ramifications of adding a spacer to dual wheels

I'm pretty sure you can get hubcentric wheel spacers.

Normally wheels are replaced by doing the 4 outside ones and the 2 inner dualies are left factory. I did Alcoas. I bet they could tell you how to do what you want. With the right offset the wheel could do it without a spacer, if they make them that way.

Jim

Hi,

Different wheels. Ok, do I need to have all the wheels the same? I.E. could I buy four wheels/rims with the correct spacing for the 235R85/16 and use the existing wheels/rims for the front and for the spare?

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
It means different wheels?

Bingo. Get wheels with a different offset. They both must be tight to each other & both ride on the machined portion of the hub.

Is there a spacer that will mate to the hub the same way, then mate to the outer wheel similarly?

Jim

Hi Cloud Driver,

It is an E-450. :(

I guess that means new axle hubs?

It means different wheels?

If your Class C is built on the Ford E450 chassis, the wheel rims are supported and centered by the axle hub, not by the lug bolts or nuts. In the picture below, it can be seen that the rim is a tight fit on the hub and that the lug bolt holes are oversized. Adding a 1/2" spacer between the wheels would move the outer dual beyond the machined area on the hub so that it is no longer properly centered.

Might need stronger lugs and nuts.

Apart from the longer lever arm and dynamic loads from being slightly wider, there are tremendous twisting forces on the two joined wheels in tight turns. Both wheels are trying to be forced to go the same speed, yet they travel a different distance. When we had a tread loss (not flat) and nothing the tow truck driver could do would loosen the Alcoa from the steel wheel (including air tools and the power of the tow arm), I used the trick of driving in a figure 8 with the lug nuts half a turn backed off. The massive force differential between the two dually wheels easily broke them loose.

You need lugs and lug nuts that can stand up to that with the increase that the extra spacing will add.

Jim

Agree with Tom and remember as you move the wheels out more force is being put on the ends of the studs. If the different tires are to carry more weight check out axle weight and stud size.