Added Wheel Spacers. Now steering feels off.

So I threw on these wheel spacers to fit my Goodrich on the truck since the Bilstein lift caused my OEM UCA to perch down a bit more.
Now after driving it I definitely can tell I’ll need a balance/alignment but I’m also feeling this odd kinda tick in my steering wheel that felt like it was coming from the left (only when I would hit bumps or get a shake at 70mph.)

Lifted the truck up and yanked on the wheel while it was still bolted on - had a little play.
After removing it I see this dirt shield all chewed up so I hammered her back a bit.
Maybe that’s the problem?

Really don’t want a wheel flying off on me on the freeway
Wheel spacer lug nuts held their torque for 300 miles now so that’s good I think??

 

I'm thinking you have a bearing going out.

 

You need an alignment. It's not a bearing. Find a shop that has experience with lifted trucks.

 

cv boot is burst. something could have gotten in there. drivers side needle bearing in diff is a known noise maker after lifting too. and an alignment is needed after lifting regardless. spacers themselves shouldn't cause much on an issue

 

Spacers have nothing to do with CV joints.

The lift may have made a weak CV joint noisy.

1st gens have very robust wheel bearings.

As for the clicking, jack jhe truck up by the a arm and rotate the wheel by hand. If there is an issue, you should be able to find it pretty easy.

 

I agree the bearings are pretty HD. Only saying to check because of the wiggling he found. (play, needs to be nailed down. If moving in and out that's diff than wiggle.

Also was the tick the shield or if still present is it more of a click? More when turning? Are the boots busted? I didn't look.

 

Possible issue: you're using non hub centric wheel spacer on a hub centric wheel?

 

This is true. Don't know if this is the issue but those spacers and shank lugs don't go together.

 

Spacers exagerate problems, if the tires are the issue, its worsened by the spacer.

Could be a ball joint or tie rod, I'd get someone to look at it.

 

Also make sure you're using the Toyota lug nut for the wheel, something to eliminate as a possible issue.

 

Well, you altered the steerig geometry by adding spacers, and they put more stress on wheel bearings and other components.

As others said, having the wrong type of spacer can give you problems, too.

If it has been a while (if ever), I’d suggest going thru your suspension/steering anyway. Tie rods, ball joints, bushings, and check your wheel bearings.

 

N/A. wheels are not made to use with spacers.

 

So I purchased these at 4 Wheel Parts Store In person.
Kept going back and forth with the guy selling me them asking if I needed hub centric or lug centric.
He said these lug centrics he sold me cane off a Toyota just like mine.

After putting them on seemed like they fit like a glove.
He did recommend I get new lug nuts for it.

I got these rims off of a Tundra.
I can’t use the spacers with them?

After driving it some more I don’t believe the suspension is exactly my problem.
While I’m sitting parked with the engine on I can definitely feel a lot of play in my steering - like I can jiggle it up and down and when I do I feel this little tick/click In the rotation.
Almost like something loose.
Whatever’s loose I can feel it the vibration of it jiggling around in my steering when I hit bumps or shake at high speeds.

Haha this is my best/obscure explanation into this

 

You might have a few issue to began with. Yes, lug centric spacer (what you have) will fit on hub centric setup regardless. Tundra wheel are hub centric by designed from Toyota, just like the Tacoma wheel, which the weight is assisted by the hub. You're using lug centric spacer, now the weight is assisted by the stud instead of the bore to match hub. This can result in play between the lug centric spacer and hub centric wheel.

Also, tundra wheel uses mag seat lug nut, not acorn/ball seat lug nut. If you're using acorn/ball, you won't be able to torque and center the wheel on.

 

Only way I know to find slack is jack it and see if you can find it otherwise all we can point out is things we see assembled wrong.

Those spacers need acorn lug nuts since there's no hub. Tundra wheels, I don't know if made for acorns. My Tacoma alloys are not.

 

Going to take it apart in a bit and send some pics to clarify.
I’m currently using Mag lug nuts on the rims - I believe that’s the oem lug nut style for these rims?
And as for the spacer it an Acorn lug nut that someone chopped so it would be flush with the top of the spacer.

Going to jack up the front end and have a buddy tank on the steering wheel to try and see if anything’s loose.
Where exactly should I be looking?

 

As far as lug nuts go, you are correct. The spacers you are using are not hub centric as stated earlier which is most likely the cause for the vibrations. The "tick" could be your cv axle worn out. Tip is jack it up, rock the tire left to right to check your tie rods and top and bottom for wheel bearing. even put your other hand on each joint to find where it's loose. You can check your ball joints by prying up under the tire. The upper ball joint in your pic looks like it could be worn by the angle your spindle is sitting. If you cant find it yourself, take it to a shop have them inspect your suspension. Shouldn't be too much, i think when i worked at sears it was like 15-20 bucks. BUT i would start by changing out the wheel spacers to something hub centric.

 

So they're second hand spacer? I thought you bought them from 4wp? Was going to say, take them back and exchange them for hub centric. I never tried mag lug on mag designed wheel on lug centric spacer, that might be your issue? Under load, there's nothing to help distribute the weight.

Another possible issue, the spacer is worn from where the stud is seated. Under load and stress, they wobble.

 

Gotta stop listening to people at part stores, you want/need the hub-centric spacers.
I wouldn't even run those on my truck with those wheels (I have the same tundra split spokes).

First, the hub centric spacer will locate the hub to spacer right, then it has another lip to locate the spacer to wheel right.
Right now you are in a everything is lined up by the lug nuts situation, and unless you have that magic touch things will vibrate.
The factory lug nuts and the factory wheels aren't designed for lug-centric centering even if you get new lug nuts, the hole in the wheel isn't designed for that.

Here is an example picture of broken lugs and what happens when you stick an acorn/cone shaped lug centric nut in a hub centric wheel or hub (a flat hole that is not acorn/cone shaped), basically it makes contact only at the edge, wears it out into a cone over time and then it falls off cause it loosens up.
http://www.croberts.com/Automotive-wheel-detachment.htm