Wheel Spacer and Adapter Installation Guidelines

FAILURE TO CORRECTLY INSTALL THE PRODUCT MAY RESULT IN THE LOSS OF WHEEL(S) WHILE DRIVING

Titan Wheel Accessories products are intended for off road or competition use only.

Titan Wheel Accessories products, including wheel spacers, wheel adapters and lug nuts are intended and sold for off road use only. Use of these products is at the customers own risk. Products sold for off road use are intended for off-road and racing vehicles that may never be used on public roadways. These off road only products may be illegal in many municipalities. 

By purchasing aftermarket, off road only products, the customer takes full responsibility for any use and/or misuse of the product and aggrees that Titan Wheel Accessories hold no responsibility for any consequences, legal, or otherwise, of such use and/or misuse.

Proper installation is to be performed by a trained technician with sufficient knowledge of these products. The following points are guidelines only:

  • A torque wrench (no air or power tools) is required for the safe and proper installation of your new wheel spacers or adapters
  • Be sure to remove all corrosion from your vehicle's hub and rotor using sandpaper, a wire brush or a wire wheel to ensure correct centering and seating of the spacer
  • Make sure that the spacer or adapter seats completely flush against the hub of the vehicle and that the wheel seats flush against the face of the spacer
  • Pay close attention to the number of turns that you can get on the lug bolt or lug nut

Below is the minimum number of turns required for each lug nut/lug bolt:

  • 12x1.5 requires at least 6.5 turns
  • 12x1.25 requires at least 8 turns
  • 14x1.5 requires at least 7.5 turns
  • 14x2 requires at least 6 turns
  • 1/2"x20 requires at least 8 turns
  • 9/16" requires at least 7.5 turns

Make sure that the wheel spacers or adapters have studs with a thread pitch that matches your vehicle's studs:

If they do not, additional lug nuts will be required to bolt them onto your vehicle's hub and to secure the wheel onto the spacer or adapter

Your vehicle's OEM wheel studs may be longer than the spacer is thick. If that is the case, there are a couple of options:

  • Your factory wheel studs can be cut/trimmed down or replaced with shorter replacement studs
  • Your wheels may have pockets or cavities between the mounting holes. If these pockets are of sufficient size and shape to accommodate your vehicle's wheel studs, you may not need to cut them down.

Never install wheels onto spacers if the vehicle's factory studs make contact with the back of the wheel. Be sure to confirm that the wheel seats completely flat onto the face of the spacer, with no gap between any of the parts.

Torque Specifications

All of the lug nuts used to install wheel spacers need to be torqued by hand using a torque wrench. The use of power tools to install lug nuts can cause them to be over-torqued or can cause damage to the spacers and studs.

  • Torque all lug nuts to no higher than 110ft lbs. If your vehicle manufacturer's torque specification is under 110ft lbs, then follow that specification
  • After driving with your new spacers or adapters for 25 miles, check the torque on all of the lug nuts again. Your wheels will need to be removed to check the lug nuts securing the spacer to the hub on bolt-on spacers and adapters. 
  • It is always a good idea to check the torque on all of the lug nuts periodically after installation and if you notice a new vibration

Be sure to check the next section below for the specific installation instructions for the type of wheel spacer or adapter that you are installing.

Bolt-On Wheel Spacers and Adapters

Bolt-On Wheel Spacers and Adapters

This style of wheel spacers and adapters bolt onto your vehicles hub using the vehicle's factory wheel studs and the included open-ended lug nuts. They have studs pressed in them, which are used to bolt your wheel onto the spacer using your original or OEM lug nuts. 

Be sure to use hand tools only to install the wheel spacers or adapters. The use of air or power tools can cause damage to the studs and spacers.

Installation:

  • Remove the wheel and clean the vehicle's hub with a wire wheel or brush
  • Install the spacer or adapter onto the vehicle's hub, sliding it over the vehicle's wheel studs
  • Ensure that the spacer or adapter seats fully on the vehicle's hub and that the factory wheel studs do not protrude past the face of the spacer
  • -Thread the included openended lug nuts onto the vehicle's original wheel studs and then torque them to your vehicle manufacturers torque specification, but do not exceed 110ft lbs
  • Install the wheel onto the spacer or adapter, making sure that it seats flush against the face of the spacer
  • Install your original lug nuts onto the spacers studs and torque them to your vehicle manufacturers specification, but do not exceed 110ft lbs
  • Make sure that there are no gaps between any of the parts, all of the lug nuts are torqued to the correct specification and make sure that there is no rubbing or interference between any parts
  • Repeat this process for the remaining wheels

Torque Specifications

Lug nuts securing the adapters to the hub and the wheels to the adapters: Vehicle manufacturer's specification, but not to exceed 110ft lbs

After driving with your new spacers or adapters for 25 miles, check the torque on all of the lug nuts again. Your wheels will need to be removed to check the lug nuts securing the spacer to the hub

2-Piece Wheel Adapters

2-Piece Wheel Adapters

This style of wheel adapter is used to convert to a bolt pattern with a different number of lugs than your factory bolt pattern. These adapters have two parts; one that gets bolted to the hub of your vehicle and another, with studs used to install the wheels, that is bolted onto the base of the adapter.

