Got a few moments to revisit the bad rap that adapters and spacers have gotten:
First, those universal Mr. Gasket cast aluminum ones that have eleventy-billion slotted holes and a hub diameter meant for a diesel truck are utter ****ing garbage. Toss 'em, before you toss a wheel.
Second, consider modern disc brake assemblies. We have rotor hats that slip over steel hubs made of a variety of materials, and these are then clamped together against a wheel made of aluminum or steel. Layers of spacers made of different materials - consider their rates of thermal expansion and contraction. The friction between these layers is probably the biggest issue - meaning that if you don't torque, and re-torque, your lugs you risk sheering the wheel studs. The goal is to maintain a sufficient clamping load on clean and true surfaces - don't over torque and stress the wheel studs. The quality of your wheel studs will dictate, in part, your ability to run spacers because of their material limitations. If your wheel studs are too short and lack thread engagement you loose clamping load. See the common theme developing? Obviously there is a reasonable limit to how far you should go with the thickness of your spacer - the most I have ever run is about 1.25" and that was hubcentric. The Ronal R15 wheels on the front of my wagon actually have a 5/8" hubcentric spacer built into the wheel (and use a centering ring if removed) from the factory - and I still run a thin 1/8" spacer between the wheel and rotor. Look at that stack up: hub, rotor, shim, spacer, wheel. OMG I am going to die, right?!
Third, so when you run an adapter, and I prefer adapters with good studs, to make up the wide variation in offset you need to consider that you now effectively have two wheels per corner. That means that you need to re-torque your adapters after you've installed them, just like you would a wheel. So after 50 miles of driving, pull all four wheels off and re-torque the adapters, reinstall the wheels and drive another 50 miles, and re-torque the wheels. Tedious - but necessary.
Last: Don't use cheap/soft lugs either.
First, those universal Mr. Gasket cast aluminum ones that have eleventy-billion slotted holes and a hub diameter meant for a diesel truck are utter ****ing garbage. Toss 'em, before you toss a wheel.
Second, consider modern disc brake assemblies. We have rotor hats that slip over steel hubs made of a variety of materials, and these are then clamped together against a wheel made of aluminum or steel. Layers of spacers made of different materials - consider their rates of thermal expansion and contraction. The friction between these layers is probably the biggest issue - meaning that if you don't torque, and re-torque, your lugs you risk sheering the wheel studs. The goal is to maintain a sufficient clamping load on clean and true surfaces - don't over torque and stress the wheel studs. The quality of your wheel studs will dictate, in part, your ability to run spacers because of their material limitations. If your wheel studs are too short and lack thread engagement you loose clamping load. See the common theme developing? Obviously there is a reasonable limit to how far you should go with the thickness of your spacer - the most I have ever run is about 1.25" and that was hubcentric. The Ronal R15 wheels on the front of my wagon actually have a 5/8" hubcentric spacer built into the wheel (and use a centering ring if removed) from the factory - and I still run a thin 1/8" spacer between the wheel and rotor. Look at that stack up: hub, rotor, shim, spacer, wheel. OMG I am going to die, right?!
Third, so when you run an adapter, and I prefer adapters with good studs, to make up the wide variation in offset you need to consider that you now effectively have two wheels per corner. That means that you need to re-torque your adapters after you've installed them, just like you would a wheel. So after 50 miles of driving, pull all four wheels off and re-torque the adapters, reinstall the wheels and drive another 50 miles, and re-torque the wheels. Tedious - but necessary.
Last: Don't use cheap/soft lugs either.
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