dual wheel spacers-chevy p-30 8 lug 6.5" BC

[kattkisson]

I have just been told that my rig has flunked Virginia state inspection because there is evidence that the duel rear tires have been touching their sidewalls. I have had the rig inspected 3 times since the tires were new with no complaints but that is another story for a different day.


To remedy this I need to buy some wheel rim spacers and new wheel studs as this will render the factory studs too short.  Has anybody run into this before and have anybody's part #'s?  1/4" spacer will meet the law.

[legomybago]

You need to buy the correct width tires. Messing with studs, and spacers, and ? is a pain in any ones butt0x.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Yep.  Just get the right size tires.  8R19.5 is what you should have on there.

Kev

[Rickf1985]

19.5's on 8 lug?

[kattkisson]

Rig came from the factory with 7.50 X16 tires


Tires were rotten when I bought the rig and the tire man recommended LT235/85 16 tires since I wanted radials .  OD is the same-width is .250 more/tire nominal.  Just enough to get me in trouble.  I'm in a better position to cough up money for spacers and studs(DYI) than 1K at the moment for new tires.             

[Rickf1985]

I am not a big fan of spacers on heavy vehicles but if you are dead set on that route keep in mind that it is going to move the outside tire out further than you think. Make sure there are no clearance issues with the body. The original tires did not bulge where radials do bulge at the sidewalls. That is part of the problem and the other is the tire should probably have been a 215-85R/16

[ClydesdaleKevin]

That's a new one for me.  I thought all P30s used the 8r19.5s.  I learn something new every day...lol!

Kev

[Rickf1985]

I "think" there are a very few that used 8 lug 19.5's. I would love to find a set of those rims to put on my Dodge dually.

[legomybago]

That is part of the problem and the other is the tire should probably have been a 215-85R/16

Sounds about right.
Our 27' p30 has 16" wheels (I wish we had 19.5's and larger brakes). From what I've seen on the web, the Komfort brand like ours for example used 19.5 wheels on there 28' and larger class A's. But then you also see other brand rigs with tag axles and still running 16's...So quite a mix I'm guessing.

[HandyDan]

I really would like to see a picture of this rig.  The brochures don't show a Chevy chassis or even 16" wheels on a Warrior.  Is this a class A or a Class C?
Dan

[jeno]

On the rear of mine I have a spacer between the rims they have dimples in them

[Rickf1985]

Jeno, On yours you should have a metal ring that goes on after the wheels and it has coined holes. This is what the lug nuts engage since the wheels do not have coined holes. You don't have that piece between the wheels do you?

[Froggy1936]

FYI There is no such thing as coined wheels . The correct term is coned . The word coined was a misprint in a Dodge Factory Tech Manual that was never corrected . Look at the hole it is coned just as are the nuts . Frank

[jeno]

When I did my brakes and took off the wheels they were between the rims, so that's not wear they belong?

[kattkisson]

If they are coned that's not where they should be.  What were the lug nuts seating into?  Not safe on so many levels.Maybe someone messed up in reassembly or they were trying to use them for spacers for the same problem I'm having.


As a side thought from this thread I always was under the impression that my rig had a 4:10 rear axle ratio because it was so light.  But if you take the ratio and the smaller dia. tires together my engine is probably turning about the same rpms as you guys with the 19.5's and the 4:56 ratio.  You can learn all kinds of good stuff here.

[Froggy1936]

Do you also have a ring that goes on after the outside wheel is installed ? It would be the same as on the frt wheels .Are the studs protrudeing thru the nuts after they are tightened   A few photos would help a lot . There is such a thing as a spacer , Though I don't think they were ever installed at the factory Frank

[jeno]

Nothing on the outside lugnuts just go against the rims just like on a car

[Rickf1985]

That is really dangerous if it is the same setup that I have which is what it should have. Frank, you are right about coned and I know that but for some reason I just keep putting coined. Old age I guess. Jeno, unless those wheels have the coned hole then you have GOT to get things straightened out there. The flat surface f the rim is designed for a flat faced lug nut or the metal adapter with the coned holes for the tapered lugs. I should ask if you have the tapered lugs or flat faced lugs. The flat faced lugs use a substantially higher torque and should not be used on these hubs.
Where are those adapter rings on the front of yours?

[jeno]

I have the tapered lugs I would take a picture but I would have to get the wheels off to show you the spacer. I'm not going to run it anymore this until I find out more about it.

[Rickf1985]

The wheels go on first against the hubs followed by the second wheel in the back and then followed by the adapter plate with the coned holes on all of the wheels, front and back. Most of the hubcaps will go on before you put the lug nuts on since they have several holes that are a bit smaller than the nut but not small enough to get caught in the cone. This holds the hubcaps on. You want your air valves opposite each other, or 180 degrees apart on the rear wheels. This keeps everything in balance and makes it easier to install valve extension hoses.

[Rickf1985]

Kattkisson, Sorry for the off track there but that was kind of important as a safety thing. One thing that worries me about the spacers is the fact that the wheels are hub-centric and they usually only center on the last few inches of hub. If the spacer pushes the wheel out past that point then the outer wheel may not run true.

[jeno]

Ok I think I'm following what you're saying I'm going to look at this but the hub caps push on like a cars hub caps.

[kattkisson]

Point taken on the hub-centric. I'll check before I use the spacers.  Found some 1/4" thick ones.All the state people want is an air gap at all times.  Everything seems to be made out of Aluminum with the makers saying it the only way to go due to dry fretting and rust over time.  No experience on this as this is the first time having to use them.  There are some 2" thick spacers out there which to me would really throw the loads on the wheel bearings out of kelder  Plenty of room under the rig to body for the 1/4 ".  Thanks for all comments.

[kattkisson]

hey Rick 1985--Thanks again for hub-centric heads-up.  While I had the hub off installing longer studs for the 1/4" spacer I turned everything vertical and stacked the 2 wheels and the spacer. The outer wheel now has slop as it is out of the range of the little machined land that they had allowed. Its only as total of .040 slop so having a ring machined only that thick(.020) is not very practical.  I'm thinking of using some feeler gauge fingers to space it out and tighten the lugs.  Don't know whether the shims will stay in .  Thanks again[size=78%] [/size]

[Rickf1985]

It will not stay, as the outer tire hit irregularities in the road it will move around and wear against the inner wheel and against the lug nut adapter. This is a very bad scenario since it will loosen the lugs very quickly and it will also wear down the metal parts that are moving against each other, also very quickly. I know you do not want to hear this but if you go forward with this it is going to cost you a lot more than the price of tires in repairs and that is if you do not have a catastrophic failure. I can tell you that finding good straight rims is not easy. You are using the adapter ring under the lug nuts aren't you? You should have coned lug nuts and a heavy metal ring with the corresponding receiver holes for those nuts and that goes on after the wheels and before the nuts. The nuts will do nothing to center the wheel.