Wheel spacers

[Dakota4ce]

2016 EL—contemplating the next move. On the subject of wheels, are wheel spacers always a bad idea? Are they safe? Do they cause any unnecessary wear or stress?

I like factory wheel options, most of which are 44mm offset. I would love to get those just a touch more outboard, but I am not super into aftermarket wheels for this truck. The factory 20s in fact are really growing on me. Originally thought 22s, but there are sooooo many more tire options for 20s. Thinking 34” all terrain type after my leveling kit is on.

Thoughts on spacers?




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[99WhiteC5Coupe]

I own a 2015 Expedition Limited 4x4 with the 20-inch wheels.

My thoughts on spacers; completely unnecessary, and could alter the handling and braking dynamics of the vehicle. The stability control system is designed to operate with the (factory) wheels and tires placed on the vehicle. Any modification could lead to problems, including unnecessary wear and safety issues. Aftermarket alteration could also lead to warranty denial for a variety of drivetrain issues.

I know there are those on this forum that worry more about the vehicle “looking cool” than safety - but not me. Ford engineers design vehicles with extensive testing. Why change the vehicle safety and driving dynamics to something that may be worse?

My 2 cents.

 

[jeff kushner]

Like '99, I researched as well since I happen to like the look....but the issues mainly with wheel bearings caused me to set the idea aside. The wheels were not designed to be cantilevered.....'

JMHO
jeff

 

[Flexpedition]

Put a half-inch set on the rear for looks alone. Fronts are out far enough. Handling might be a tad better, but really immeasurable. Nothing to do with brakes or warranty or your air conditioning or stability control or any other nonsense. You might add some wear to the wheel bearings, but its not like you'll be replacing them every 30,000 miles though.

Best bet is to go with aftermarket wheels with the backspacing your eye desires. Stock wheels are fine if you don't mind your truck looking like every other Expedition on the road.

 

[crector080862]

One other thing to consider with wheel spacers is the fact that they can fail and if they break being that most of them are just aluminum will cause catastrophic failure and could cost you your life or someone else's life I'm with the others that seem to think that getting aftermarket wheels with the right backspacing and offset that you prefer would be a lot safer and there are companies out there that make Wheels that look pretty damn close to the stock styling if that's what you're wishing just with a little lip

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[Dakota4ce]

Exactly feedback I was looking for! Appreciate the thoughts. I also like these wheels actually. And in this case, I prefer the factory look. My Sequoia was made for aftermarket wheels, I am not so sure on this Expy. Still deciding.

I really don’t understand the physics relating to a small spacer vs a differently backspaced aftermarket rim with regard to the wheel bearings....if the backspacing ended up the same, what would the wheel bearings care? You’ve essentially created a “2 piece” wheel with similar backspacing....vs the one piece aftermarket wheel. How does that cause more wear?






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[mcloven]

no worries with a quality set. I ran 3.5 inch spacers on my 911 turbo with super sticky tires and driven very hard and never had any issues. i wouldnt go 3 inch on an expedition, but a 1-1.5 should be fine with stock wheels.

 

[Flexpedition]

no worries with a quality set. I ran 3.5 inch spacers on my 911 turbo with super sticky tires and driven very hard and never had any issues. i wouldnt go 3 inch on an expedition, but a 1-1.5 should be fine with stock wheels.

Agreed. I've seen armchair mechanical engineers on Porsche forms get their mind blown when they learn Porsche makes various wheel spacers that you buy from the Porsche parts department. Genuine parts.

You take your chances with any ebay/amazon/wish/alibaba nameless metal anything that is usually Chinese or India export, where quality standards are suspect. You know, the stuff installed by a 16 year old on his 25 year old Civic combined with hella dope flush VIP treatment - thats where the failure rate is.

There are wheel spacers, spacers with OEM lug specs, there are stud-count converting adapters, stud-spacing converter adapters, lug centric to hub centric adapters, and hub centric to lug centric converters. Some are one piece, some two piece. Some bolt together re-using OEM studs, other use countersunk hardware. Some use OEM studs, some require trimming of EOM studs, others come with new studs altogether.

Narrow minds lump these all together as being one, which is unfortunate.

 

[ChrisOIFdoc]

I run 1"1/4 spacers on the front and beat the hell out of them off road. They haven't killed me......yet.

 

[Dakota4ce]

What would a guy say would be a quality source for 1” 6x135 spacers?

I get the Chinese part from eBay argument. Have been down that road!


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