How to torque front wheel spacers without second person to brake?

Noob here. "Welcome to the forums, Trogdyr!" I have a 2015 TRD Sport 3" lift with factory 17" wheels and 285/75/17 Toyo ATii's. The bigger tires still rub on the UCA as I approach a full turn. I'm putting on 1.25" Spidertrax spacers to make them not rub.

I don't want people to weigh in on getting spacers or not getting spacers. I know there are plenty in both camps. Thanks though

First off - I searched and couldn't find anything.

My question that I haven't quite figured out is this; how does one torque the front wheel spacers without someone there to put the brakes on?

I've engaged 4WD and that adds a little resistance but I can't think of a way to do it by myself without using another wrench to hold onto and potentially throw off the torque of another spacer nut while torquing.

 

Four wheel drive and set the parking brake. Or stick a screwdriver into one of the vent holes along the edge of rotor near caliper

 

Thanks!

 

Quick question, I’ve searched and couldn’t find a thread with the answer. I have a 2003 xtra cab tacoma and I just bought 2in spacers for all 4 wheels. I just don’t know how much I’m supposed to torque them down. Like what are the torque specs for the spacers and wheels on these trucks?

 

1) use a breaker bar or pry bar accross the studs to hold and stop the hub from rotating while tightening the lugs nuts on the spacer.

2) use a jack stand under one of the studs at 3:00 to 4:00 position while it's rotating clockwise, tighten the lugs on the spacer.

 

Good idea. I'd go so far as to throw a lug nut on to torque against that instead of the threads.

 

It doesn't damage the threads at all.

 

I'd expect you would torque them the same as the wheels. I believe that's 83 ft lbs.

 

Yup thats what i would do. Also just put a piece of wood between the brake pedal and the driver seat, and slide the seat forward to hold down the pedal.

 

depends, when I bought spidertraxs the little booklet in the box said to torque the spacers to 100

 

Yep. That's what I torgue my wheel spacers to. Round up to a nice 85.

 

Maybe they updated their instructions since then, but it says 90.

 

I use battery impact wrench and torque sticks

 

Yea. 90 with red loctite, then check them again after 50 miles at 80.

 

I think spidertrax recommends the loctite but i stopped using it over the years. It just gumms up the threads and then you have to clean em up to get a smooth torque the next time

6 properly torqued nuts should have no problem holding the spacer on. I use to check the torque when i rotated the tires but then i even stopped doing that because they were always fine lol

 

This is what I did. Has held up for years so far.