1998 2wd Are these spacers needed

[WoodChuckChuck]

I recently bought this 1998 with what I thought were the stock wheels, the stance looked a little different to me but I didn't think to much about it. This is my first small truck, all others have been F150's. Pulled a front wheel while looking for an oil leak and noticed it had spacers on it. Are they necessary with these wheels?

 

[ericbphoto]

They shouldn’t be needed. Just take them off. Put the wheels on and see if everything clears. Won’t cost you anything but time.

The previous owner probably had other wheels on it that required the spacers and forgot to remove the spacers when he put the OEM wheels back on to sell the truck.

 

[RobbieD]

Older 2WD Rangers and Bronco IIs have two slightly different hubs. If there's a small step on the hub it has a slightly larger diameter than the other straight-wall hub. Some Ranger wheels originally on the smaller hub, won't go on the larger hub enough to seat properly. I've run into this, and I'm not sure, but this might be related to 14" versus 15" as OEM original fitment (again, 2WD trucks).

The truck's previous owner may have run into having to use the spacers to make small-hole wheels fit a large-hole hub. Like Eric says, you'll just to pull a spacer and check that the wheel fits correctly.

And welcome to TRS.

 

[WoodChuckChuck]

Those sound like valid answers, when I get done chasing oil leaks I'll pull a rear tire off to see what's going on there as well. These are the 14" rim, and I saw looking up the axle code it has the 8.8" rear end, maybe that has something to do with it, hard to tell with a 25 year old truck that's had several previous owners. Thanks guys.

 

[RobbieD]

The wheels are probably fine on the rear axle; it's the front hubs where I've found that some wheels won't fit right.

Good luck!

 

[pjtoledo]

your outer front wheel bearings are screaming from the abuse those spacers are inflicting on them.
on the rears it doesn't matter much.

 

[cbxer55]

I would say, it depends on whether the tires are sticking out too much. And btw, those are technically referred to as adaptors. You bolt them onto the stock studs, and have new studs to put the wheels on. Spacers slip over the studs, and may not leave you enough stud to put the wheels on. I run 1.5's on the rear of my 2004 Lightning. But, I am running stock rims that have been widened from 9.5 to 12.5, all on the inside. The 1.5 adaptors split that three inch widening to 1.5 on the inside, 1.5 on the outside. So no bearing trouble.

I have a 98 Ranger that came with 15 inch rims. I am currently preparing to put a set of near 50 year old Cragar Mag Master 14 inch rims on it. But, I noticed the hole in the center of the rims is only 1/16 of an inch smaller in diameter. Since these were on another Ranger, I expect no troubles.