[caddor38]

Front Wheel Fitment. I got myself in a pickle, "again" on my 71 firebird to TA conversion project. I ordered some Weld Magnum 3 rims for the front 15x8 with 5.5 inch backspacing. The wheels were 50% off and I thought I could merely get a spacer to allow me the room for them to fit. I tried a 1/4" spacer with the and the rim and tire rub on the upper control arm and the steering linkage near the bottom of the wheel. I was thinking of going to a 3/4 inch spacer, but my wheel studs are way to short. I have been searching but cant find a longer Wheel stud? My original wheel studs are about 1 1/4" in length under head length. I would like to find a stud 3/4" longer to accomodate the spacer but I cant find that length with a Knurl of .565.

I have already mounted the rims so I cant return them. Any ideas or links to custom length Wheel studs?

Thanks again for those who are helping and helped in the past.

[Formulabruce]

IIRC THE Max spacer you can run is 1/2" per wheel.
There are 7/16 studs out there that are 2", I run them . Not sure but I am thinking Dorman has them and I got them at NAPA. STILL 5.5 is a whole Inch back from the max really. Try some 7/16 washers on each stud and just sit wheel on and check clearances. Good luck

[Scarebird]

remember - the further out you push the wheel, the more you load the outer bearing and those are pretty small.

You may want different wheels here.

[caddor38]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

IIRC THE Max spacer you can run is 1/2" per wheel.
There are 7/16 studs out there that are 2", I run them . Not sure but I am thinking Dorman has them and I got them at NAPA. STILL 5.5 is a whole Inch back from the max really. Try some 7/16 washers on each stud and just sit wheel on and check clearances. Good luck

Thanks for the quick reply, I jumped the gun and got some Moroso Studs 2- 7/8” long with a .75” spacer. I liked your idea but yeah i am way off and even with the two washer if i hit a bump I may ruin the rim.. Luckily i had some nice deeper lug nuts, so i may not have to shorten the studs.

[caddor38]

Originally Posted by Scarebird

remember - the further out you push the wheel, the more you load the outer bearing and those are pretty small.

You may want different wheels here.

Urrrgh, not what I wanted to here, but sometimes needed. The wheel should have 4 to 4.5” backspacing and now with the spacer it will have 4 3/4” backspacing. Will that cause issues withe outer bearing? The outer bearing on the firebird is pretty far out?

[Scarebird]

I would not do it.

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by caddor38

Urrrgh, not what I wanted to here, but sometimes needed. The wheel should have 4 to 4.5” backspacing and now with the spacer it will have 4 3/4” backspacing. Will that cause issues withe outer bearing? The outer bearing on the firebird is pretty far out?

The Max spacers you can legally run are 1/2" per wheel.
I run that oddly in the rear of my Formula because I have a '79 WS-6 Rear
with disc brakes and OPPS, my 1972 Honeycombs would NOT FIT!
Since then, and only about 10K miles, the wheel bearings have had to replaced. ( stock 7 inch wheels and 70 series tires too)
I would Really worry about safety more than stance or occasional rubbing.
I side with Scarebird on this 100%
Someone will want your wheels for the rear of their car, that bolt pattern is very common.

[caddor38]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

The Max spacers you can legally run are 1/2" per wheel.
I run that oddly in the rear of my Formula because I have a '79 WS-6 Rear
with disc brakes and OPPS, my 1972 Honeycombs would NOT FIT!
Since then, and only about 10K miles, the wheel bearings have had to replaced. ( stock 7 inch wheels and 70 series tires too)
I would Really worry about safety more than stance or occasional rubbing.
I side with Scarebird on this 100%
Someone will want your wheels for the rear of their car, that bolt pattern is very common.

I am confused on the maximum spacer size because folks run 5mm to 90 mm spacer on differing applications.

Your application was in the rear with one bearing on the axle. The front contains two bearings. I am assuming the distribution of load would be in question and whether the wheel bearing will get worn with a 3/4 inch spacer with longer wheel studs. Im going to research this further before i proceed.

[Formulabruce]

I am talking slide on spacers allowed at a state inspection. Bolt on spacers are a whole different can of worms I know nothing about as far as legal goes.
That said tire camber and bearing wear is a fact you have to deal with.

[caddor38]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

I am talking slide on spacers allowed at a state inspection. Bolt on spacers are a whole different can of worms I know nothing about as far as legal goes.
That said tire camber and bearing wear is a fact you have to deal with.

Oh okay, Im in Florida and there are no inspection requirements here. Im not using the bolt on and may find that 1/2” spacer may work? However going with the 3/4” merely because of sway and inertia the car may experience when going around turns

[Trevor78]

And you need the studs to be long enough to still be able to mount and secure lugnuts with sufficient thread.

[caddor38]

Originally Posted by Trevor78

And you need the studs to be long enough to still be able to mount and secure lugnuts with sufficient thread.

I found some Moroso 46160 2- 7/8 length studs with the .564 knurl to replace the 1 -5/16 existing studs. I may have to take my grinder and trim off 3/4” off them so they will work with the lugnuts a got. These are the high tensile strength studs, so im not sure how hard that that will be to cut. I may end up using some longer lugnuts so I dont have to cut them. Life is not good right now. I included a picture of the tire mounted currently with the 1/4 inch spacer