Wheel Adapters

79dentside · Apr 21, 2020

Hey all. Any of you running wheel adapters? I want to pull my wheels out of the wheel well a smidge anyways, but I kinda like the ~~6 lug~~ 8 lug 16” rally wheel tire options. I currently have 5 lugs and will stick to 5 lugs, just wondered if this was something that any of you have done? I plan to buy wheel spacers anyways, regardless of if I do aug conversion. Thanks

80BrownK10 · Apr 21, 2020

You can get spacers off eBay for this. Half inch , inch , inch and a half, two inches, whatever you want. Lots of people run them maybe not many here but people do.

Scott91370 · Apr 21, 2020

If you're going to use them get good ones. They're not cheap but cheaper then having the cheap-o set break and having to fix body/suspension damage.
BORA and Fred Goeske come to mind.

Then you also have to worry about trimming lug studs if the spacer isn't deep enough to cover the existing ones on the truck when you bolt the spacer on.

Shorty81 · Apr 21, 2020

Keep tires inside the fenders if you like your paint.

79dentside · Apr 21, 2020

I mixed up the lug count in my initial post, I meant 8 lug 16”... sorry about that. I don’t even know if they make such an adapter. I like the 3/4 ton look.

Shorty81 said:
Keep tires inside the fenders if you like your paint.

Her paint is trashed, and so is a lot of her metal lol.

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Scott91370 said:
If you're going to use them get good ones. They're not cheap but cheaper then having the cheap-o set break and having to fix body/suspension damage.
BORA and Fred Goeske come to mind.

Then you also have to worry about trimming lug studs if the spacer isn't deep enough to cover the existing ones on the truck when you bolt the spacer on.

I’ve done straight wheel spacers on the rear of a truck before and had to trim the studs. I was only wanting about an inch of spacing. This may just be more hassle than it’s worth... and expensive. I was wanting to run a 31”-32” height tire but without it being too wide of a tire... maybe I should just stick to 31x10.5x15 and call it a day. Truck currently has OLD 235/75/15’s.

HotRodPC · Apr 21, 2020

Being a tow operator, I won't have them. I know, I know, they weren't installed right, or they were the cheap ones or... I've towed many, most with oversize tires I'd admit, but they sure seem to like to break off studs and lose wheels and cause lots of damage when they do break at 25-50 mph, or maybe even faster at times. I know one I towed, he was blocking the whole cloverleaf freeway interchange. I had to go part on the grass and part on the pavement to get around traffic, used a floor jack to scoot him over enough to let traffic get past, then I could finally scoot him back over and block traffic again to load him up. It was a real bitch. I made him go down in the center of the cloverleaf to roll his wheel back up the hill. I was signed up to tow cars, not chase wheels 50 yards away down hill. So do be careful and heed the warnings above. They're no joke.

bucket · Apr 21, 2020

After seeing all the WhistlinDiesel videos on YouTube, I'm a believer that properly installed wheel spacers are bomb-proof.

HotRodPC · Apr 21, 2020

bucket said:
After seeing all the WhistlinDiesel videos on YouTube, I'm a believer that properly installed wheel spacers are bomb-proof.

I wish I could trust them. I'd like to have a set up HUMVEE wheels on 37in military tires for my K20. I know I can have the wheel spacing re centered but that seems expensive.

84 M1008 · Apr 22, 2020

HotRodPC said:
Being a tow operator, I won't have them. I know, I know, they weren't installed right, or they were the cheap ones or... I've towed many, most with oversize tires I'd admit, but they sure seem to like to break off studs and lose wheels and cause lots of damage when they do break at 25-50 mph, or maybe even faster at times. I know one I towed, he was blocking the whole cloverleaf freeway interchange. I had to go part on the grass and part on the pavement to get around traffic, used a floor jack to scoot him over enough to let traffic get past, then I could finally scoot him back over and block traffic again to load him up. It was a real bitch. I made him go down in the center of the cloverleaf to roll his wheel back up the hill. I was signed up to tow cars, not chase wheels 50 yards away down hill. So do be careful and heed the warnings above. They're no joke

I sold a beautiful 83 C10 long bed to a fella that ended up totaling it because I put aluminum adapters to adapt Corvette rally wheels on it. He hit a telephone pole with it after the aluminum adapter broke and stuffed the battery tray into the windshield. He's lucky he didn't get killed. Other than a trailer queen show truck I would never use them on the road.

bluex · Apr 22, 2020

I have had the $60ish a set (of 2) eBay spacers on my truck for going on 3 years. Ive had no problems out of them, no crazy vibrations an I haven't had one work loose either.

