cheap ass wheel spacers...**** happens.

[Thunderbirdsport]

Word of advice (and it's probably been said before, here) but don't buy cheap shit wheel spacers.




It ruined the wheel, obviously.

Thankfully it was out in my field headed to the shed to get a tractor to bring a load of wood in.
God only knows what might have resulted had it came apart on the highway at speed.

F*ck this cheap chinese shit. That is all.

 

[Adieu]

Too big, too weak, not a smart idea

Cheap lesson. Be glad nobody died.

 

[Motorcity muscle]

Sounds like you were really lucky, never was a fan of spacers or uni=lug wheels.

 

[Plati]

Is it the spacers or the bolts/lugs? Quick google search shows the lugs break a LOT. If one starts to go -- then the strain on the others is too much. Not that I know much about spacers, I would never use something like that. If anyone wants thats fine, just not me. I dont think the shear strength of bolts are suitable for that application. Like I said I dunno, but I think bolts are for holding things together not from shearing. If I was running that setup I would research and buy the best metal you can find and install myself making sure its all bolted together correctly. But ... I dunno, not my wheelhouse. Pun intended!

 

[Thunderbirdsport]

Yeah, the spacer itself didn't break, other than the hub ring once the studs sheared. 5 of the 6 sheared off. I found 4 in the snow. No clue where the other one is. One was still one and intact, else the whole damned wheel would've came off in the yard. That would've been bad.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

What is the purpose of installing wheel spacers?

 

[Thunderbirdsport]

In my case, to cure a little rub from stock offset wheels (king ranch wheels from an F-WonFiddy.

You can safely say they cured the rub. Ughh.

 

[Expedition Dave]

1. OK, so a hubcentric spacer means the wheel rests on the the center ring, correct?
2. So, all weight of the one wheel vehicles rests and rolls on that ring, and it is all held in place by the lugs--which in theory should support NONE of the trucks weight, correct?
3. It appears that the the weak hub failed, causing weight transfer to the lugs, which then catastrophically FAILED?

 

[ExplorerTom]

1. OK, so a hubcentric spacer means the wheel rests on the the center ring, correct?
2. So, all weight of the one wheel vehicles rests and rolls on that ring, and it is all held in place by the lugs--which in theory should support NONE of the trucks weight, correct?
3. It appears that the the weak hub failed, causing weight transfer to the lugs, which then catastrophically FAILED?

3rd gen wheels are lug centric, not hub centric. And most aftermarket wheels are hub centric. Easiest way to tell is to look at the lug nuts themselves. If they are tapered where they tighten against the wheel, they are lug centric. If they are flat, hub centric.

Lug centric are better as they center the wheel about the pattern of lug studs, allowing for easier installation and truer running operation (ie, no perceived imbalance due to the wheel not being 100% centered). The tapered shape of each lug nut centers the wheel about each lug stud with its matching tapered lug nut seat. The wheel is held on via the clamping force generated between the hub/brake rotor and the wheel when torqued properly. The lug studs should only ever be in tension if installed properly.

Hub centric is similar in that the lug studs also carry the load of the wheel- the hub is only there to center the wheel. However, in order to achieve the wheel’s center point is the same as the axle/hub’s center point, the tolerance between the wheel’s hub bore diameter and the hub’s flange diameter must be very similar. Ideally this should be a press fit, but press fits are not practical for wheels. And as wheels are repeatedly installed and removed, the soft aluminum of the wheel slowly wallows out from the hard steel of the hub making this tolerance less and less tight.

What happened in the OP’s case? My guess is that the lug studs were not the proper strength- probably just a grade 5 bolt. One bolt failed which quickly started a domino effect taking out the rest. The aluminum spacer hub flange tacoed when the wheel shifted.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

In my case, to cure a little rub from stock offset wheels (king ranch wheels from an F-WonFiddy.

You can safely say they cured the rub. Ughh.

So - people use them to modify the wheel and suspension design, which can result in catastrophic damage, or injury or death to vehicle occupants?

Why would anyone modify such an important safety design?