Sublauxation 17 #1 Posted August 25 I've read up a bit but still have questions: I put new wheels on my c160 and need a little more room, probably 1" spacers It seems like most buy spacers but not custom. As these are hub centric, and best I can tell 3 1/8" stock spacers don't exist what do you use? Are people just relying on the lug nuts to keep them centered? I can see buying spacers with a bigger hub bore and using a spacer ring for inside the wheel but then the outside doesn't fit. Smaller spacers would work but the inside would have to be turned out? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 73,725 #2 Posted August 25 I've got all the info you need. I can send it later today. The lug nuts Center the wheel just fine. No Hub Centric spacer is needed. You will need to drill all the lug nut holes in your existing Wheels out from 7/16 to 1/2 in. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sublauxation 17 #3 Posted August 25 Or do you just get the closest undersized spacer and bore out the inner side yourself to make it fit and weld in a spacer ring on the outside? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sublauxation 17 #4 Posted August 25 4 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: I've got all the info you need. I can send it later today. The lug nuts Center the wheel just fine. No Hub Centric spacer is needed. You will need to drill all the lug nut holes in your existing Wheels out from 7/16 to 1/2 in. I was wondering if I'm just overthinking it since we aren't going 70mph and the lug nuts themselves will be a tight fit. I appreciate any info you send, Thanks! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 73,725 #5 Posted August 25 1 minute ago, Sublauxation said: lug nuts The lug nuts are a tapered seat. That's your centering. Even on a regular wheel that has a Hub Centric Center there is a very limited effect from it. The lug nuts do all the work. @8ntruck could elaborate much more precisely than me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sublauxation 17 #6 Posted August 25 4 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: The lug nuts are a tapered seat. That's your centering. Even on a regular wheel that has a Hub Centric Center there is a very limited effect from it. The lug nuts do all the work. @8ntruck could elaborate much more precisely than me. Got you, the spacers self center with the tapered seat and lug nut, and the outside will be fine even though my wheels don't have a tapered seat. So the jeep ones with a 80mm center bore that will slide over my hub is fine, just need tapered 7/16 lug nuts to attach the spacer to my hub? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sublauxation 17 #8 Posted August 25 So this should work: 7/16 x20 lug bolts with a taper to center the spacer on the hub (spacer has 1/2 inch hole but I'm guessing this would just sit a bit deeper? Then just drill out the wheel lug holes to 1/2 and use the tapered lug nuts or should I just buy some flat 1/2 lug nuts? I never measured, the lug bolts are 7/16 x 20 aren't they? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 73,725 #9 Posted August 25 4 minutes ago, Sublauxation said: These will likely be too short. I'll PM you with the info I use. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sublauxation 17 #10 Posted August 25 13 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: These will likely be too short. I'll PM you with the info I use. That was a concern, I was looking at 1" spacers but was worried that these wouldn't sit below the new face for the wheel, Likewise, some concern that they aren't long enough for 1 1/2 spacers What width spacer did you use, seems most do 2" I would be a bit worried that the lug nuts you showed may be too long to sit below the face on the 1 1/2" spacer so maybe just go with 2"? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sublauxation 17 #11 Posted August 25 I'm assuming you just screw the bolt in from the back side of the hub, not drilling out threads from the hub? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 73,725 #12 Posted August 25 41 minutes ago, Sublauxation said: That was a concern, I was looking at 1" spacers but was worried that these wouldn't sit below the new face for the wheel, Likewise, some concern that they aren't long enough for 1 1/2 spacers What width spacer did you use, seems most do 2" I would be a bit worried that the lug nuts you showed may be too long to sit below the face on the 1 1/2" spacer so maybe just go with 2"? I've used several sets of spacers from 1.5" to 3" thick. All worked fine with the 1.5" fully threaded bolts 🔩 3 minutes ago, Sublauxation said: I'm assuming you just screw the bolt in from the back side of the hub, not drilling out threads from the hub? Correct. I do use a tap to chase the threads before installing the bolts. Use correct torque ratings and torque wrench. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sublauxation 17 #13 Posted August 25 3 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: I've used several sets of spacers from 1.5" to 3" thick. All worked fine with the 1.5" fully threaded bolts 🔩 Correct. I do use a tap to chase the threads before installing the bolts. Use correct torque ratings and torque wrench. Appreciate all your time and help, been working on this c160 for a while and my oldest kid who did a lot of the work with me will be at the cabin this weekend so I really want to get this done so he can enjoy the fruits of his labor, and your help has ensured that that should happen! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 73,725 #14 Posted August 25 2 minutes ago, Sublauxation said: Appreciate all your time and help, been working on this c160 for a while and my oldest kid who did a lot of the work with me will be at the cabin this weekend so I really want to get this done so he can enjoy the fruits of his labor, and your help has ensured that that should happen! Glad to help!