What wheel spacers should I be using?

deadanon

deadanon

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Recently I got my hands on a 99 TJ which needed some work (full suspension...) anyway, did a 2.5" lift and stuck some 31" tires on it but when turning the wheel all the way to one direction or the other, the tires rub (which i thought would have been solved by the lift). So now I am stuck looking for spacers but I don't really LOVE the look when the wheels are all the way out. Would a 1" spacer be enough clearance for 10.5 inch wide tires? If I go all the way to 2" will the tires stick out and kill the "iconic" look?
 
deadanon said:
Recently I got my hands on a 99 TJ which needed some work (full suspension...) anyway, did a 2.5" lift and stuck some 31" tires on it but when turning the wheel all the way to one direction or the other, the tires rub (which i thought would have been solved by the lift). So now I am stuck looking for spacers but I don't really LOVE the look when the wheels are all the way out. Would a 1" spacer be enough clearance for 10.5 inch wide tires? If I go all the way to 2" will the tires stick out and kill the "iconic" look?
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What backspacing or offset and width do your wheels have?

1” of offset should not rub with 31s, but more than 1” may.

The stock TJ Rubicon wheels came with 5” backspacing or 1” offset; most others had around 5.5” backspacing and were often narrower.

You do not want to exceed -0.5” or so of effective offset. The most common offset is -0.25 with 12.5 wide tires; smaller tires generally go with zero or slightly positive offset. -0.25” offset is equal to roughly 3.75” backspacing on 8” wide wheels.

A 1” wheel spacer may require lug stud trimming, but generally 1.25” or larger should not. I’m running 1.25” spacers on TJ Rubicon wheels, but I also have the equivalent of 35x12.5 tires.
 
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Offset requires some math and isn't as easy as backspacing.

Regardless, what wheels do you have and how wide are those 31" tires?

What are the tires rubbing? If it's the suspension, you could probably get away with a washer or two on the steering stops.

If it's the body, you got something else going on.
 
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JEEPCJTJ said:
Offset requires some math and isn't as easy as backspacing.

Regardless, what wheels do you have and how wide are those 31" tires?

What are the tires rubbing? If it's the suspension, you could probably get away with a washer or two on the steering stops.

If it's the body, you got something else going on.
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31x10.5x15 and they only just barely touch the arm. I didn't even think about a couple washers...seems kinda unsafe no?
 
deadanon said:
31x10.5x15 and they only just barely touch the arm. I didn't even think about a couple washers...seems kinda unsafe no?
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The washers are fine. They simply reduce how far the wheels can turn left or right by a few degrees. Only difference is your turning radius will increase slightly, probably not even enough to notice.

What would be unsafe is removing the steering stops altogether to decrease turning radius.

Do you know what rims you have? Are they stock or aftermarket?
 
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Steel City 06 said:
The washers are fine. They simply reduce how far the wheels can turn left or right by a few degrees. Only difference is your turning radius will increase slightly, probably not even enough to notice.

What would be unsafe is removing the steering stops altogether to decrease turning radius.

Do you know what rims you have? Are they stock or aftermarket?
Click to expand...

The wheels are stock as far as I am aware... Here's a picture of where the tire rubs the swaybar link

20190903_122431.jpg
 
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