Are WHEEL SPACERS Actually SAFE? | Hub Centered Wheel Spacer Fail

Are wheel spacers actually safe and should you install them on your truck? I show you how even small wheel spacers can be dangerous if not properly used. the previous owner of this Chevy 2500 HD threatened the safety of the truck by not understanding the difference between hub centered wheels and stud centered wheels spacers.

Last weekend I was changing the upper control arms on my Chevy 2500 and noticed how the wheel lugs were extremely seized. I ended up finding a 1/4 wheel spacer on both front wheels. This Chevy 2500 has hub centered rims (they are much stronger and most HD pick up trucks have this style) so the rim and the weight of the vehicle actually sit on the hub NOT the studs. what happened is this spacer pushed the rim out far enough that it was no longer riding on the hub but instead all the weight of the vehicle was on the studs.

This can be very dangerous, if I was to load up this truck to its capacity and hit a hard bump the studs could sheer off because they are not meant to take that kind of load. resulting to losing the wheel and potentially putting your safety and other safety at risk.

Now there are companies that make high quality wheel spacer that are hub centered and that would greatly increase the safety of running wheel spacers. So before just slapping on wheel spacers (even small ones) take some time to fully understand how your truck is configured and what is the best option!

Thanks guys! Hope you like the video!

[r_ahk]

Came to this video after seeing a Kia flung in the air from a loose wheel

[jkgkjgkijk]

Ignorance is bliss. Hub centric spacers would have been a non issue. Install error is what you have.

[andrewhelmer]

Excellent video thank you for putting the message out there. I am having to rectify a vehicle given a bodged up vehicle body lift by a previous owner. Not only did the body lift wreck the cylinder head by putting the radiator and radiator fan out of alignment causing the engine to overheat. The wheel spacers used for the oversize tyres were full of stress cracks and were soon about to fall apart. When I put some welders crack detector on them I found these cracks to be even worse than they initially appeared. Needless to say I have got rid of these oversize tyres and wheel spacers and have had to put in hours to get the vehicle back to how it was before this bodged up body lift. I am all for people being allowed the right to repair their vehicles but against people interfering with vehicles in such a way that they can become death traps.

[Erated]

Makes perfect sense to me - engineers developed the axle, hub, wheel and weight distribution figures and messing with those ain’t smart IMO.
You guys in Ontario for good now?

[appalachhaun_adventures]

Shitty wheel spacers is all that problem was

[ericanderson]

The wheel studs are plenty strong enough to hold the wheel on. Someone just over torqued them…a common issue. It had nothing to do with the spacers.

[mattvang]

“Burn through wheel bearings” in that case people shouldn’t put wider aftermarket wheels because they do the same thing

[MCRD]

Don't use spacers. period. Use better wheels, or stock wheels. The offset is designed to distribute the load on your bearings.

[nickrussett]

So what about using regular spacers on the 1500 ram? Safe? I wanna get 1in ones.