So are we not worried about spacers anymore?

Sure would be nice to just add 1.25” spacers to my TRD OR wheels, which I really like, instead of spending $1k+ on methods... I think that would get my stock wheels to around +20 or 25 offset right?

Are we all in agreement that correctly installed, quality spacers (Bora or Spidertrax) are good to go, even for moderate off-road usage?

 

You must be uninformed if you thought spacers (proper hub/lug-centric product) were ever an issue when installed right.

I've been running spacers of all sizes (eg. 1", 1.25", and 2") since 2014 without issues with my 17" wheels and 40" tires.

 

I didn't know spacers were ever an issue. I've run spacers racing KOH and multiple rollovers and breaking differentials and bending wheels and the spacer never broke a sweat.

 

Go for it , this is the key...
“correctly installed, quality spacers”

 

High quality billet spacers, like the brands you mentioned, when properly installed, are just fine for even fairly heavy duty use.
You'll read all sorts of chicken little, anecdotal "evidence" about how they cause all sorts of issues, but I've never seen anything real to make me think they're not perfectly fine. Cheapo cast spacers from Amazon or Ebay should be avoided, but stuff like BORA or H&R are just fine.
I ran 1.5" BORA spacers on a 3/4 ton Dodge CTD which pulled a 10k lb toyhauler for years, and I ran 10mm H&R spacers on the rear of some pretty potent 55k AMGs putting down lots of power to the rear wheels and never had an issue with either setup.

Stock wheels are +60 offset, so a 1.25" spacer will net you about a +28 offset, which looks really good on a Tundra with stock wheels.

 

Nice thanks guys!!

 

I am sure spidertrax and bora make great spacers but quality wise I think these are just as good
2007-2020 Toyota Tundra 2WD 4WD Wheel Spacers (Hub Centric) | Supreme Suspensions®

 

Only thing bad about quality spacers is the mud and grit that gets flung all over the side of your truck!

 

I admit to being skeptical about spacers. They seem like a shortcut solution for an improperly offset wheel.

What is the major reason for putting on spacers? I get it that some want their Tundra to be wider. What do spacers offer in terms of performance? Better handling? Better ride? Better mpg? Better tire wear?

What are the cons?

 

At least for me because I like the stock rims and just want a little wider stance ( Just doesn't seem worth it to me to put out the cash for all new rims). As far as down side compared to offset, maybe more lugs to worry about ?
I don't feel that they hurt my truck anymore than the same stance from less off set rims would.
I use red Loctite and they don't budge

 

Are the studs on 2nd gen and 3rd gen tundras as short as the 1st gen?

 

When you do put the spacers on, please post a picture or two and let us know what you think. Thank you in advance.

 

Never had an issue when I ran mine

 

One other reason besides looks to use spacers for me was to move the tire a bit more away from the UCAs since I'm running stock BBS Pro wheels with 295/70. I wanted to stay stock and not use aftermarkets. I don't think anyone can convince me the ride, MPG, or tire wear would improve just because of the spacer. Logic would seem to dictate that a small argument might (?) be made that a wider tire location may help handling or reduce the tendency to roll over. Of course, anyone running aftermarkets with equal or more offset could make the same argument.
Cons, assuming a good installation: Added $, a little weight on the hub, and extending the turning geometry often causes some splash well/other rubbing with larger tires. Of course, a longer lever arm also means more force on the wheel hub/bearing...same problem though with equal offset on aftermarket wheels.

 

I went from 1.25" spacers down to 1" BORA spacers and was amazed at how much this small difference helped reduce the crap being thrown on the side of my truck. But one word of caution about 1" spacers is that the rear studs do protrude through about 1/8" into the wheel mount area - not a problem though with factory wheels that have the "pockets".

 

A downside i ran into when I was getting new tires was some shops wouldn’t work on my truck since it had spacers. Had like three turn me down.

 

I tow a 6x10 enclosed trailer about 5 days/week for work. I have always been skeptical about adding spacers. I would say I’m almost at paralysis by analysis at this point rather than being uninformed.

I would love to add them to the truck for a more aggressive look but I’ve just read quite a bit. I’m not mechanicaly minded so it makes me hesitant reading comments telling people it may not be a great idea. I have been reading through forums and simple google searches and trying to parse through the opinions of others.

If they aren’t a problem why do so many shops refuse to work on trucks that have them?

I appreciate all the responses I am, like many others, simply confused on what the real answer is. Not saying anyone is right or wrong there’s just so many opinions it’s hard to discern.

Seems like most people agree that it’s safe, I just cant afford to have anything happen to the main driver of my business. I’m stuck lol

 

I run BORA 3/4" spacers with my rock warriors - Be prepared to wait. They took forever to get.

