Wheel spacer's Steel vs Aluminum

[Hubert]

I have been looking at a couple of wheel spacers.

Seems some are made of steel some are made from aluminum. Vary in cost from ~ $85 to $300 + depending on vendor (and looks like materials).

Any problems with Aluminum spacers? Many rims are aluminum so I guess they are fine. Steel would definately be more durable especially if you have to press out a damaged lug and in a new lug. Any other pro and cons? I have the factory steel rims on my truck.

I am not towing more than about 7,000 lbs total (tractor and trailer) occasionally. Mostly as a daily driver.

I don't have wide big tires and the skinny tires look even funnier narrower in the rear. Now P235/85's I think. Probably go with a little wider next time but nothing in danger of rubbing in stock trim.

[Uncle Wally]

Hubert,

I have a set of aluminum ones that I made out of 6061-T6. The issue your going to have with your truck (I originally had mine on a 94 - same as yours) has to do with how wide you need to make them.

If you use aluminum, I would not use the conicle lugs. I would use the ones that you get with Alcoa Wheels. They have a washer built in to them. By going with this setup, you are going to end up with a wheel spacer that is right around 2" wide with 16 holes in it, 8 for the lugs/nuts that will hold the inner tire on and 8 with lugs pressed into it for the outer tire. That puts a space between the tires at approximately 2.25". Which will make the outer tire barely be covered by the fender blisters. It makes it a little better in the snow as there is a wider gap between them for the snow to go, vice the 1/4" which makes it essentially one really wide tire.

If you were going to use billet steel, I think one could go wither of two ways, just add a spacer between the wheels and use a longer lug bolt, or use the same idea as the aluminum, but use the acorn nuts from the factory and make it a little narrower. I think it may require trimming the lugs a touch. It all depends on what you want.

Personally, I like the idea of bolting the inner wheel on and then the outer after. Seams to me it would be a little stronger. If the spacer ever gave way, the inner wheel is still torqued on and should not fall off. At least enough to get the vehicle stopped safely.

Waldo

[Hubert]

Waldo,

I have the single rear wheel GM 14 bolt semi-floater rear end.

I am looking at the style that bolts to the truck with the truck's studs then the spacer has studs pressed in to bolt the tire onto the spacer.

All appear to use the tapered lug nut to hold the spacer on but don't show the tire lug (which depends on rims). IIRC I believe the hub will still stick out far enough to center tire and support load and can use the factory tapered lugs seats for the factory steel rims to hold the tire onto the spacer.

Or does the hub have a 2nd diameter (shoulder) for the rim to center on next to the brake drum? I'll have to double check that.

Hubert

[Heartbeat Hauler]

Waldo,

I have the single rear wheel GM 14 bolt semi-floater rear end.

I am looking at the style that bolts to the truck with the truck's studs then the spacer has studs pressed in to bolt the tire onto the spacer.

All appear to use the tapered lug nut to hold the spacer on but don't show the tire lug (which depends on rims). IIRC I believe the hub will still stick out far enough to center tire and support load and can use the factory tapered lugs seats for the factory steel rims to hold the tire onto the spacer.

Or does the hub have a 2nd diameter (shoulder) for the rim to center on next to the brake drum? I'll have to double check that.

Hubert
Talk to Fred Goeske at http://www.wheeladapter.com/home.asp he is great and will help you decide what you need. Ihave a set of aluminum spacers for my dually and they are a high quality product.
JP