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 15,002 #15 Posted August 25 (edited) Keep in mind a couple things: if you go too big on spacers (about an inch) you won't be able to use a Wheel Horse mower deck again, unless your tractor will carry a 48 or 60 inch deck. 1.5 inch spacers are about the max with a 48 inch deck and it's very close. Tire size and brand are factors here. Hub centric spacers won't work. Plus the spacers you use must be large enough to get around the hub face center. Measure yours before buying spacers. Also those studs in your picture don't work well. Likely they are too big to get a socket inside the spacer holes with them. Either use 7/16 x 20 bolts from the back and lug nuts to attach the spacers- or studs with raised heads. These are pretty expensive, but won't interfere with the axle bolts in the hub. Both types are shown below. Also you will need to ream out the holes on your wheels to 1/2 so the spacer studs will fit. It's only 1/16 larger so if you go back to OEM bolts they will still work with factory bolts. Edited August 25 by kpinnc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8ntruck 8,041 #16 Posted August 25 4 hours ago, ebinmaine said: The lug nuts are a tapered seat. That's your centering. Even on a regular wheel that has a Hub Centric Center there is a very limited effect from it. The lug nuts do all the work. @8ntruck could elaborate much more precisely than me. Depends on the wheel and application. For several decades, automotive wheels have had a pretty tight tolerance between the center bore on the wheel and the center of the bolt circle. Typically, the center bore limits the amount that the lug nuts can drive the wheel off center. This amount is measured in single digit thousands of an inch. The tapered lug nuts and nut seats usually do more to retain lug nut torque than to center the wheel on the hub. The first generation of Ford F150s that were heavily styled for aerodynamics did not use tapered lug nuts. Instead, they were Hub Centric and used lug nuts with attached cone washers. The bolt holes in the wheels were just straight pierced through the wheel. On low speed, low load applications like our tractors, wheel centering on the hub is not a concern. The tapered nuts and nut seats are for torque retention. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8ntruck 8,041 #17 Posted August 26 (edited) Probably worth a mention - there are several types of lug nut or stud tapers. In safety critical applications (cars, trucks, busses, high speed side by sides, etc.) they should not be mixed - the lug nut or stud needs to match the nut seats in the wheel. If they don't, the stud or nut will loose torque, which hastens a wheel failure. The stud @kpinnc posted a picture of has a spherical surface to clamp a matching spherical surface on a Wheel. This is typical on a late model VW product - other Europen makes as well. Just about all American automotive applications use a 60 degree chamfer. Agricultural vehicles commonly have 90 degree chamfers. Wheel Horse seems to have used both 60 degree and 90 degree chambers on different models. My 1973 14-8 uses 60 degree chambers. My early 80's C-195 uses a 90 degree chamber- at least as far as I can tell. Those short surfaces are tough to get a good angle measurement on. Again, on our tractor application, which is low speed and low load when compared to cars, tricks, busses, etc., it is possible to cheat and mix and match the various chamber contours. THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT NO DAMAGE WILL HAPPEN IF ONE DOES MIX CHAMFER TYPES. Lug nut torque will still be lost, which ALWAYS LEADS TO ACCELERATED WHEEL FAILURE. If you choose to mix chamfer types, you NEED TO CHECK LUG TORQUE FREQUENTLY. Edited August 26 by 8ntruck 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Retired Wrencher 5,959 #18 Posted August 26 15 hours ago, ebinmaine said: I've got all the info you need. I can send it later today. The lug nuts Center the wheel just fine. No Hub Centric spacer is needed. You will need to drill all the lug nut holes in your existing Wheels out from 7/16 to 1/2 in. Good info there Eric. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sublauxation 17 #19 Posted August 28 On 8/25/2025 at 5:56 PM, kpinnc said: Keep in mind a couple things: if you go too big on spacers (about an inch) you won't be able to use a Wheel Horse mower deck again, unless your tractor will carry a 48 or 60 inch deck. 1.5 inch spacers are about the max with a 48 inch deck and it's very close. Tire size and brand are factors here. Hub centric spacers won't work. Plus the spacers you use must be large enough to get around the hub face center. Measure yours before buying spacers. Also those studs in your picture don't work well. Likely they are too big to get a socket inside the spacer holes with them. Either use 7/16 x 20 bolts from the back and lug nuts to attach the spacers- or studs with raised heads. These are pretty expensive, but won't interfere with the axle bolts in the hub. Both types are shown below. Also you will need to ream out the holes on your wheels to 1/2 so the spacer studs will fit. It's only 1/16 larger so if you go back to OEM bolts they will still work with factory bolts. That's one thing I hadn't considered. I have a 42 inch deck. Currently I have about 3/16 of an inch of clearance on the tire, would I be better going with a 1/2 inch or 1 inch spacer? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 15,002 #20 Posted August 28 3 hours ago, Sublauxation said: Currently I have about 3/16 of an inch of clearance on the tire, would I be better going with a 1/2 inch or 1 inch spacer? If you're that close now, no spacer is your only option. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites