Wheel spacers or Offsetting rims

[Busiboy]

OK Guys what is the best option?

I have a non DD forby and want a bit of a wider track. What do you guys recomend?

Wheel spacers or offsetting rims?

[MissDrew]

Wheel spacers.

If you damage a rim you just get another off the shelf rim
If you want to change rims you just get them off the shelf
You`ll get wider using spacers then just rims
Bit more unsprung weight means just that bit more flex.



Also if you are use a rim that has been off set say 50mm it will put that same extra stress on bearings etc as a 50mm spacer.

[Gonzo]

Spacers are not legal aren't they?

I have big ass offset rims, its not too expensive to get them cut and rewelded...

[MissDrew]

Spacers are not legal aren't they?

I have big ass offset rims, its not too expensive to get them cut and rewelded...

Niether are cut and rewelded rims

[Tiny]

Spacers, you put em on for off road, and then take em off when your driving around the streets

Tiny

[Gonzo]

Spacers are not legal aren't they?

I have big ass offset rims, its not too expensive to get them cut and rewelded...

Niether are cut and rewelded rims

Bugger

[Meldge]

A cop or Transport officer would surely notice a spacer than an offset rim though, with a job well done and a fresh powdercoating - would they even spot it without getting the tape measure and book out?

[MissDrew]

Most are that dum as far as cars go that they wouldn`t even notice spacers, unless you were doing something that made them all over ya rig and then they would be finding everything they could anyway.

[Tiny]

They would just defect you for having tyres sticking out to far and for having the right hand side brake light out .....the one you broke that afternoon in the bush, and would prolly get you for neg driving as you pulled up on the gutter to allow the traffic to get through the one lane road they pulled you up on for no particular reason except they were having a shitty day.

OK I will shut up now

Tiny

[Screwy]

i prefer rim offset, as its not commonly looked for and cops wouldnt notice it as easily...
and its far cheaper up front.

in NSW, ive also found that engineers will not notice rims ( they wont engineer them either ) but wont turn u away...

with wheel spacers ive heard of ppl being turned away all together with them on until they take em off ( and u cant sometimes if the tyres hit the front of leaves on lock, or arms run on rims etc....

screwy

[MissDrew]

If the tyres don`t fit without spacers they are bigger then what an engineer will pass anyway, as a true engineer will not pass bigger then 33`s or 35`s.

So what does it matter in this case if you have offset rims.

[fatassgq]

end of the day 50mm offset in a rim and 50mm spacer will do the same thing. Guts made a point that I had not thought of before though about damaging a rim and only having to get another off the shelf.
Could get more offset with spacers than rim alone I think. (what is maximum for rim offset?)

The main drama I have with spacers is that you have to take the fucking things on and off if you drive your car on the street. This gets old real quick! I have heard stories of em coming loose etc but have never had it happen to me when I used to run em on the cruiser.

[ISUZUROVER]

Spacers are not legal aren't they?

I have big ass offset rims, its not too expensive to get them cut and rewelded...

Niether are cut and rewelded rims

Any proof, I am pretty sure that they are legal if done by a certified welder. They are just as strong as the rims were originally.

[Tiny]

Its not the rim thats the prob, rather the increased track

Tiny

[Bartso]

i reckon both

[scotto]

NEITHER

put 60 series axles under it - they are a bit wider than 40s
then you would put 60 springs (longer better flex esp for springover)
and overcome 2 of of those 40# issues
oh wait...budget

[-Scott-]

Spacers are not legal aren't they?

I have big ass offset rims, its not too expensive to get them cut and rewelded...

Niether are cut and rewelded rims

Any proof, I am pretty sure that they are legal if done by a certified welder. They are just as strong as the rims were originally.

From memory, Queensland regs state rims are only allowed one circumferential weld - which is usually included in the original wheel, leaving no scope for an additional weld where you "add a bit."

To the best of my knowledge, no state places a limit on wheel offset - it's the overall track of the vehicle, limited to 50mm increase for vehicles with beam axles front and rear, or 25mm otherwise. Note that is track increase - half that for allowable change on each wheel.

Cheers,

Scott

[Screwy]

The 2 biggest things id say about this would be:

1. Rims are far cheaper to get offset than wheel spacers are to buy upfront.

2. There is less componants that can come loose, therefore less risk, and far greater simplicity with the final product, which is wat u want, simple.

i have heard stories of spacers coming loose. u dont have to worry about this with rim offset.

