Wheel Spacer Failure (Fact or Fiction)

[AJeepZJ]

for a couple reasons... And I can think of right off the top of my head.

All wheel adatptors are NOT created equal - Heat treatment processes do vary among the manufacturing of the adatptors, which obviously affects strength and ductility
Spidertrax Spacers are not perfect, but they do have the FEWEST failures among available brands - so you are paying for a proven product that works, and as a result you are paying for the name as well. The adaptors aren't powdercoated, they are anondized - Unless you are talking about the price of the adaptors being used to offset the cost of other products they produce.

[Omelet]

Ya but how many people do you actually know that have had issues with their spacers? I am not talking about some guy you heard about or your buddy that read about an issue once! I mean you actually know him or even saw the spacer (not a picture). I just ask becasue I never have! And I only know a couple guys that have paid the extra $$$ for the Name. Everyone else has bought a no name set like I did.

[AcidCold]

Moneen over JG had a fancy spidertrax fail on him, brand really isn't a big deal. It's the maintenance that's most important, he has a picture of his rear wheel Broken of from a stress crack on the spacer.

[Sal-XK]

These types of wheel spacers are widely used on our platform and I think that's the only failure I ever heard of. What we don't have is a thread laying out the proper installation and maintenance of wheel spacers. If someone with the knowledge would write a comprehensive thread with pics on that, that would pretty cool and I will make sure its placed in the correct spot and maybe sticky it.

[Holaday07 4.7]

These types of wheel spacers are widely used on our platform and I think that's the only failure I ever heard of. What we don't have is a thread laying out the proper installation and maintenance of wheel spacers. If someone with the knowledge would write a comprehensive thread with pics on that, that would pretty cool and I will make sure its placed in the correct spot and maybe sticky it.

I would like this as well. I paid for the brand name and I know it. I wanted that just in case they failed, thinking a larger company would have a better warrenty in place. Plus I don't think the economy is shutting them down. My $.02, but I like Sals idea.

[AJeepZJ]

Ya but how many people do you actually know that have had issues with their spacers? I am not talking about some guy you heard about or your buddy that read about an issue once! I mean you actually know him or even saw the spacer (not a picture). I just ask becasue I never have! And I only know a couple guys that have paid the extra $$$ for the Name. Everyone else has bought a no name set like I did.

My point was really that there is a difference in the manufacturer process among these products - they are not all equal and there are charts that show the comparisons under stress and heat tests. I will go and find them eventually

My other point, and I completely agree with you, but every single one of us knows people who use the spacers/adapters and we don't know anyone whom we regularly talk to where these adapters have failed, let alone people we know personally know. There are literally thousands of Jeeps and Toyota's running these things on ALL 4 wheels. What i'm getting at is that... we go with the option we are most comfortable with. Some use the 1/4" slabs, because they are confident they will not fail. Nathan has never seen or known anyone with failures with his spacers, so he'll continues to use them. I have never heard of anyone I know with Spidertrax, 1/4'' slabs, 1", 1.25" or 1.5" adaptors to experience failure - But I am most comfortable using Spidertrax - because that is my comfort zone despite the few failures - I've read... Dig around long enough and you'll find SOMETHING, lol. Anywho, Others would prefer to just get new wheels all together.

Also, Carlos - I do agree with you with regard to user error. Me being a grad student in environmental health - risk and hazards are my particular specialty, lol and are always my primary concerns. I don't believe adapters/spacers to be hazardous but I do know that they come with risks, risks that CAN be avoided and/or reduced. Achieved simply by inspecting them at every oil change and/or tire rotation... - I pull mine off entirely and retorque at every oil change. I also end up checking them any time I pull my tires off anyway - Simply because there're already off, might as well do it lol.

But driving a vehicle alone is a risk - lol, stating the obvious, lol.

[Budasac]

I personally know one person who had a spacer failure. It's my buddies brother-in-law. Switched from his winter to summer rims. Front pass. spacers lugs where only fingertight. Threw the wheel on and buttoned it up. I don't know how far he went before the wheel fell off, but it wasn't far.

I'm pretty sure that about 95% of the issues with spacers are caused by knuckleheads like that.

[Omelet]

Yep, pure genious!

However that is not a failure, that is user error.

[Sal-XK]

X2 on user error but those users like that will jump around and scream about how bad spacers are and they caused his wheel to fall off contributing to the perception that spacers are unsafe.

[Budasac]

X2 on user error but those users like that will jump around and scream about how bad spacers are and they caused his wheel to fall off contributing to the perception that spacers are unsafe.

Exactly. I think these people are the source of most of the "I used spacers and my wheel fell off" stories.

I've never personally heard of or seen a spacer fail due to a defect in the spacer itself.

In NJ spacers are actually banned for use on the road.

[Sal-XK]

Everything is illegal up north:p

[superacerc]

You know those NJ guys have to be babied. You can't expect them to put spacers on correctly when they haven't learned how to pump their own gas yet either. lol I'm kidding guys. Mine have been working fine for the past 3 years. I've had 2 different sized sets.

[Matt]

Lol low blow!!

[cico7]

X2 on user error but those users like that will jump around and scream about how bad spacers are and they caused his wheel to fall off contributing to the perception that spacers are unsafe.
Spacers are not unsafe, it's the nuts!

[Matt]

The issue with spacers is if they're not properly torqued & maintained. Over torquing And under torquing can result in faster and more excessive failures as opposed to over/under torquing wheels. So you really need to follow directions, otherwise they do become "unsafe". So while most failures can be attributed to "user error", there's the inherent factor that they're not as "user friendly" which ultimately leads to these user errors.

[IamJEEP]

Lol low blow!!

Here you go bro, use it wisely.....

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2011/06/owned-1.gif

[superacerc]

^ That's great! Glad to see the comedy rolling around here. I didn't mean anything by it. I lived in jersey a whole 8 weeks one time. (Boot Camp) Wasn't my favorite place for obvious reasons. Maybe i should give it another chance.

[07JeepXK]

I have been using spidertrax spacers and have been doing some hardcore wheeling with my friend that owns a 07 FJ Cruiser on 35's with spacers with no failures to date. Its all about how you torque them and the company you go with. My spacers are torqued to 90 ft. lbs and the wheels are torqued to the spacers at 90 ft lbs. They have been installed 3 years now and have never found loose lug nuts or broken studs. I know 90 ft. lbs isnt a lot but it works for me. It came right off the installation instructions from spidertrax.

[pjmjr508]

I have had mine for over a year & as you can tell from my photos & videos I wheel mine. I do 95 ft lbs on the spacers & rims. It was that on the install paperwork & never had an issue.

[cico7]

I have had mine for over a year & as you can tell from my photos & videos I wheel mine. I do 95 ft lbs on the spacers & rims. It was that on the install paperwork & never had an issue.


I have been using spidertrax spacers and have been doing some hardcore wheeling with my ...... I know 90 ft. lbs isnt a lot but it works for me. It came right off the installation instructions from spidertrax.

i am right there with you, torqued the spacers once n done.

[superacerc]

^Same as these guys. I even pulled my wheels off after the first 500 miles to check the spacers out and they weren't one bit loose. Now they have lots of miles and 2 1000mi road trips a few wheeling trips doing some rocky trails.