Thoughts about Spacers on 1st Gen w/285s?

Hello Everyone - New to the Forum here. Went pretty blindly into some modifications on my 2004 SR5 Tundra 4x4 (embracing my midlife crisis). Learned a lot from this forum, so thanks everyone - but I am still learning!

I recently upgraded suspension with Bilstein 5100s front and rear (highest setting). I found some used Method NV wheels, 17x8.5 (not sure on back spacing). I had to run 1.25 spacers/adapters because the wheels are not compatible with the bolt pattern on the Tundra (ugh - original owner had them on a 4runner with the spacers). Set them up with 285/70/17 Open Range A/T Tires. Getting some rubbing in the back of the wheel well. Will need to do a pinch weld modification to continue running the tires. Had problems initially with balance on the wheels but that is better after re-balancing them. Concerned about continuing with the spacers as I don't want to have an annoying "death wobble" as some call it.

So discussion points for your expert input?

1 - Do the pinch weld mod and run it until the tires are toast. (also want to add bigger fender flares because the tires stick out a lot)
2 - Try some 275s so there is no more rub (might still need pinch weld mod?)
3 - Get smaller tires 265/70/17 keep the methods, keep the spacers
4 - Get different wheels and tires and run without spacers?

Thanks!

 

You can run high quality hub centric spacers; the ones people on here typically agree meet the quality threshold are BORA and Spidertracks (? I’ll check this last one; looks funny typed out). Don’t go wider than 2”. And… have you tried getting the caster as high as possible ~ +4 as that might move your tires far enough forward that you don’t have to do more than hit your body mount with a BFH.

 

Nice thanks for the reply! Great ideas. Is that castor setting done during the alignment? I have not had the truck aligned yet, it's scheduled for tomorrow. Rode my mountain bike to work today!

And I suspect a BFH is a Big F Hammer?

 

Yes, during alignment. Ask for as much caster as they can get while keeping your other other metrics in range. I have an ‘02 that we originally got to +4 on both sides. I’m pretty hard on the truck and have worn my poly bushings so much that we can’t get it to +4 any more, but I still *just barely* rub in reverse at full lock.

*caveat: my truck is long travel, so the heavy duty UCA and LCA’s make the stance wider than stock. I run BORA spacers in the rear to add a bit of width (still doesn’t match the front). No wobble.

WHAT I CANNOT SPEAK TO is your mismatched lug pattern. I don’t think I’d do that, but I don’t know enough to explain why not. I hope someone else will chime in.

 

The lug pattern matches the spacers it just doesn't match the truck, so I have to run spacers if I want to keep these wheels. I suspect they are for a GM or something because it's very close but off just enough not to fit the Tundra lugs.

 

Just my 2 cents, but I'd swap rims to some Toyota take offs from a Tacoma or 4runner and keep the tires. I have spacers and have no problem, but they are just spacers, not adapters.

 

Hey man I’m on methods with spidertrax 1.25 spacers. Running 285/75/16s. Modifying the pinch weld isnt bad if you take your time. I say run it as is.

make 2 horizontal cuts back towards the cab in the fender.


There’s a bolt that goes through the pinch weld, make an up cut. From there make another cross cut as high as possible. The dashed line is an optional cut that just makes it easier to fold over.


*painted mine with chassis saver as I went and the jb quikweld to seal everything back up. Finished product

 

That is great, thank you, I really appreciate you sharing the pictures. I think I will need to pull that bottom piece on the fender up as well like you did
I found this video to be helpful as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPvQu8_ckmo

 

Thanks for your input RockClimber (*I've done a bit of climbing myself) This was a direction I certainly considered going. The take offs are everywhere! I may go there but I think I will try to do a tasteful pinch weld mod first and see how it drives.

 

@Rej1stGen no problem man, I’d definitely fold the liner out of your way, and I’d take my front tires off. I did it with them on the truck but in hindsight I’d have had way more room lol. To secure the liner, I made a loop with a zip tie in the hole where the old plastic river went and run a zip tie through the liner. You can see about half an inch of zip tie if you look into the fender wells. I’ve eventually come up with a more permanent solution once I decide I’m done cutting. I still may trim some more

 

Official welcome

 

If those wheels are for a chevy, they aren't hub centric on the tundra. They have the same bolt pattern, but not the same hub size. Might wanna get a mic and check that.

