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Hey guys, moving on to my next project with my truck. Girlfriend is getting me towing mirrors for Christmas and while I love the look of them, they look so much better with a wide stance. Right now I'm running 305/50/20 with a 20x10 Rock Stars I think. Not sure about the width, but I'm guessing. Thinking about getting 1.5" or 2" wheel adapters. Looking for PERSONAL experience, either you or a friend that you personally know, and what problems or issues you encountered if any. How bad will this effect my front end components? If professionally installed, how safe and reliable are they. I don't off road much and when I do its not rough offroading. Just a little field mud now and again. Gonna post pics and get yall's opinion on how it would look and if the look would be worth it. Thanks in advance and lookin forward to your stories.
I've been running 2" wheel spacer/adapters for the past 8 years with no issues. My truck gets used about like yours, daily driver and occasional off road hunting trips back into the hills. I also pull a 20' boat about every weekend during the summer and no issues. Just go with a quality product that is hub centric and check the torque every time you rotate the tires and you will be fine. You will probably have to go with 2", the oem studs are tool long for the 1.5" unless you want to replace all of the studs with shorter ones.
I've been running 2" wheel spacer/adapters for the past 8 years with no issues. My truck gets used about like yours, daily driver and occasional off road hunting trips back into the hills. I also pull a 20' boat about every weekend during the summer and no issues. Just go with a quality product that is hub centric and check the torque every time you rotate the tires and you will be fine. You will probably have to go with 2", the oem studs are tool long for the 1.5" unless you want to replace all of the studs with shorter ones.
Well that sounds promising. Have you had any premature wearing on your ball joints or bearings or anything? Also, I just like tinkering around and have only done small mechanic work on my vehicles, would you recommend me having someone else install? Or could I do it myself and feel safe doing it?
No premature wear, wouldn't really know if it was from the wheel spacers or the Autospring lift spacers under the front end. If you can change a tire you can put on the wheel spacers, just torque them down correctly and re-check them after 300 miles or so.
Wheel spacers aren't an idiocy thing to do, but you need to treat them like your main lug nuts. Always check the torque on them during tire rotations, feel for play. Buy good ones too like the Bora brand ones, hub centric also. Do not buy the low priced eBay units. Most of the time you need to trim the lug studs down to clear them so the wheel is not spaced off them an your lug threads end up not going on enough and vibrate off. Most cases spacers aren't really worth it. That is 24 studs you would need to replace later on if you went back to stock wheels.
Your wheels will say their size and specs on the back of the spokes.
Wheel spacers aren't an idiocy thing to do, but you need to treat them like your main lug nuts. Always check the torque on them during tire rotations, feel for play. Buy good ones too like the Bora brand ones, hub centric also. Do not buy the low priced eBay units. Most of the time you need to trim the lug studs down to clear them so the wheel is not spaced off them an your lug threads end up not going on enough and vibrate off. Most cases spacers aren't really worth it. That is 24 studs you would need to replace later on if you went back to stock wheels.
Your wheels will say their size and specs on the back of the spokes.
Thanks for this post! That was all good advice, without completely throwing them off the table! From the research I've done on the other threads on this site and other F-150 forums, 2" wheel adapters are the way to go because they do not require having to grind any of the lug nut off, is this true? Is there a difference between just hub centric and hub centric AND wheel centric? And get one that is billet aluminum, correct? I'm still waiting for proof if I'm going to have to be replacing ball joints or bearings any more then normal? Do you know anything about that? I'm sorry for all the questions haha, I just like knowing all angles of a situation before I jump in on a project. I do appreciate all the help though
You are correct that with the 2" you don't have to worry about doing anything with your studs. Hub centric is the diameter around your hub and wheel centric is the bolt pattern. As for preliminary wear, not that I have seen, its the same as running a deeper/wider rim with little offset.
You are correct that with the 2" you don't have to worry about doing anything with your studs. Hub centric is the diameter around your hub and wheel centric is the bolt pattern. As for preliminary wear, not that I have seen, its the same as running a deeper/wider rim with little offset.
Should I get some that are wheel centric also? I don't remember where I read it, but I remember seeing someone saying that its bad to have the same bolt pattern on the spacers? Is there any truth in this?
