Question about studs when using wheel adapters

Rollin20z

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
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Location
King George VA
Maybe a simple question but I pick up some stock wrangler wheels with like new tires that I'm just gonna use to commute back and forth to work 63 mile 1 way. And ordered a set of adapters suggested on here thru amazon(billet ones) . Just wondering if everyone is cutting off studs some? Just using open end nuts? or putting in shorter studs? Im pretty sure just open end studs adapter to axle, but from adapter to new 5x5 wheel is where these are too long for original nuts on there now. (closed cap).

can post pics if need be, but i figure plenty have been thru this.

thanks
 
When it comes to spacers you should use high quality spacers like Spidertrax.
 
ok, well I went by suggestions by members on this site, and these were the ones they referred too instead of $200 for the Spidertrax ones. Not saying those may not be better but as twice the price if lots of people are running these with no problems I don't see the need to spend money not 100% needed. If I were doing a lot of severe off road then maybe but I'm not.

Just one of the threads I went by:
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/how-to-run-jk-or-jl-wheels-on-a-tj.19285/#post-330422
These are the ones I got which were specifically suggested on here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IVKIZW0/?tag=wranglerorg-20

But thanks for the insight.
 
Interesting. I wouldn’t trust those. Wheel spacers are a touchy subject. 90% of the time when you hear bad things about spacers is when they used cheap low quality off brand spacers.
I hope those work out for you.
 
Ok, so there both supposed to be out of T6 billet aluminum but difference is one has a more popular brand name on it and costs a little more than 2 1/2 times as much. Other than that please explain to me the difference you in the 2 if you take SpiderTrax name out of the equation? Blue anodizing? Tube of red loctite?
Spidertrax
https://www.quadratec.com/products/92807_003.htmRecommended here
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IVKIZW0/?tag=wranglerorg-20


And please do not say the " Made in USA
Made_in_the_USA.gif
" label. Because we all know how easy that is to just throw on anything anymore and nothing against anything but just because it says "Made in USA" by in no way makes its the best sorry. I mean look at Harley since eveyone like that one first and foremost...

Harleys sold in the U.S. are indeed assembled in one of four plants located in Wisconsin, Missouri and Pennsylvania. But the brakes and clutch are imported from Italy, the engine pistons are made in Austria, the bike suspension comes from Japan, and other electronic components originate in Mexico and China.Jul 6, 2018 .

Not trying to be complicated but I asked about stud length on adapters I already purchased and you chimed in telling me what I should have bought even though I went by suggestions from others on here that seem like they have been there done that. i mean I'm more than happy to send you a shipping address if you are worried for my safety and feel like paying it forward an want to order me a set of the 100% no doubt about it SpiderTrax ones and send them my way as I will promise you I will use them.

thanks again.....

now I need a beer !!!
 
The last wheel adapters I ever used was to put 5 bolt Chevy wheels on a 4 bolt VW Beetle but I never did that on any Baja Bug. Come to think of it, the only reason I ever had them was because a previous owner liked the Chevy wheels so much.

Those adapters that you have bought appear to have a 1.25 inch thickness. How friggin' long are your studs? I've never measured mine but I bet about the same. And the adapter looks like it comes with 5 nuts each. I'm not sure why they are on the studs for the picture but I'd hope that they fit the studs on the Jeep to hold these adapters on and then you can use your original nuts to hold the wheel to the adapter.

Of course if those nuts only fit the adapter studs I'd blame the Chinese for yet another way to screw up America.

Good Luck.
 
When looking for wheel spacers or hub adapters, look for hub centric ones. The hub centric adapters put the majority of the load on the wheel hub itself, not the studs. This vastly increases strength and safety. It also reduces the odds of vibrations due to a slightly off center wheel.

The spidertrax are hub centric. Cheap spacers are often not, as they are designed to fit a larger range of vehicles
 
When looking for wheel spacers or hub adapters, look for hub centric ones. The hub centric adapters put the majority of the load on the wheel hub itself, not the studs. This vastly increases strength and safety. It also reduces the odds of vibrations due to a slightly off center wheel.

The spidertrax are hub centric. Cheap spacers are often not, as they are designed to fit a larger range of vehicles
As much as I appreciate and enjoy the use of hub centric spacers, once the lug nuts are tightened down, the strength of the hub to hole interface is no longer in the equation and if it ever does come into play, the connection has failed and your tire won't be there for long. The only thing the hub centric function does is "center the hub on the pilot" until the nuts are torqued. The quotes are there because the pattern can be off slightly and the conical end of the lug nut will pull it to one side against the pilot rendering the center useless.

The load is 100% carried by the friction developed by the clamping force of the 5 lug nuts and studs, not the hub centric hole or pilot.
 
As much as I appreciate and enjoy the use of hub centric spacers, once the lug nuts are tightened down, the strength of the hub to hole interface is no longer in the equation and if it ever does come into play, the connection has failed and your tire won't be there for long. The only thing the hub centric function does is "center the hub on the pilot" until the nuts are torqued. The quotes are there because the pattern can be off slightly and the conical end of the lug nut will pull it to one side against the pilot rendering the center useless.

