Tire size

[martymcfly]

I will have to agree with Grant about the liability. Sprint car racers have been using wheel spacers for years without many problems. That is an extreme application and I have never seen a failure. However, on a trailer, they may put a little more stress on your wheel bearings. JMHO.

[kenafp]

Grant, thanks!
One question, though.
Are your spacers lug centric or hub centric?

[grant whipp]

Grandma, thanks!
One question, though.
Are your spacers lug centric or hub centric?

Mine are lug centric, Ken ... as I believe most are. It seems to me (though I'm not an expert on this) that in order to be hub centric, the spacers would have had to been machined to the exact specs of your hub. I had some problems early on with the custom wheels on the front of my Saturn, and they were solved by getting a pair of hub centric "rings" (not spacers) that properly centered the wheels to the Saturn's hubs ... didn't need them on the rear (which would essentially be the same as on a trailer).

Hope that made sense ... ...!

CHEERS!

[kenafp]

Oops! I'm sorry my auto correct called you Grandma! My ultimate apologies!

[kenafp]

Redfaced...

[grant whipp]

Oops! I'm sorry my auto correct called you Grandma! My ultimate apologies!

Redfaced...

Not a problem, Ken ... I've been called worse and been O.K. with it ... ...! Kay's grandson calls me Grantpa ... you're close enough, so I'll let you get aways with it ... this time! ...

CHEERS!

[kenafp]

Alright. So, I was advised to use the red Loctite to secure the lug nuts (which I haven't done yet).
But I have a question about this...would the blue Loctite be more appropriate since I would be expecting to repack the bearings more often when using wheel spacers? It seems as though the red Loctite is mean to be permanent, or at least able to come off if exposed to 450 degrees for 10 minutes. And removed while hot.
The blue stuff says it can be used for removable nuts.

Thoughts?

[grant whipp]

Hey, Ken!

Is that "advice" from the wheel spacer mfg. ... ...? I have never ever used any kind of thread lock goo on any of my lugnuts, and I've never ever had a problem! Even the thousands and thousands of miles I've put on that personal teardrop of mine with the wheel spacers. Wheels have to come off from time-to-time, so I just do NOT understand why anyone would recommend using any kind of Loctite on them (unless it was some kind of lubricant that kept them from seizing) ... ...!

CHEERS!

[kenafp]

Grant, that makes more sense

[MtnDon]

Loctite for use on lug nuts would be nuts! Especially red loctite. Red requires application of heat to disassemble. The only place I use it is things I donot want to take apart... studs that thread into an engine block for example. Wheel lug nuts stay tight when properly torqued. Buy a torque wrench and use it and be sure to recheck torque a couple of times after initial tightening; say @ 10 and 50 miles. Checl trailer/vehicle mfg for recommendations.

Possibly using loctite for the nuts that secure spacers... but even then I personally would not do that. I'd remove the wheels and retorque a couple of times.

[kenafp]

[Redneck Teepee]

Wheel studs are of the fine thread variety and are less prone to loosening from vibration of everyday use, I agree with Grant that proper torquing will insure trouble free service. Here's a cut and paste that explains it way better than I:

Fine threaded bolts are stronger than the corresponding coarse threaded bolts of the same hardness. This is in both tension and shear due to the fine threaded bolts having a slightly larger tensile stress area and minor diameter.

Fine threads have less tendency to loosen under vibration due to their having a smaller helix angle than coarse threads. Fine thread Locking Insert grip coils are more flexible than coarse thread insert corresponding size grip coils, and are less likely to take a set under vibration conditions.

Fine threads because of their finer pitch allow for finer adjustments in those applications that need this characteristic.

Fine threads can be more easily tapped into difficult to tap materials, and thin walled sections.

Fine threads require less tightening torque to develop equivalent preloads to the corresponding coarse thread bolt sizes.

[KCStudly]

... and don't forget, specified torque values are always based on clean dry threads unless a specific lubricant is specified. Any lubricant, including certain plating materials will reduce the friction, and therefore require a lower torque value to achieve the desired stretch.

[tony.latham]

this product is only intended for off-highway use.

That's lawyer speak. We live in a litigious society. I sold an airplane I built. I probably should have sold it with the caveat; "This device is not intended to be operated above the surface of the earth."

T

[kenafp]

I installed the 2 inch spacers and noticed that it set my wheels about an inch away from the brackets. The only issue is that the clearance I have to get it out of the garage is only about a 1/4 inch on both sides. Plus when I measured my fenders, there's a bit of the tire that isn't covered.
I ordered 1 inch spacers, this time hub centric. I'll see how that works.
How much clearance should I have away from the side of the frame to the tires? Would 1/2 inch work?