Is this safe? (wheel spacer question)

I'm assuming you are running drums up front? Grab an extra set of front drums and cut the centers out. They should be an 1/8th of an inch or less and they should fit your front hubs like a dream.

 

I like Kick starts idea.

For me washers is a no-no but wheel spacers are fine but i asked a tire guy a few years ago. See if i can explain it similar to what he told me.

With only washers on each stud it directs more force or stress on that individual stud especially on corners and even more at slower speeds. Worse if you don't get the lugnuts tighten exactly the same. If you are running 5 lugs then with individual washer that lug is carrying 1/5 of that side of tire force and stress. On a 4 lug setup then the lug is carrying 1/4 or 25% of the stress(force) on that side of tire.

With a wheel spacer you are excerting the stress or the force farther around the tire this preventing failure. With a wheel spacer you are spreading the force around 3 lugs at a time instead of 1 lug at a time with washers.

He said at highway speeds on a freeway you probably won't have a problem ( but he didn't recommend it) but slow city speeds on a turn it will cause failure.

I hope I explained it like he did or similar. Anyways at the time it sounded good and i brought his story.

 

A most excellent idea....

 

have you measured the frontend--toe and look at camber-caster to see if there is something wrong? here is a place i use for speedparts-they also build race car for the track- they have steel spacers all dif sizes in stock. bill's speed shop in joliet il 815-744-2019 ask for bill jr. or tommy.

 

See below VVVV

Something must be wrong! But what????

 

Alignment should have nothing to do with your interference. The ball joint to tire location doesn't change when you align the car, only the A Arm to frame moves.
Are you running a wider tire than was factory spec'd?

 

I'm shure theres worse on the road right now but I dont want you next to me when it lets go. I had one when I was a learning (stuuuupiiiiiiid) kid. I wanted to look cool and have the wheels farther out. They were, I wasnt.
Go 14" You'll be happier overall.

 

To clarify, I have two sets of wheels/tires. One is the stock steel 13" wheels that originally came on the car, with standard size bias ply tires. The other is a set of 14" Ford styled steel wheels (like you see on '65 Mustangs) with 215R60x14 tires. Same problem with either set.

The styled steel wheels have more offset and the tires are wider, but there is a ring around the lug pattern that acts as a spacer that makes up the difference. That "spacer" is why I only have 1/2" of stud for the nuts. (With the stock wheels, I have plenty of stud length to add spacers.)

I have not looked at this on another '63, but I have looked at it on several '64 Fairlanes. They have about 1 1/2" clearance between the stock bias ply tires and the upper ball joint. I have about 3/8" clearance. Both the bias plys and the radials give enough that the sidewall of the tire just barely rubs the upper ball joint in a corner.

I also have another set of wheels that I've tried on it. These are 14" steel wheels from a 1968 Ford Torino. I cannot use those wheels, at all. They have an inch more width (all to the inside) than the stock 13" steel wheels (6x14 vs 5x13, IIRC). With the 215R60's on these wheels, the sidewall of the tires are jammed against the upper ball joints.

 

Beat me to it! That's what I did on a buddies 65 Mustang a couple years back with no problems at all.

 

kickstart has the right idea, or machine down a 1/4" spacer to desired thickness i guess

 

Its been a long time looking at a wheel, but if I remember correctly the contact point for a rim is not at the hole but between the holes. With washers you change this with the result of breaking studs and losing wheels.

 

What could be wrong?

I am thinking that if 13" is the stock wheel and it's hitting the ball joint. The wheel is to far in. Simple enough.

Got the right wheel bearings in the car? If the inner one isnt the same manufactures tolerance in thickness (not that I have ever seen or at least noticed one that wasn't) that could be letting the whole hub/ drum sit in too far, but then you would think the backing plate would also be rubbing the drum.....

If it is hitting the ball joint above the control arm maybe they are just too damn taLL (the ball joint that is) , is the ball joint on the bottom or top of the a arm? Got any pictures?

 

Quote:
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I need a bit more space between the front tires and the upper ball joints on my '63 Fairlane. ..............................
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I read that you need more space. To get it use wheel spacers. A pair of 1/4 inch ones on ebay are less than twenty bucks. http://motors.shop.ebay.com/__?_from...pacers&_sacat=
Double check them frequently, just in case they get loose. But installed correctly with a good fit they work good.
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If all other cars have a 1 1/2" or more clearance and yours is on 3/8" or less, then you have some mechanical problem, you all ready ruled out wheels since you tried factory stock ones. Look at the spindle length and brake location. Are the shoes hitting the drum right? How does the brake drum fit over the shoes? Is it in the right place? How much spindle thread sticks out once the bearings are tight? Are these the right hubs for this car? Are they the right spindles?

Is been said a few times already, alignment will not cure this, washer are a bad idea because your wheel will only be supported by the washers and not the entire hub face, and only run spacers made for this since they retain the total support of the wheel and torque them regularly (weekly).

Joe

 

From another Fairlane guy(1964), I have never seen this on either of my 62-65 Lanes, the 62 was running stock 14" wheels no problem, the 64 has 15x6 on the front with no clearance issues either. Is it a power steering car?

 

it is different in how a wheel spacer has the complete back surface of the wheel supported with a flat face, the washer only support a very small area, even though it is hubcentric, I would think there would be rim flex and over a period of timke it would weaken. Like said before, might work long term, might not.
1/4" spacer is cheap.

 

IMO, the answer here is simple enough, figure out if you have a suspension issue, if you do fix it right, if you still have a "fit problem", get the parts (wheels) you need to fix it right.

I am not one of those guys who thinks everything needs to be just perfect, and "dead right" but when it comes to steering, brakes, suspension, and tires and wheels, there is not room for compromise here.

Cut the corners somewhere else, man up and buy the parts to make this stuff right.

 

I am sure the guy would be willing to buy the parts if he knew what to get..

Did you ever get those pictures?

 

Washers = rigged up crap, and you will no doubt have an accident

Spacer = okay

 

Wow, never thought of that. What a great idea. I usually just buy wheels and rubber that fits.

 

IF you only have the problem on one side and the tire is too close to the ball joint with a stock wheel and tire you either have a bent upper ball joint (yes the stud can be bent ), the ball joint is worn badly or the spindle is bent . have you seperated the spindle and ball joint and checked . if its both sides i would look at incorrect ride hieghts and or tires with more sidewall bulge that was on it stock , such as radials.

 

Get a set of reversed wheels