since the spacers have pushed the center bore up and away from the hub?

This should be my last question on this issue, I promise. ;)
 
Wobbly... possibly for a push through from the rear cap, like this:
​

But not on these:

Push in from front
​

or these that attach to the face of the wheel using screws
​
 
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You rock, Lakeroadster!!!

That is perfect! I don't see how the push through kind could be more perfect for this type of application!

Just a matter of spending some quality time searching for them.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help with this. The pictures are absolutely perfect to help "clarify". :cool:
 
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