Thoughts on wheel spacers?

58chev · Etobicoke On Rod-side Member

Thoughts on wheel spacers?

rochie · London On, ELTA Member

Why not "clearance" the caliper. See where it's hitting and grind some away to clear the wheel. The spacers are junk!

-- Edited by rochie on Monday 29th of May 2017 09:11:40 AM

Junior · Race starter St.Thomas Drags Rod-side Aylmer On Member

rochie wrote:
Why not "clearance" the caliper. See where it's hitting and grind some away to clear the wheel. The spacers are junk!

-- Edited by rochie on Monday 29th of May 2017 09:11:40 AM

What he said 1000 X

Junior

tc · St.Thomas On member

As Wayne and John said "Avoid Wheel Spacers"

shag766 · Foxboro On Rod-side Member

all of the above and then some i can't think of right now. i have used them way back when but in hindsight today i consider myself lucky i got away with it. maybe a 1/16 or an 1/8th on a small 6cyl p!ss cutter, still not recommended, but you have 2 X the weight and a V8 ta boot. you don't hear much about it anymore but i'm guessing there are a couple of guys on here capable of re-centering them if you are in love with them. or maybe sell what you are taking off and buy 2 of what fits, recommended. what is the off-set on them now besides being a 1/2" short? just curious.

33 guy · Mississauga On Rod-side Member Ford guy

Hey Frank

Spacers aren't recommended because on the axle there is an extended part of the axle that fills the center

hole of the rim . This centers the wheel on the axle and takes the shear effect off the lugs. If you run a spacer, the rim

is only held in place by the lugs , and probably out of center and possibly could shear the lugs off .

Rochie is right , take a grinder to the caliper . An 1/8 to 3/16 clearance is all you need as both the rim and caliper

will not move towards each other .

58chev · Etobicoke On Rod-side Member

Rick,
I believe the offset is 4-3/8" on the 7" wheel. There is a GM Rally 7" that apparently had a 3-1/2" backspace but hard to find.

I spent some time looking at the grinding option but with the offset it puts the tire up
against the steering arm. Can't win. 😥

Other option is to get my 6" Rally's powder coated the same and use them. I feel that this 58 is starting to become a money pit.

parklane · St.Thomas On Rod-side member

58chev wrote:

Other option is to get my 6" Rally's powder coated the same and use them. I feel that this 58 is starting to become a money pit.

And, you're just starting to realize this now??

rochie · London On, ELTA Member

Frank, you could take the wheel centers out and reset the offset to your liking.

58chev · Etobicoke On Rod-side Member

I'd like to thank everyone for their input.

I ended up using a set of 6" Rally's I had with smaller 195 old tires on them. Had the tires removed and chucked out and got the new BFGoodrich Radial TA's 215's taken off the 7" Rally's.

Only issue is the 7" were just recently blasted and powder coated and the 6" is a much darker grey. But I can at least move my car around in the shop now.