Be sure to use hand tools only to install the wheel spacers or adapters. The use of air or power tools can cause damage to the studs and spacers.

Installation:

  • Remove the wheel and clean the vehicle's hub with a wire wheel or brush
  • Disassemble the 2-piece adapters, removing the allen screws and separating the 2 pieces
  •  Install the inner base part of the adapter onto the vehicle's hub, sliding it over the factory wheel studs
  • Install the included open-ended lug nuts onto the vehicle's original wheel studs and torque them to your vehicle manufacturers specification, but do not exceed 110ft lbs
  • Be sure to confirm that the original wheel studs do not protrude past the base part of the adapter. If they do, they will need to be cut down
  • Install the outer piece of the adapter, using the included allen bolts
  • Torque the allen bolts to 60ft lbs by hand using a torque wrench (loctite is optional, but recommended)
  • Ensure that there is no gap between the 2 parts of the adapter. If there is, factory wheel studs will likely need to be cut down
  • Take a piece of paper and try to slide it in between the inner and outer pieces of the adapter. If you can slide a piece of paper between them, they are not installed correctly and failure will occur
  • Install the wheel onto the adapter's studs using your original lug nuts and torque the lug nuts to the vehicle manufacturer's torque specification, making sure to not exceed 110ft lbs
  • Make sure that there are no gaps between any of the parts, all of the lug nuts are torqued to the correct specification and make sure that there is no rubbing or interference between any parts
  • Repeat this process with the remaining wheels

If your factory wheel studs stick out past the surface of the inner part of the adapter:

  • Your factory wheel studs will need to be cut down or replaced with shorter aftermarket studs
  • Do not install the wheels if there are any gaps between the 2 parts of the adapter
  • Check to make sure that the adapter is installed correctly and fully seated onto the hub

Torque Specifications

  • Lug nuts securing the adapters to the hub and the wheels to the adapters: Vehicle manufacturer's specification, but not to exceed 110ft lbs
  • Allen bolts, securing the 2 piece adapter together: 60ft lbs

After driving with your new spacers or adapters for 25 miles, check the torque on all of the lug nuts again. Your wheels will need to be removed to check the lug nuts securing the spacer to the hub

Slip-On Wheel Spacers

Slip-On Wheel Spacers

This style of wheel spacer does not have studs pressed in them, so they retain the use of the vehicle's factory wheel studs or lug bolts. 

Extended wheel studs or lug bolts may be required to use a slip-on spacer:

With the spacers and wheels installed, make sure that you can get enough turns on the lug nuts or lug bolts, following the information below:

  • 12x1.5 thread requires at least 6.5 turns
  • 12x1.25 thread requires at least 8 turns
  • 14x1.5 thread requires at least 7.5 turns
  • 14x2 thread requires at least 6 turns
  • 1/2"x20 thread requires at least 8 turns
  • 9/16" thread requires at least 7.5 turns

Installation:

  • Remove the wheel and clean the vehicle's hub with a wire wheel or brush
  • Slide the spacer onto the vehicle's hub and over the wheel studs (if applicable)
  • Ensure that the spacer seats fully onto the vehicle's hub and that there are no gaps between the spacer and the hub surface
  • Re-install the wheel onto the vehicle and ensure that it seats flush against the face of the spacer
  • Re-install the original lug nuts or lug bolts and make sure that you can get enough turns on them to ensure a secure and safe fit
  • Torque the lug nuts or lug bolts to the vehicle manufacturer's torque specification
  • Make sure that there are no gaps between any of the parts, all of the lug nuts are torqued to the correct specification and make sure that there is no rubbing or interference between any parts
  • Repeat this process with the remaining wheels

If your wheel studs or lug bolts are too short, there are a couple of options:

  • Vehicles with Lug Bolts: You can purchase longer extended lug bolts, which are available from multiple sources online. You can contact us for recommendations.
  • Vehicles with Studs and Lug Nuts: You can replace your factory wheel studs with extended aftermarket studs. These can be found online. Feel free to contact us for recommendations.