 

@Rej1stGen I'm a little confused after reading some of the posts. Did you buy the wheels from a GM or are the spacers from a GM?

4runners, Tacoma's and Tundra have the same lug and hub size. I also know that GM (1500's and Tahoe's) have a smaller hub than Toyota.

After thinking about it, you must be on GM spacers, if so, then the spacers are lug centric and I would replace those with a hub centric.
What you can do (I've done this before) is to bore out the wheel to fit over the Tundra hub. That wouldn't be to expensive, maybe $50 a wheel. You would take the wheel to a wheel shop that offers that service and then you buy a wheel spacer that is HUB centric.

 

As far as rubbing goes, the further out your wheels/tires go the deeper into the pinch weld they’ll go. Too far in and you get interference with your frame and possibly spindle/coil.

Without knowing the width and backspace of your wheels its hard to say the best approach but sounds a bit like getting wheels intended for a Toyota is a good start.

 

Thank you!

I did the pinch weld mod, it came out pretty good. The left front rubs but barely and only in reverse, I'm not going to worry about it until I need a new set of tires, at which point I will either size down or get some proper Toyota rims. Turns out I need some front end bushings and such to get a proper alignment so there's that too. But there is very little vibration or wobble after the re-balancing of the tires and getting the truck aligned as best as possible with the bushings in the condition they are in.

I was able to learn a bit more about the rims and adapter/spacers. The rims have a 135mm 6 lug bolt pattern, the truck is 139.7 as you all now. So the lug bolt pattern is slightly off, the issue was not with the hub and wheel. I am really not sure if the spacers are hub or lug centric, I may have a photo of the spacers I will try to post that. (Edit the only photo I have was super blurry).

Thanks everyone!

 

So the 135mm is the hub size. If you bore out the wheels to 139.7, you'll fit the Tundra's hub. Don't worry about the lugs, they alright line up.

I did this to a 1987 Mazda b2000 mini truck that I built. I installed Cadillac Escalade wheels but I had to bore out the hub.

 

Not accurate. 139.7 is the lug spacing. The hub size is 106mm I believe.

 

IDK if the caster can be adjusted enough with the stock UCA's if the Bilstein 5100's are set at the highest setting...

OP, are you running the stock upper control arms?

 

Yes I do have stock Upper Control Arms. Yes the 5100s are at the highest setting.

 

Yes the lugs on the truck definitely do not line up with the rims.

 

Totally do it. Makes the truck rad looking.

 

Understood. You will definitely need to install adjustable UCA's with the 5100's at the highest setting or you will never get the caster set within spec. This is because the stock UCA's are past their physical limitation of adjustability with the 5100's at the highest setting. With the stock UCA's and 5100's you are going to have adverse handling conditions due to the caster and the tires are going to wear out much faster, specifically on the outside of the tread. It's also putting the ball joint at an awkward angle constantly and straining it. I would recommend upgrading to SPC's or the like so the caster can be brought into proper spec and eliminate unnecessary wear and tear on suspension components and restore better handling.

 

You're right. Chevy has a bore of 78.1 and and tundra's are 106mm. You still can bore out the center HUB.

 

Well this is definitely interesting. Good option to get rid of the spacers. So a reach out to a machine shop? Any idea on the cost of this modification? I suspect this will change the center caps I need as well.

I am getting used to the spacers, thinking of just getting some fender flares and running them.

I will certainly consider the upgraded Upper Control Arms, makes sense to do that - no doubt.

 

Sell the wheels and buy some that fit. Save yourself a lot of trouble.

 

[QUOTE="Rej1stGen, post: 2489736, member: 69851".

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I will certainly consider the upgraded Upper Control Arms, makes sense to do that - no doubt.[/QUOTE]

Oh, I have no doubt that you will. The physical world that we live in is going to force you to. Geometry is a thing and reality is a mofo.

 

I just put freedom off-road on my 05. So far so good Steering rack bushings next then to the alignment shop.