2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission wheel spacer

[David411]

I am in the middle of replacing front brake rotors on my truck. However I found out that the passenger side wheel hub had a 3. 5mm wheel space on it. The drivers side had no such spacer? Do I remove the spacer or just let it be?

Thank-You

 

[SSell]

I'm thinking put it back----I thought one of the factory fixes/ tech memos for death wobble/driveability issues on 2nd Gen trux involved shimming this/ spacing that under certain specific conditions. I'm sure you'd find an exact answer in old threads if U look hard enough.

 

[SRath]

The only reason I can think of for a spacer on one side only is that the axle is not properly centered and someone cheated to get the one wheel far enough out to not rub.



Just a best guess. Make sure the other spacer did not stick to the back of your wheel when you removed it, IF there is another spacer.

 

[budnate]

your supposed to run it on the front pass , most all the HD trucks left the factory with them, but have been tossed by boneheads over the years that didnt bother to check it out, your front end alighnment guy will thank you if its in place.



peace, B.

 

[QWaller]

Back in 1997 I had a new Ram that began pulling hard to the R while braking. The dealer fix was a spacer to adjust the alignment. Did not do anything to help. Finally after some pondering, we pulled the calipers and honed them. Placed new pistons, and there you go, problem solved. The factory calipers were hanging up just enough to cause slightly more pressure on the one side. Anyway that was my first dealings with the wonder spacer.

 

[ata]

The spacer was Dodges idea of a better fix. (Three different thickness 1. 5, 3. 5, 5mm) They were to cheap to put an adjustable track bar on the trucks. If the front axle was not square with the rear axle they put a spacer under the wheel on one side to square the wheels up not the axles. And yes that 3. 5mm offset will give you brake pull.

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

Back in 1997 I had a new Ram that began pulling hard to the R while braking. The dealer fix was a spacer to adjust the alignment. .

Ding! Yep

They were to cheap to put an adjustable track bar on the trucks. .

Double Ding!



My DT trackBar (Now BD has one) had pulled my front axle 3/4 back to the passenger side and the driveability when i di it was much improved. Granted I have a leveling kit (prolly gave a 1/2 inch of that three quarters) but I remember from day one staring dead nuts at the center of the truck you could see one side was favored.

 

[SRath]

Hey Tim, where's my ding?



"The only reason I can think of for a spacer on one side only is that the axle is not properly centered and someone cheated to get the one wheel far enough out to not rub. "



Or should I have said "track correctly" instead of "rub"?

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

Hey Tim, where's my ding?







Or should I have said "track correctly" instead of "rub"?

... . DING!!! :-laf

 

[donhoward]

Doing a brake job on my '97 2500 4X4, first time for me working on the brakes on this truck. I found a 3. 5mm spacer on the passenger side only. I was thinking the tire shop had lost the other one but a search found this thread and the answer to my question, THANKS! Anyway the truck is sometimes pulling hard to the right when braking. Calipers were replaced by the local tire shop 40,000 miles ago and still look pretty good but left side must be hanging up occasionally. Pads look about 1/2 worn. I'm going to replace pads, clean and lube everything else and put it back together to see if that cures the caliper hanging. If not I'll be buying rebuilt calipers and maybe brake hoses while I'm there.

 

[charlessmith]

My '97 4x4 also has a spacer on the right side. The dealer told me that this was put on by the selling dealer to correct alignment. Yeah, probably because there was too much offset in the axle location.

 

[donhoward]

Well, just cleaning up the old calipers didn't fix the pulling so took everything back apart and installed rebuilt ones. Stops straight now.