I am in the process of stretching my 97 TJ and installing 37" MTRs. I was trying to figure out what to do with wheels options. I know the stock back spacing is 3.75, but I do not think the the 37" will clear with this backspacing. Here is the questions, should I use spacers or buy wheels with 2.75 backspacing?

Buy wheels it will be better for the axel in the long run.

Buy wheels it will be better for the axel in the long run.


how would the axle know if there is a spacer or a different offset in the wheel?

how would the axle know if there is a spacer or a different offset in the wheel?
x2, wheel spacer or less backspacing is the exact same thing to the axle. If your talking about bolting up 37's to you stock axle with that little backspacing you better buy stock in wheel bearing and ball joint companys.

They are not going on stock axles.

x2, wheel spacer or less backspacing is the exact same thing to the axle. If your talking about bolting up 37's to you stock axle with that little backspacing you better buy stock in wheel bearing and ball joint companys.


dana stock is cheap these days :flipoff2:

I run spacers...heres my 2 cents.
There are el cheapo ebay specials and there are good quality ones made from aircraft aluminum or some crap like that.
I bought the good ones and HAND TIGHTENED them, no impact gun.
I still managed to spin a stud in the soft aluminum. That was the biggest pain in the ass. I had to cut the stud and lug off with a jizz wheel. This was all in the driveway while servicing rear brakes.
Then I went to Windrock for a wheeling trip. I busted a bead on a hill in the mud and while taking the tire off, another stud spun in the spacer. By grace of God, someone had a torch. We heated the lugnut and it came off.
If you plan on never removing your wheels then run spacers but if you are constantly removing your wheels then you run the risk of spinning a stud and that will ruin your day.

is that a common occurance? i never heard of that but then again never hear of o lot of thing in life.. what if you were to tack the back og the stud to tha axle shaft to prevent that?

how would the axle know if there is a spacer or a different offset in the wheel?

The only difference is there is more stress on the bearings with a spacer. If you take a 2" spacer and a 2" offset wheel it will equal the same offset. With the spacer there is more stress on the bearings because the wms is pushed out 2" with the wheels the wms stays the same. I do not think it will make that big of a deference ether way.

For what it's worth I run stock wheels with 2" spacers in the rear.

reread his post he said if he doesnt get a 2 inch spacer he is going to buy new offset wheels .. which would be the same..

either way i think wheels spacers/adapters suck.. but i think im buying some anyway for my project..

I have to buy new wheels any way, so I think I am going with the wheels with 2.75 backspacing vice the spacers.

reread his post he said if he doesnt get a 2 inch spacer he is going to buy new offset wheels .. which would be the same.

It does equal the same offset but the deference is it changes your WMS with the spaces and is harder on the wheel bearings. Thus why people say do not get bigger than 2 1/2" or 3" spacers.

Like I said before it does not really matter it is not that big of a difference but if it was me and I already have to buy rims I would get some offset ones.