The load is 100% carried by the friction developed by the clamping force of the 5 lug nuts and studs, not the hub centric hole or pilot.
That’s good to know.
So would you pay extra for hub centric spacers or just use universal spacers?
Any brands/types we should avoid?
 
That’s good to know.
So would you pay extra for hub centric spacers or just use universal spacers?
Any brands/types we should avoid?
I use hub centric for the unit bearing side because it appeals to my sense of correctness about such things. The other side that the wheel sits against only matter for the hub centric part if you are running OEM wheels. Very few aftermarket wheels are hub centric.

I don't recommend parts generally. And if I did, I certainly would not recommend the ones I use which are beyond cheap, sometimes have issues, and not confidence inspiring if you know what to look for.
 
Maybe a simple question but I pick up some stock wrangler wheels with like new tires that I'm just gonna use to commute back and forth to work 63 mile 1 way. And ordered a set of adapters suggested on here thru amazon(billet ones) . Just wondering if everyone is cutting off studs some? Just using open end nuts? or putting in shorter studs? Im pretty sure just open end studs adapter to axle, but from adapter to new 5x5 wheel is where these are too long for original nuts on there now. (closed cap).

can post pics if need be, but i figure plenty have been thru this.

thanks
Since I didn't see the answer anywhere above I'll comment. The stock lugs should fit without cutting the stud on the adapter. Just try it out and see for yourself but I wouldn't overthink it.
 
Since I didn't see the answer anywhere above I'll comment. The stock lugs should fit without cutting the stud on the adapter. Just try it out and see for yourself but I wouldn't overthink it.
I meant to address this, generally the spacers come with lug nuts which are open ended and fit into the recessed area that is for the OEM stud on the U/B. The stock lug nuts are then re-used on the new studs to hold the wheel on. Typically there are dimples in the back side of the WMS on OEM wheels that even a slightly too long stud fits into with no issue.
 
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I'll throw in my old man's outdated opinion'tho I dont think I am really old. For things like brakes, tires, steering, I am willing to spend a little more. The cheapest item is cheapest for a reason. Be that cheaper materials, cheaper workmanship, cheaper advertising budget. I'll roll the dice on cheap lawnmower blade, cheap socks, cheap seat covers. If/when the item fails I haven't killed myself. Cheap socks may put a hole in the toe, cheap shoes could twist/break an ankle and you fall off the mountain. Outdated way of thinking, I know, but I haven't had a lumpy mattress to sleep on either.
 
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When it comes to spacers you should use high quality spacers like Spidertrax.

Not necessarily true.

Many of the ones sold on Amazon have been used by a number of us including myself, @toximus, @Mike_H, and a number of others.

Spidertrax is just a name. The trick is making sure the adapters are CNC billet, not cast aluminum.

Don't be fooled into thinking Spidertrax is somehow better than anything else. The ones he bought on Amazon are just fine.
 
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ok, well I went by suggestions by members on this site, and these were the ones they referred too instead of $200 for the Spidertrax ones. Not saying those may not be better but as twice the price if lots of people are running these with no problems I don't see the need to spend money not 100% needed. If I were doing a lot of severe off road then maybe but I'm not.

Just one of the threads I went by:
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/how-to-run-jk-or-jl-wheels-on-a-tj.19285/#post-330422
These are the ones I got which were specifically suggested on here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IVKIZW0/?tag=wranglerorg-20

But thanks for the insight.

Those ones are just fine! I have run those personally as well as a number of others. You are 100% just fine running these, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Don't fall into the trap that just because it says Spidertrax on it that it is somehow superior. You made a good choice buying the ones you did, and you saved some money in the process.
 
There are some completely no name startup brands that I would not trust that sell on Amazon and Ebay.

Normally I would error on the side of brand name but there are some other brands that are known to be good. In addition to looking at how they're made, inspect each adapter before using.
 
Interesting. I wouldn’t trust those. Wheel spacers are a touchy subject. 90% of the time when you hear bad things about spacers is when they used cheap low quality off brand spacers.
I hope those work out for you.
Why wouldn't you trust them? I've been running them for abut 15,000 miles with 0 issue. BUT, I maintain my vehicles well, including checking torque on wheel spacers.

I don't understand why there is drama regarding spacers. Guys will recommend 3.75" backspaced wheels all the time and shy away from a spacer on a factory wheel that give you the same effective Backspacing. Is it because of the additional bolts connections ? Hell, your whole vehicle is bolted together...the axle is only centered under the Jeep by one lonely M10 bolt. What happens if that bolted connection fails? Total loss of control is what happens.

I think most failures happen because people don't recognize the inherent extra maintenance that goes along with spacers and they ignore them. They can loosen up and cause problems. Because our society cannot take ANY personal responsibility for their actions, they get on the internet and blame the spacer for being Junky, or Chinese, or defective, or whatever.