Lots of off-road enthusiasts are keen to hit the trails, conquer the rough terrains, or drive into the desert. But if you just start your try about off-road, you might be worried about going off-roading with wheel spacers and messing up your vehicle. Should this be a concern?
Just go off-roading with wheel spacers with no hesitation if you need more clearance to install larger aftermarket tires. The wheel spacers could help move the wheels further outward from the factory axle. Even wheel spacers are said to reduce wheel bearings’ lifespan, the damage could be ignored practically because the thickness and the weight of the wheel spacers need to be evaluated before installing the wheel spacers if you meet the professional company.
Why Use Spacers Off-Road?
The main purpose of most off-road enthusiasts using wheel spacers on the SUV is for helping with clearance issues, improve off-road performance.
Remedy Offset Issues. When the wheel offset/ET is not as perfect as you like, but you may still want to maintain the stock wheels with a high offset to match the wider tires. Therefore, to avoid the wider tires rubbing against components like suspension and wheel arch, you need to purchase new rims with less backspacing or buy a wheel spacer. To some extent, installing wheel spacers could be reckoned as the substitute for low-offset rims.
Keep Flush Look. The wheel spacers help keep the tire well stand flush with the edge of the wheel. The increased inside distance not only gives the vehicle a more aggressive stance but also prevents dusk and gravels from being flung to the side of the off-road vehicles.
Is It Safe to Go Off-Roading With Spacers?
Many drivers want to install wheel spacers to optimize the setup after putting a small lift or fitting a bigger brake caliper. However, the worry that wheel spacers will add excessive load on the bearings may confuse many people. However, the answer to the question that whether wheel spacers are safe is yes.
Some off-road drivers insist that spacers are unsafe for off-roading because the big tires are heavy so the wheel spacers may not stand the high load of the wheels. However, spacers are designed to be bolt-on, which is bolted to the axle and the rim. Besides, wheel spacers made of forged aluminum perform better than others and have a longer life span too.
What needs mention is that your spacers might not pass the law in some places, while some modification shops often refuse to install them, so you might need to buy new wheels or install the thin thickness.
How to Keep Safe When Off-Roading With Spacers
If installed correctly, high-performance wheel spacers won’t put more load on your suspension than wheels with moderate offset. Besides, adding heavier or wider tires is usually the reason for more strain on front suspension components. And wheel spacers are typically used to remedy this.
Again, wheel spacers are safe off-road as long as you use hub-centric ones because they ensure the spacers rotate steadily around the axle. To increase the safety of wheel spacers off-road, you need to follow these guidelines:
- For the additional length of the studs or wheel bolts-on wheel spacers rather than slip-on spacers.
- Use high-quality aluminum alloy wheel spacers.
- Install the wheel spacers properly.
- Recheck the torque when you after the installation by launching the vehicle.
- Check the lugs or bolts before and after every trip and ensure they are all tight.
Anyway, there’s indeed some inevitable stress on the hub, and spacers, so are any other accessories. So the fail of the wheel spacers cannot be avoided completely. Following the tips above can help expand the life span. If you’re interested in the off-roading wheel spacers, welcome to subscribe the channel to get more cases of wheel spacers.
