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Dually spacers safe for towing???

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Old 06-28-2007, 08:30 AM
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Dually spacers safe for towing???

I have a 03 dually with stock setup. I want to run 305's or 315's but all the spaces I see are aluminum. Im afraid towing my 15k towhauler that the alum spacers would be too weak and crack.

Is anyone towing heavy loads with alum spacers or is it a bad idea???
Old 06-28-2007, 09:02 AM
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i think you would be okay to a certain point when towing.......probably not the safest thing if you really put heavy, heavy loads on the truck when towing. you might run into a probably there, but if you just towing light then I think you wouldnt have to much to worry about....Just my opinion
Old 06-28-2007, 09:53 AM
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Here is my 03 with 315/70r17 bfg
2-1/2 alum. spacers.
Pulling my old 42' lq trailer. No problems in over 100k miles. This trailer was HEAVY on the tongue.

ROllinsmoke. I am in LaPorte too.

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Old 06-28-2007, 10:50 AM
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As safe as the installer. The thing I have found with aluminum spacers is to check the torque every so often. Especially a couple of hundred miles after initial install. Get the ones that are cut from billet, not the cast ones.
Old 06-28-2007, 11:35 AM
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I will eventually want to do this also and Most likely just run 285's. I also tow a heavy toyhauler, 25-26k combined and am very concerned about which spacer to run when the time comes.
Old 06-28-2007, 11:40 AM
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RRC

1-1/2" spacers will work fine with 285.

I ran 2-1/2" with the 315, and I am sure that I could have used the 1-1/2" in my application. I was expecting a lot more bulge with the heavy loads than I actually had.

Here are a couple of pictures that will give you an idea of the loads I was hauling. I have since taken the tires and spacers off. Only reason for removing them, is I got a great deal on some factory take offs. But these pictures are representative of my loads I hauled with the spacers too.

This load is 37,400 gross.
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Old 06-28-2007, 01:33 PM
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Originally Posted by CCOUGHRAN1
Here is my 03 with 315/70r17 bfg
2-1/2 alum. spacers.
Pulling my old 42' lq trailer. No problems in over 100k miles. This trailer was HEAVY on the tongue.

ROllinsmoke. I am in LaPorte too.

where about's? I live right behind the current police station

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Old 06-28-2007, 01:40 PM
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Lomax, off of H street.
I work off of 16th street.

The silver truck rarely gets driven anymore. It stays hooked to a horse trailer.
The 02 dodge, and the hog hunting truck get driven. you might recognize this truck from around town,
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Old 06-28-2007, 01:57 PM
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haha.....actually I have never seen that truck, at least I cant recall seeing it. but thats pretty funny. who do you work for?

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Old 06-28-2007, 05:09 PM
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Did you have to run a lift kit for the front end to use those 315's?


Originally Posted by CCOUGHRAN1
Here is my 03 with 315/70r17 bfg
2-1/2 alum. spacers.
Pulling my old 42' lq trailer. No problems in over 100k miles. This trailer was HEAVY on the tongue.

ROllinsmoke. I am in LaPorte too.

Old 06-28-2007, 09:02 PM
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Also how did your 315's last on the skinny wheels. I am also looking at putting some 35's on my 03 dually.
thanks,
Topper
Old 06-29-2007, 08:04 AM
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Topper,

When I bought the 315's I also bought the coil spacer. I never installed it, as it turns out, I did not need it to run the 315's.

The only issue I have had with the 315's is they are hard on the hub caps. They bulge a little at the bottom, and then it can snap off the clips that hold the hub cap on. Eventually you will hear a slight ticking at slow speeds, thats the hub cap ring being loose due to the clips breaking off.

As for the skinny wheels. I imagine things would be better with a wider tire, but I paid fairly close attention to the air pressure, and ran accordingly. When I pulled my set off at ~ 50k, I still had enough tread that some guy in California bought them for his truck. There might have been a little more wear in the center than on the sides, but not a vast difference.

I have really considered going back the 315's mainly for cosmetic reasons. However, I keep getting these cheap take offs, so I continue to run them

Chris
Old 06-29-2007, 08:24 AM
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Originally Posted by CCOUGHRAN1
Topper,

I have really considered going back the 315's mainly for cosmetic reasons. However, I keep getting these cheap take offs, so I continue to run them

Chris
where are you getting these at...? somewhere local?

Hook a neighbor up!
Old 06-29-2007, 10:21 AM
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Late last year I bought some at the Discount Tire near East Blvd. I paid 100.00 total for 4- 265/70r17 Michelin installed, they were not new take offs, but still had great tread.

Most recently I bought 4- 265/70r17 BFG rugged trail, they are new factory take off from a 2500 dodge. I paid 200.00 for the set. Those came from an individual.

The most reliable deal I have found is Mejj Tire, of Hwy 3 @ Genoa, he will sell 235/70r17 set of 6 for 500.00 installed. The tires he sells still have the nipples on them. Here is his number 713-947-0641
Old 06-29-2007, 12:19 PM
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Ive got over 9000lbs on the rear axle of my truck with 2" arrowcraft STEEL spacers and 295 toyos, no problems yet.

But I also have problems with the tires snapping the front hub cap clips off. They will rotate right on the rim, like a poor mans spinners


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