Wheel Spacers- Help!

[bushway9172]

As some of you know, I have 18" Fuel Off Road wheels (custom drilled to fit the LR4 bolt pattern) on 265/65R18 BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A tires. I love when 4x4's have a little bit of tire sticking out beyond the fender. I think that stance looks great, and sometimes it's nice to have a wider track on the trails. I am not talking about much, but maybe an inch or two.

Has anyone done this? I'm far from a wheel expert, so I don't really know the pros/cons. Would my wheels rub if I did this? I saw spacers online from $50-70 a piece depending on size.

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[umbertob]

I am no wheel expert myself, but personally I wouldn't do it. Logically, wheels spacers do put a little more strain on ball joints and wheel bearings on any car, the heavier the vehicle and the thicker the spacers, the more stress generated. Although it's rare, spacers can fail (cheap ones can break, and even high quality spacers can work themselves loose over time.) Finally, to me a car with tires sticking out beyond the fender flares looks kinda funny - not to mention the amount of dirt, mud and stones that those tires can potentially kick up and throw on your doors and side panels, making your truck extra dirty 24/7... But that's a matter of personal taste, and modified vehicles do look more aggressive for the most part.

Having said that, Scott Brady (Overland Journal) is currently running a set of chunky, 30mm spacers on his project 2012 LR4, to be able to fit a set of stock 18" wheels from a LR3 without modifying brakes or rims. By sticking out an extra 1.25", the spokes of the stock LR3 18" wheels clear the larger calipers of the LR4, no need to purchase expensive aftermarket rims. So far he has yet to report any issues with that setup - but then again, he hasn't had them on for long (he also runs 33" tires on a lifted LR4, kind of extreme... But he doesn't call it a "project" for nothing. Kudos to him for pushing the modding envelope.)The thread on ExPo is getting quite long, but the spacers are discussed starting from this point: http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...l-Project-Land-Rover-Discovery-4-(LR4)/page30

 

[Finlayforprez]

Thanks, Umberto... I was very curious as well. I am glad you provided the thread from Expedition Portal - I forgot that existed. Very interesting information on spacers. First I need to figure out if I am going the 18" route.

I should be getting my LR4 within a couple weeks and seriously considering the ARB front bumper. The only thing I don't see on the ARB website is the fact that I thought the LR4 bumper had the parking sensors? I also like the front bumper from Tactical 4x4 - looks great. I know they have it for the LR3, but not sure when it is available for the LR4.

-David

 

[bushway9172]

Umberto, thanks! Always fun checking out the ExPo thread.

I just checked with my accessories guy at the dealership (who installed my wheels/tires) about adding spacers, and he said "no way" LOL. Not sure what the reasoning is, but I have to go to the dealership on Friday anyway, so I'll try to find out some more info.

 

[Count Laszlo]

I'd seriously stay away from spacers. Are you still under warranty? They'll also contribute to excessive wear and all sorts of alignment/suspension issues. All for looks? Not worth it IMO.

 

[bushway9172]

Thanks Count. You're right. The more I look into them, the more horror stories I'm seeing. I think I'll stay far away for now.

 

[PALR4]

Wheel spacers are frequently used on a number of high performance vehicles across the industry. I personally have used them on a number of vehicles with no problems at all, and currently have them on my BMW X5M. The amount of extra stress on the bearings etc. is minor, especially at the relatively low speeds of these vehicles... If you properly clean the hub before install, there should be no vibration at all.

These Bora spacers look quite nice...

http://www.reno4x4.com/forum/showthread.php/59379-BORA-Land-Rover-Wheel-Spacers

 

[bushway9172]

Wheel spacers are frequently used on a number of high performance vehicles across the industry. I personally have used them on a number of vehicles with no problems at all, and currently have them on my BMW X5M. The amount of extra stress on the bearings etc. is minor, especially at the relatively low speeds of these vehicles... If you properly clean the hub before install, there should be no vibration at all.

These Bora spacers look quite nice...

http://www.reno4x4.com/forum/showthread.php/59379-BORA-Land-Rover-Wheel-Spacers

Thanks for the input, I'm glad you've had good experiences with wheel spacers. It's still something I may consider, but I may end up going with a mud terrain tire instead (if I can find someone to give me a fair price for my barely-used all terrains), which should definitely help with a more aggressive look. I posted this thread in the "classified" section, just to see if anyone would be interested in trading or working out some sort of a deal... http://www.landroverworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=24338. We'll see what happens.

Also, I LOVE the X5M and X6M. Great machines.

 

[namenda]

Are your Johnson rods installed full-time? If so, any concerns about LR warranty being voided due to the modification? I bought Sasquatch rods last year but have been hesitant to install (I was planning to keep them on fulltime) due to potential warranty issues.

 

[bushway9172]

Are your Johnson rods installed full-time? If so, any concerns about LR warranty being voided due to the modification? I bought Sasquatch rods last year but have been hesitant to install (I was planning to keep them on fulltime) due to potential warranty issues.

Yes, they are on full-time. My dealership installed them, so no worries about the warranty.