The cost of buckling a rim would be less than if a spacer came off from being loose....

the only other thing to add would be that spacers are far more obvious to pick by a cop than rim offset. less obvious ( as long as flares are adequate ).

screwy

[MQ080]

The 2 biggest things id say about this would be:

1. Rims are far cheaper to get offset than wheel spacers are to buy upfront.

2. There is less componants that can come loose, therefore less risk, and far greater simplicity with the final product, which is wat u want, simple.

i have heard stories of spacers coming loose. u dont have to worry about this with rim offset.

The cost of buckling a rim would be less than if a spacer came off from being loose....

the only other thing to add would be that spacers are far more obvious to pick by a cop than rim offset. less obvious ( as long as flares are adequate ).

screwy

Agree,

it's easier to notice spacers and they have more chance of coming loose.

[ISUZUROVER]

Spacers are not legal aren't they?

I have big ass offset rims, its not too expensive to get them cut and rewelded...

Niether are cut and rewelded rims

Any proof, I am pretty sure that they are legal if done by a certified welder. They are just as strong as the rims were originally.

From memory, Queensland regs state rims are only allowed one circumferential weld - which is usually included in the original wheel, leaving no scope for an additional weld where you "add a bit."

To the best of my knowledge, no state places a limit on wheel offset - it's the overall track of the vehicle, limited to 50mm increase for vehicles with beam axles front and rear, or 25mm otherwise. Note that is track increase - half that for allowable change on each wheel.

Cheers,

Scott

No, the rim outer does not usually have any circumferential welds, the only circumferential welds are to hold the centre to the outer. Therefore, if the circumferential welds are ground and removed, then the centre moved and re-welded, the rim still only has one circumferential weld.

Most rims only have a few short (3-4") welds holding the centre on anyway (not 1 continuous weld), so I doubt this would be called a circumferential weld. The rule about circumferential welds is AFAIK to stop people widening rims by cutting them in half and welding a ring in the middle.

[-Scott-]

The rule about circumferential welds is AFAIK to stop people widening rims by cutting them in half and welding a ring in the middle.

I didn't realise there was another way to do it.

Live and learn.

Cheers,

Scott

[Shorty40]

Mate, I run 'flipped' rims and I love them !

I dont have to worry about taking spacers off or putting them on.

I have about 1" backspace on my 15x8s (with 38" TSLs)

One negative though, I never thought about what Guts said. If you damage a rim it will take a while to get another. Unless you have your spare 'flipped' aswell

Do it. A bit of width on your 40 and you will love it And as scotto said, "60 series diffs help too"

[BOGAN V8]

I agree with Screwy for once Had wheel spacers and had them come loose..... Then went and got wheels offset much better...


Feel a lot safer knowing that there are only one set of wheel nuts holding the rim on

[-Mick-]

I agree with Screwy for once Had wheel spacers and had them come loose..... Then went and got wheels offset much better...


Feel a lot safer knowing that there are only one set of wheel nuts holding the rim on

Happened at 60k to a mate of mine too. Reckons they were freaked out for sure but it was the people who had a 35" extreme trekker belting toward their camp that were sh!tt!ing themselves

[Screwy]

I agree with Screwy for once Had wheel spacers and had them come loose..... Then went and got wheels offset much better...


Feel a lot safer knowing that there are only one set of wheel nuts holding the rim on

Happened at 60k to a mate of mine too. Reckons they were freaked out for sure but it was the people who had a 35" extreme trekker belting toward their camp that were sh!tt!ing themselves

Fark thats all bad.
i think safety if anything is a big reason in itself..... there is a reason y spacers are illegal and id say that MICK, ur post sums it up....

[hypo]

i have run spacers an they come loose, ill b gettin some cut and flipped very soon.

guts, how often do u buckle a rim ?? and far out if u did it wood only take a couple of days 2 get a new one made......

and i reckon that u can get more width from cut and reweld, if u cut and flipp the rim u will get way more than 3"

[MissDrew]

I`ve run 50mm spacer for 2 1/2yrs now and never had one come loose, not even 1 nut come loose. Not saying its the case but those of you that have one come loose are you certain you fully tightended them. The way I see it is a spacer is no more likely to come loose them a wheel.

[Screwy]

the spacer is no more likely to come loose than a wheel, correct.
its held on by the same 6 bolts....

BUT

The wheel is TWICE as likely to come loose as there are 12 bolts holding it on insted of 6