2" wheel spacers or -19 offset

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ta07hoe

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I know everyone says wheel spacers are bad it wipes the front end out this and that, but how much worse could it be then using a wheel with less backspacing and offset. I feel like my stock 20x8.5 +31 offset/ 6 back spacing with a 2@ spacer would be easier on the truck than 20x10 with a -19 and 5" back spacing.
 

01Konvict

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Nothing the same thing applies to the physics of the hub carrying load at an offset whether it's a spacer or wheel. Only difference is you have two sets of studs to keep torqued. I run rear spacers to even track width and no issues at all.
 
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ta07hoe

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Nothing the same thing applies to the physics of the hub carrying load at an offset whether it's a spacer or wheel. Only difference is you have two sets of studs to keep torqued. I run rear spacers to even track width and no issues at all.

Only thing I keep thinking about is the wheel itself is bolted to the spacer then to the hub, so load on the wheel more towards the face side of the wheel but with a 20x10 with 5 back spacing and -19 offset the weight on the wheel is closer to the inside of the wheel. So the force and load is on different parts of the wheel would also put different types of force on the hub, I would at least. But I can't seem to find any good info
 

01Konvict

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It's a simple statics equation. Force at x distance from y hub equals what force at y if x weighs z. The spacer absorbs the wheel weight and hub only sees weight from x distance. If you run x14 wide plus spacers then be concerned with hubs after 40k miles. Stock wheels with 1.5" spacers don't worry for 100k miles.
 

BigDaddy13440

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I have 16x8's on my Yukon XL now (profile pic), -6 offset as opposed to the "stock" +25. So, basically, they stick out just about 1 1/4" more than stock, just inside the lip of the fender flares. I have 1 1/2" spacers on the rear only for right now.

Previously, I had some 20x8.5's, factory offsets - I had 1 1/2" spacers on the front, and 2 1/2" on the rear. Sold the 20's, went back to the same 16's, WITH the spacers.... tires now stuck out about 1 1/2" in the front, and 2 1/2" in the rear.

Have a set of GMC Sierra 20x8.5's I recently picked up, will be running either 35x12.5's or 295/65's, and will be putting the spacers on both front and rear.
 

Fish-man

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When built and installed properly, a bolt on wheel spacer is simply a "offset transformer"...

They get skewered by people that have put on low quality parts or plain installed them poorly.
 

dirtydenali07

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When built and installed properly, a bolt on wheel spacer is simply a "offset transformer"...

They get skewered by people that have put on low quality parts or plain installed them poorly.
X2 on this. I ran RC 1.5" spacers on my 06 GE TJ for several years. They were still on it when I sold it. Every time I rotated my tires I would check a lug on each corner with a torque wrench set at 100 lb/ft. They never came loose. Of course I used red Loctite on them as well.
 

Stokke

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Im a little new to working on cars, only been doing it for about a year and I haven't used spacers before and I was curious if I put 3" spacers on my 02 Tahoe if I would still have plenty of room to turn or if it'll cause the wheel to rub against anything.
 

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