Late in 2018 I got ran off the road into a curb bad enough it trashed both my pass side a-arms, wheel, spindle an required the frame to be pulled. The spacer was fine, no cracks or damage an it still didn't come loose. I did replace it an the rotor just in case but they were probably fine.

However I DONT like/recommend the 2 piece adapters that change the pattern, like the 5 to 6 lug ones. I've seen tons of issues with those.

You must be registered for see images attach

roundhouse · Apr 22, 2020

Not that hard to swap on 8 lug spindles on the front and an 8 Lug axle in the back of thats he look you really want

80BrownK10 · Apr 22, 2020

79dentside said:
I mixed up the lug count in my initial post, I meant 8 lug 16”... sorry about that. I don’t even know if they make such an adapter. I like the 3/4 ton look.

Her paint is trashed, and so is a lot of her metal lol.

You must be registered for see images attach

I’ve done straight wheel spacers on the rear of a truck before and had to trim the studs. I was only wanting about an inch of spacing. This may just be more hassle than it’s worth... and expensive. I was wanting to run a 31”-32” height tire but without it being too wide of a tire... maybe I should just stick to 31x10.5x15 and call it a day. Truck currently has OLD 235/75/15’s.

If you stick too big a tire out too far and get outside the fender that tire is going to eat your sheet metal when heavily loaded and going over bumps if it can't tuck. Some don't actually haul much with their trucks and might not think of this but I will stack my bed out with green firewood and it squats bad.

84 M1008 · Apr 22, 2020

bluex said:
I have had the $60ish a set (of 2) eBay spacers on my truck for going on 3 years. Ive had no problems out of them, no crazy vibrations an I haven't had one work loose either.

Late in 2018 I got ran off the road into a curb bad enough it trashed both my pass side a-arms, wheel, spindle an required the frame to be pulled. The spacer was fine, no cracks or damage an it still didn't come loose. I did replace it an the rotor just in case but they were probably fine.

However I DONT like/recommend the 2 piece adapters that change the pattern, like the 5 to 6 lug ones. I've seen tons of issues with those.

You must be registered for see images attach

I had adapters changing the lug bolt pattern. Never again.

Jerry phillion · Apr 22, 2020

My experience as a retired toolmaker, is to only use adapters made from billet aluminum . DO NOT use cast aluminum.
Safety is a big factor. Also, very important, is make sure
the inside diameter is machined to match your spindle dia.
This will support most of the weight on that wheel. You don't
want the weight on the wheel studs. That's why they break off.
Spend your money wisely and be safe.

79dentside · Apr 22, 2020

Jerry phillion said:
My experience as a retired toolmaker, is to only use adapters made from billet aluminum . DO NOT use cast aluminum.
Safety is a big factor. Also, very important, is make sure
the inside diameter is machined to match your spindle dia.
This will support most of the weight on that wheel. You don't
want the weight on the wheel studs. That's why they break off.
Spend your money wisely and be safe.

I think I’m going to forego the adapters.... starting to sound like a terrible idea.

I have run ~~billet~~ [Aluminum] spacers that ~~were~~ ~~vehicle specific on~~ [would fit] the rear of a 2001 Chevy 2500. The axle was sunken in pretty good and put some 1.5” spacers on. I paid a little bit more, but they were specific and had torque specs and they explained to me that I shouldn’t have any issues even when towing.

I will probably still invest in a higher quality set of spacers, I don’t like sunken in wheels.

84 M1008 · Apr 22, 2020

79dentside said:
I think I’m going to forego the adapters.... starting to sound like a terrible idea.

I have run billet spacers that were vehicle specific on the rear of a 2001 Chevy 2500. The axle was sunken in pretty good and put some 1.5” spacers on. I paid a little bit more, but they were specific and had torque specs and they explained to me that I shouldn’t have any issues even when towing.

I will probably still invest in a higher quality set of spacers, I don’t like sunken in wheels.

Are they hub centric, or lug centric? It makes a big difference. You want hub centric wheels, spacers and adapters. They are far safer.

Wheel Adapters

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