 

These are spider trax, 1.25. I added them to fit 295-70 tires. I wasn't going for appearance, I wanted the tires for sand. Like has been mentioned, this is an alternate $250 solution vs $1000+ for new rims. Many miles of beach driving and a few moderate mountain trails, zero issues.
I used blue loctite so I could disassemble without heat. Red has to be heated to break down.
Also, very important, make sure the faying surfaces are completely clean.

 

Well, if you're that worried about it now, you'd be worried about it the whole time, so probably not worth the moderate improved looks to put them on. I think wheel shops avoid them because the USA's litigious nature scares the crap out of them and they don't want anything coming back on them after a vehicle leaves their shop. They have no idea if the spacer was mounted correctly, or is a quality piece or a ticking timebomb, so they just avoid it altogether. Probably smart on their part.

I've seen the aftermath of some of the $49 spacer sets made of cheap cast aluminum with cheap studs, and its not pretty. They literally crumble or explode into several pieces with a hard impact or hard launch. The good spacers CNC'd from a solid billet with high grade studs are every bit as stout as your hub and wheel. I've also seen impacts resulting in bent wheels and suspension ripped out, with a billet spacer in between just as good as new. Its definitely not the weak link in that scenario.

You'll find the opinions on this subject basically in two distinct camps, those that believe they are perfectly fine and those that don't.
If you really think about the mechanical aspect of them you'll see its really no different than bolting a wheel onto a hub, except your'e bolting a hub onto a hub, and then a wheel onto that. Do it right and its fine. Do it wrong and its bad. But hell, bolt your wheel on wrong and its just as bad.
Of course you'll see horror stories of people bolting on their Amazon spacers and pulling out of the driveway for a test drive and the wheels fall off or they break apart or whatever, but that's almost certainly user error or cheap ass parts. I've never seen a case of a properly installed, high quality spacer failing or otherwise causing an issue. If its out there I'd love to see it.
All the other stuff about bearing wear or added stress on suspension parts or mud and crap on the side of your truck is the same as when adding wheels with the equal offset. As minimal as those things may be, they're not specifically a spacer problem.

 

So I’m a complete retard when it comes to tires, rims, spacers, etc but I really want my truck to have a wider stance as well. Am I correct in assuming I can just buy these spacers from Amazon and instal them fairly easily? It looks simple enough but like I said I really have no idea if these are garbage or if it is more complicated than it looks.

 

Spacers are a great solution if quality and properly installed, and torqued properly by anyone who pulls the wheel. I overbuild in general, so I prefer hours of finding the right offset for my wheels on the Gen1. Method 701s in this case. I think it was $840 for the wheels. Probably some incidental costs as well. The only thing I worry about is some dork using a pneumatic rather than torque wrench on the lugs. I wanted new wheels anyway...

 

I wouldn't use those on a dare. At that price those are probably cast aluminum with low grade studs = not safe.
There's a reason Spidertrax or BORA are nearly that price for one spacer.
For your truck probably the best deal I've found is here:
https://www.1stgenoffroad.com/store/p842/SpidertraxHubcentricWheelSpacers.html#/
You'll need two sets. A little more pricy but still about 1/4 the cost of new wheels.

 

T6 aluminum
135 ft lbs torque
All good reviews as far as I can tell.
However, I value my life. Not worth the risk just to save a hundred bucks. Plus I’d be nervous as hell driving with those now. I’ll check out BORA.
Thanks for the heads up.

 

If there's anything I know about Amazon, its that their descriptions don't always match reality, and what you see in the listing is not always what you get on your porch. That price just tells me those are not the real deal. Like I said, probably cast aluminum and glued in low grade studs. There was one review talking about the studs spinning when trying to torque them, which tells me they're not splined studs.

BORA are great, but not usually stocked anywhere and are made to order. Usually takes several weeks to get them.
The Spidertrax in the link above are on the same level as BORA and you can usually get them much quicker.
Someone mentioned earlier the Supreme Suspension spacers. They look to be legit too, but only come in 1.5" or 2" according to their website.

 

I've watched enough Whistlin Diesel to know that spacers are not the problem.

 

You ain't lying!

 

I run 1.5” supreme’s they have been great

 

I tow a 6x10 regularly (2 or 3 times a week) with 2" Boras. Not a single issue. It's squatted here (overloaded tbh) because I had to use it to haul our stuff from a move.

I recheck torque every oil change/tire rotation (around 7500 miles) and they have not once been loose. Have 21k on the truck currently.

 

I used 1.25" Spidertrax spacers on my '07 4Runner for over 5 years and never one problem. I bought the below "cheap" set mainly to test on my 2016 CM but they were very good quality, hub-centric, with correct lugs and I didn't have a single problem. I didn't like that the 1.25" spacers threw crap on the side of my truck so I switched to 1.0" BORA spacers, which solved 90+% of that problem for me and I still kept the improved spacing off the UCAs and the stance I wanted.