Do I need to extend studs for 1/4 in spacer?

Want 15 in wheels and hear they rub the calipers. People say a 1/4 in spacer will clear it but do I need to extend my wheel studs for that?

 

rub the calipers? On a 1st gen?

 

You can use the search, to find your answer, sounds like you haven’t bought anything yet as you want to fit 15s

but just to save others the time posting they’ll ask why 15” wheels, then say go 16s no wait go 16s make sure they clear calipers for tundra brake upgrade.

Tundra brake wheels fitment
https://adventuretaco.com/guide/which-wheels-fit-the-tundra-brake-upgrade-on-a-tacoma/

See brake section:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/1st-gen-diy-and-how-to-thread-compiled-list-of-helpful-links.95271/

Tundra brake write up:
https://adventuretaco.com/guide/step-by-step-tundra-brake-upgrade-on-a-tacoma-or-4runner/

Good luck

 

I have 15" and it doesn't rub. YMMV.

 

Yes

 

Purely from a safety perspective, the answer is yes to your original question. Those spacers will otherwise rob you of 1/4" of thread for your lug nuts to "bite", and therefore your wheels are less secure to your rig.

The proper solution is either to buy new rims with different backspacing that won't rub (could mean going up to 16" rims too), or using the bigger hub-centric/lug-centric spacers like Spidertrax or Bora make. I have Bora .75" spacers on mine because when I bought my truck it had the 1/4" spacers on it to prevent the rims from rubbing on the calipers and no tire shop would touch my truck for rotations or balancing because they said how unsafe those are. The spacers are cheaper than new rims

 

Or you can get ET lug nuts.......extra thread. Thats what I run.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but that doesn't solve the problem of the spacer taking up more of the lug stud. You'd want to at least lengthen your studs 1/4" to ensure the same amount of exposed thread is there for the lug nut to grab

 

You’re correct. I’ll still need extended studs

 

1/4" is practically nothing. Go to like 1"+ and it should come with it's own new studs. Or like mentioned get wheels with the proper offset. Idk why you'd WANT to run 15" wheels given the option

 

They don’t give true 33x12.5 on a 16 inch wheel and I like the way 33x12.5 looks on a 15 inch wheel. I plan on getting the proper back spacing but as my dad says hope for the best prepare for the worst so I am doing research in case there is contact on the caliper.

 

The plan is 33x12.5 on a 15x8 -3.75 bs

 

Fully seated I believe our lugs typically grab about an inch (1") to an inch and a quarter (1.25") of the stud, with no spacer in place. So a quarter inch spacer is at least taking up 20% or as high as 25% of the available stud threads. That seems far more than "practically nothing". Totally agree though that 15" rims don't make much sense, unless you've already got them and don't want to pay for new rims

 

Why don’t 15 inch wheels make sense? I don’t plan on doing the tundra brake conversion. And the tire size I am planning on getting it’s not available on a 16 inch wheel and I do not want to size up to a 17 inch wheel.

 

@Red_03Taco is correct, you either need new studs or different wheel spacers. I have had a good experience with my 1.5” Spidertrax. It’s not worth the risk of what could happen if you loose a wheel at speed.

Don’t ask how I know . But I got really lucky and only had to replace a wheel, rotor, LBJ, & LCA on the ‘92 SR5 I owned at the time.

 

There's far less tire options for the 15" rims overall, as less and less people run them. So given the option to buy either, I'd just go with 16" and it leaves open the possibility to do the tundra brake upgrade if you find yourself changing your mind on that down the road.

 

I’ll just get extended wheel studs. Problem solved right

 

Yet… I recently installed big brakes on my ‘02 and it was an improvement with my other mods and weight.

 

You'll be spending more on studs + spacers than just getting a 16 or 17 inch wheel. Idk why the tires you want are that important. Like Red said, I've seen more options that exclude 15" and more for 16". These had better be some really special tires

And I've never pressed out studs, but sounds like a royal PITA depending on how seized they've become

 

The only weight I plan on adding is a 85lb tube bumper. I’m not getting a rtt or a rack stuff so it’s not like I’m hauling around 600lbs of extra stuff. Ofc 33’s will be harder to slow down slightly but I don’t drive like a manic so I don’t see the need as of now for a tundra brake.