Thanks for this post! That was all good advice, without completely throwing them off the table! From the research I've done on the other threads on this site and other F-150 forums, 2" wheel adapters are the way to go because they do not require having to grind any of the lug nut off, is this true? Is there a difference between just hub centric and hub centric AND wheel centric? And get one that is billet aluminum, correct? I'm still waiting for proof if I'm going to have to be replacing ball joints or bearings any more then normal? Do you know anything about that? I'm sorry for all the questions haha, I just like knowing all angles of a situation before I jump in on a project. I do appreciate all the help though
2" will clear your studs yes. But, how much more will they be poking out at this point? Too much or just right. Hard to say. 1.5" might be within range of minimal to no stud shaving but I can not guarantee it.
Hub centric for balance and safety is the best way to go, I believe all Bora adapters are to be ordered hub centric. I too have never heard of wheel centric.
I don't know much about the material grade stuff, I just know that Bora makes excellent quality stuff.
Research before doing a project is always good assurance, never be afraid to ask questions .
I think everyone else covered wheel spacers pretty well. But I think your wheels are 20x9s judging by how much they stick out.
Do you really like your wheels? Bora and Fred Goesk (or Goesche or however it's spelled) wheel spacers are close to $300 IIRC, which is further committing to those wheels. New wheels are gonna be $800 to $1100, but personally I'd feel much better about some 20x10 -24 wheels or something like that and not having spacers. If you want to run spacers and like your wheels though (nothing wrong with them, just some people like me change wheels somewhat frequently), go right ahead. Just giving you something else to think about.
Also, there will definitely be additional stress on the wheel bearings (and the ball joints too). But how much more, I can't say.
Last edited by KMAC0694; Dec 11, 2014 at 12:30 AM.
2" will clear your studs yes. But, how much more will they be poking out at this point? Too much or just right. Hard to say. 1.5" might be within range of minimal to no stud shaving but I can not guarantee it.
Hub centric for balance and safety is the best way to go, I believe all Bora adapters are to be ordered hub centric. I too have never heard of wheel centric.
I don't know much about the material grade stuff, I just know that Bora makes excellent quality stuff.
Research before doing a project is always good assurance, never be afraid to ask questions .
Could I Just measure out 2" from my tires and set a 2x4 straight up and down to see how far they will stick out? Or is there something else I need to take into figuring that? Basically, does it push the wheels out a true 2"?
I think everyone else covered wheel spacers pretty well. But I think your wheels are 20x9s judging by how much they stick out.
Do you really like your wheels? Bora and Fred Goesk (or Goesche or however it's spelled) wheel spacers are close to $300 IIRC, which is further committing to those wheels. New wheels are gonna be $800 to $1100, but personally I'd feel much better about some 20x10 -24 wheels or something like that and not having spacers. If you want to run spacers and like your wheels though (nothing wrong with them, just some people like me change wheels somewhat frequently), go right ahead. Just giving you something else to think about.
Also, there will definitely be additional stress on the wheel bearings (and the ball joints too). But how much more, I can't say.
Yeah I've thought about that, I would love to get some Fuel Hostages or something along those lines. Something that has is gloss black with chrome accenting and is a deeper dish. But I think the only way I would do that is to find someone to trade straight across lol. And the chances of that are slim I think. But I will look around Ebay and Craigslist and see if I could find some used rims for a reasonable price! Thanks for that input!
Could I Just measure out 2" from my tires and set a 2x4 straight up and down to see how far they will stick out? Or is there something else I need to take into figuring that? Basically, does it push the wheels out a true 2"?
That's how it should work with how I'm thinking about it.
Originally Posted by TheRealVirg
Yeah I've thought about that, I would love to get some Fuel Hostages or something along those lines. Something that has is gloss black with chrome accenting and is a deeper dish. But I think the only way I would do that is to find someone to trade straight across lol. And the chances of that are slim I think. But I will look around Ebay and Craigslist and see if I could find some used rims for a reasonable price! Thanks for that input!
Moto Metal wheels can be had for around $800-1000 new (IIRC) and I figure you can sell yours for $500 or so cause someone will always be looking for Rockstars haha.
I figure that makes it worth while as long as you can sell your wheels. Straight (not bent) 20" wheels, especially popular ones like yours shouldn't ever have any issues selling for $400 at a minimum.
Last edited by KMAC0694; Dec 12, 2014 at 12:57 AM.
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