Spacer to Height conversion.

[OFC Ranger]

Just a straight forward question.

Does adding a 2" spacer effectively turn a 33" tire into a 35" tire as far as horizontal wheel well clearance?

I have a 2" lift with 285/70/17 tires on factory ford sport wheels. No rubbing, but my clearance currently is a few sheets of paper at best. Will adding the 2" spacer convert it more or less to a 305/70/17? Ultimately I'm trying to determine if removing the crash bars entirely is enough for 2" spacers to work without either:

A. Higher Suspension
B. Smaller Tires

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[Bluebeastsrt]

Nope itll just move the wheel and tire farther outboard.

 

[OFC Ranger]

Yes, but moving the wheel outward while adding more offset to whatever you current offset is will push out its radius when in a turn. From my understanding spacers fix suspension clearance issues while creating crash bar / lining / bumper clearance issues.

My basic math tells me a 2" spacer should translate pretty directly into making a 285 (33") tire act like a 305 (35") tire when turned into the wheel well. I'm just kind of wanting confirmation to confirm what I believe is going to happen. I'm also seeing if anyone has experience where removing the crash bars will give it proper clearance, or if additional trimming will have to happen to the framework that houses the crash bars in the well.

 

[Frenchy]

If im understanding correctly if you go more than 3 inches of lift up front you have to lower the front axle assembly. With that being done you might have to get a lift kit that requires differnt spindles but you will also have to run a 20 inch wheel. Not a thing you want for offroad but something to consider.

 

[OFC Ranger]

I'm not sure I follow you. My question is not about lift height. It is a question about turning clearance on a 285/70/17 tire running a factory sport rim (54 offset), with an existing 2" level, but considering using a 2" wheel spacer.

We already know a 1.5" wheel spacer with this tire size requires removal (or trimming) of the intrusion (crash) bars. The question is, will removing the bars completely be enough for an extra 1/2" of spacing. The only answers I can see are:

A. Yes
B. No
C. Not without trimming the crash bar housing a little more even after removing the crash bars.
D. Not without adding more height to assist clearance using one of the above answers

Here is a video of a guy who has fit 35" tires:

So the complex way to ask my question again: Would adding a 2" spacer to a wheel with a 33" tire effectively make it a 35" tire purely in respects to clearance of wheel turn clearance.

The wheel is remaining the same. The tire is remaining the same. Both together would move out an additional 2".

 

[Frenchy]

Sorry about that as I was confused at first with what you were saying to. Now that I have a better understanding I honestly don't know for sure. Something to be aware of is if you keep thumping the wheel out my however much with spacing you're going to have to do more modification in the fender Wells up front. Question comes down to how much for how far you keep pumping the wheel out. Did you take your current tire and do a full lock and either direction taking measurement from that for a walk on the tire and go out an extra half an inch. If there's anything that needs to be removed because you will hit it then you will know. Also you're going to be increasing size so therefore you have to go an inch backwards and forwards from where the tire is as well. Those are the measurements you have to consider. I'm sure it's not impossible to run 35 you just have to make sure of what modifications you do or do not have to do to run it safely.

 

[OFC Ranger]

So that is basically my question, should I be figuring clearance based on a 35" tire. Am I wrong in my line of thinking? 33" tire + 2" spacer should translate into a 35" tire in regards to turn clearance yea? Or am I off base with anything?

Well so far here is my super non-scientific test. It confirmed what I already knew, crash bars gotta go. I'm just wondering if it will be enough. Ill look at it in more detail with an actual measurement tape tomorrow I suppose. I know some well lining may have to be pushed back, which isn't that big a deal.

Front:

Rear:

 

[Frenchy]

From the sounds of it you're still going to be running a 33 inch tire correct? If that's the case all you have to do is base it off the tire you are running. You only have to base it off a 35 inch tire if you're going to be running a 35 inch tire. Does that make more sense?

 

[OFC Ranger]

Well yes and no. Installing a spacer pushes the entire setup outward, which is great for suspension clearance regarding different wheels and things like the knuckles or springs, but from my understanding strictly in regards to turning the wheel all the way left or right, you make clearance worse . (I think maybe they call it scrub radius?) Using the L-shaped cardboard test as in my photos I'm visually showing the wheel 2" pushed out. When the wheel is straight, no big deal, but as it turns now its coming in contact with things it did not before. Right?

 

[OFC Ranger]

Here watch this video, tell me what you think:

 

[Frenchy]

Well yes and no. Installing a spacer pushes the entire setup outward, which is great for suspension clearance regarding different wheels and things like the knuckles or springs, but from my understanding strictly in regards to turning the wheel all the way left or right, you make clearance worse . (I think maybe they call it scrub radius?) Using the L-shaped cardboard test as in my photos I'm visually showing the wheel 2" pushed out. When the wheel is straight, no big deal, but as it turns now its coming in contact with things it did not before. Right?

You are correct about that. That is the wonderful joys of bringing your wheel and tire out from the stock position. For example let's say you're running that 33 in tire from the stock location. You're able to turn all the way left and right with no problems. You decide you want to bump the wheel and tire out with spacers for looks or any other reason. When you have the wheel in any position you have to measure 2in out from those positions to get an idea of where the tire will be. That is the joy of things with wheel spacers or wheels that bring the tire out much further than the stock location.

 

[Frenchy]

I think the simplest way to put it is you're not running a bigger tire you're just changing the location of where your tires going to be.

 

[OFC Ranger]

Yea I didn't have time to today and just simply lock the wheel and measure. I was also just curious if anyone else had used 2" spacers yet.

Seem most people go 1.5" and stop. Well, Ill update with my findings and/or install. haha

The plan is 2" spacers with new fender trim. I like the stock wheel design.

 

[Frenchy]

Yea I didn't have time to today and just simply lock the wheel and measure. I was also just curious if anyone else had used 2" spacers yet.

Seem most people go 1.5" and stop. Well, Ill update with my findings and/or install. haha

By chance do you already have any wheel spacers on the vehicle right now?

Also something I have noticed is if you don't want any rubbing most people have gotten away with 33 inch tires and a quarter inch wheel spacer. That is on the stock wheel of course. The only other option would be to go with the OZ Rally raid wheel which pushes the tire out right about quarter inch from the stock location and would provide the same results with no or very minimal rubbing at all.

 

[OFC Ranger]

No, sitting in a box till I get some free time to see what all is going to be involved IF I want to keep them and install them.

This is my clearance right now at full wheel lock, crash bars still present, with 2" level, stock 17" wheels, and 33" tires (all of these items factory installed before I bought it):

Edit: I would say the clearance is even tighter as the wheel turns and the apex of the wheel passes the crash bar. This full lock is on the "slope" of the tire, or I guess you would say side wall.

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