It Came from the Fab Shop: Homemade Wheel Spacers

[cjforumadmin]

http://www.bangshift.com/blog/It-Came-from-the-Fab-Shop-Homemade-Wheel-Spacers.html

[tiresmoke!]

Re: It Came from the Fab Shop: Homemade Wheel Spacers

You, sir, are precisely who the younger "set" needs to be learning from.

The DIY ethos is one that I strive to employ wherever possible...much more satisfying.

There's a Bridgeport machine over at Promax(the speed shop forum member SpeedJunkee works at)...I stare at it every time I go over there.

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: It Came from the Fab Shop: Homemade Wheel Spacers

Pure art! And black magic for me. :P

[trukluvr]

Re: It Came from the Fab Shop: Homemade Wheel Spacers

Another great job Loren. Keep the stuff coming.

[Weldangrind]

Re: It Came from the Fab Shop: Homemade Wheel Spacers

Thanks for a great article.

I've never really articulated the difference between a mill and a lathe before; it makes perfect sense. I've considered buying an XY cross table for use with a drill press to create a hillbilly mill drill, but as you say, a drill press isn't designed to cut sideways.

[CTX-SLPR]

Re: It Came from the Fab Shop: Homemade Wheel Spacers

What would you recommend for making some 1-1/8in spacers? I found a good deal on some decent looking 17in wheels in 5x5in for cheap but since they are setup for 4-1/2in back spacing and my current 3-3/8in backspacing wheels are the most backspacing I can run without them rubbing the frame I'd have to use spacers. Also they don't design wheels to clear 4 piston calipers anymore it seems, I might have to end up using spacers even if I got custom wheels to clear the 4 piston iron calipers I want (07+ Tundra).

[Loren]

Re: It Came from the Fab Shop: Homemade Wheel Spacers

Thanks for comments, all...

What would you recommend for making some 1-1/8in spacers? I found a good deal on some decent looking 17in wheels in 5x5in for cheap but since they are setup for 4-1/2in back spacing and my current 3-3/8in backspacing wheels are the most backspacing I can run without them rubbing the frame I'd have to use spacers. Also they don't design wheels to clear 4 piston calipers anymore it seems, I might have to end up using spacers even if I got custom wheels to clear the 4 piston iron calipers I want (07+ Tundra).

We have to be cautious about making recommendations, but if it were me... I'd consider that thickness as past the upper limit where I'd use a conventional "spacer" and look at adaptor types such as Jegs sells ( http://www.jegs.com/p/JEGS/1202569/10002/-1 ), note that 5" dia.-to-5" dia is not listed but may be available), check into shops that do custom trucks as the 5-on-5 pattern is same as a GM half-ton, or contact Fred Goeske of drag racing fame at http://www.wheeladapter.com/wheel_adapters.php . Any of these will likely be machined from T-4 or T-6 aluminum bar and unless your already set up they can make 'em cheaper than what you could do. Note that WheelAdapter.com can machine parts which "register" onto your hubs on the inside and into the wheel on the outside, which is really the ultimate.

[CTX-SLPR]

Re: It Came from the Fab Shop: Homemade Wheel Spacers

Thanks, I already have a request in with him for a quote on 4 of them with the early GM 3.5in register but I'll need to discuss with him how to make is so I could sleeve it down so when I change to the later 3in register hubs they will still be hubcentric. There are some off the shelf items for Jeeps at 1.25in but that would likely be a bit too wide.