S10 chassis wheel spacer question

[Cautrell05]

For the guys running 2 inch spacers with the S10 chassis, how much tire to fender clearance do you have between the front tires and the fender? Thinking of some chassis mods on mine to avoid the spacers. Would like to run 15x7 or 8 on the front without spacers. What I have in mind is to split the front crossmember in the middle and spread it to the width I need then fill in the gap. The b-body spindles add about a half inch per side. 3 inches in the middle would equal the same width as running the spacers. I'm not afraid of chassis mods and have the resources. Just wondering how wide to go.

Nick

[chincha805]

good question. i am wanting to do the same. i have read somewhere before i started my s10 frame swap, that you can get upper and lower control arms that are extended out. but i cant find where to get them.

[lolife99]

Michigan Metal Works sells a longer set of a-arms for this very problem.

[Cautrell05]

The arms would be the easy solution. I have more time than money and like a challenge(most of the time). Plus, the extra chassis width would help with exhaust and steering clearance.

[Coldshot]

Originally Posted by Cautrell05

The arms would be the easy solution. I have more time than money and like a challenge(most of the time). Plus, the extra chassis width would help with exhaust and steering clearance.

I did a lot of research on the wider front to avoid the spacers as well. You have a few options for sure.
The longer arms are about $1000 and they can make them what ever length you want.
You can also just do a front clip swap from a Monte Carlo or Malibu, if your ok with frame work.
Or you can do my route (witch I wouldn't recommend with the s10 frame) and swap a k member from something totally different to get the width.

Easiest would be the arms but the clip swap would be cheapest.
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[Cautrell05]

I guess the better question would be, what hub track width will work with regular offset 15x8 and not hit the fenders.

[Coldshot]

Originally Posted by Cautrell05

I guess the better question would be, what hub track width will work with regular offset 15x8 and not hit the fenders.

Your looking for something around the 60" track width area. Stock s10 is 54" I think hence the big 3" spacers on each side. The original track of the truck is 61"
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[joedoh]

this is 15x8 3.75 backspace front and 15x10 3.5 backspace rear, no spacers.

[HUSSEY]

Whats so wrong with spacers on the front? I know allot of other guys use them.

I currently have stock S10 wheels on mine with 2 in. hubcentric billet spacers. The spacing seem right to me.

I used red locktite and torqued them on to 100 ft/lb.

[Coldshot]

Originally Posted by HUSSEY

Whats so wrong with spacers on the front? I know allot of other guys use them.

I currently have stock S10 wheels on mine with 2 in. hubcentric billet spacers. The spacing seem right to me.

I used red locktite and torqued them on to 100 ft/lb.

Nothing wrong with them but if your gonna hammer on the truck it's safer without them. If your just going for a cruzes there the way to go
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[Cautrell05]

I don't totally have a problem with spacers. I know that there are a ton of them out there and most have no problems. Ive seen a couple come loose and the extra wheel offset/leverage on the front wheel bearings is enough reason for me to go without. Nothing against the guys that run them. This will be my daily driver and I have between 3 and 12 miles of gravel to drive daily depending on which route I take so I need it to be solid.
I think I will look at adding 4 inches in the middle. That should get the rails the same width as the G-body and allow me to get sway bars without having to fab that part. The extra inch from the b-body spindles should push it out to around 59 inches. sounds good in theory. I will update the build thread when I actually get started. thanks for the replies.

Nick

[joedoh]

are you going to bag the truck? if so, lengthen the arms 2" per side. S10s have a nasty habit of toe out when bagged on large wheels, lengthening the arms solves this by changing the angle of the upper and lower. I would hate to see you widen the frame 4" and need a creative solution to widen the cast center link only to find you have toe out issues that chew up your tires. by lengthening the arms you can also just get longer tie rods tubes from UB machine. I did it on my 65 on an s10 chassis, had control arms made 4" longer and ordered tubes, no weird camber or toe issues. You can lengthen the arms yourself, but be careful, the lowers angle forward and the uppers rearward, so you cant just make them longer, you need to mark a line on the arms perpendicular to the frame and lengthen on that axis only, so the balljoints end up in the right place and they are 2" further from the frame along that line.

if you arent bagging it, take lots of pictures for us.

[dsraven]

if you plan or driving your truck like a daily driver check out the theories of steering geometry. how steering axis inclination works with tire size and wheel offsets to get the tire contact patch under the steering axis. if it is not correct the tires actually make an arc when you turn instead of turning on one tire contact patch mark. it could make for unstable steering and premature tire wear/steering component wear. the steering axis is an imaginary line drawn through the upper and lower ball joint extended down below the tire contact patch where it meets the road. if you draw another imaginary line vertically across the wheel mounting surface they should intersect at the tire contact point on the ground. if it is all correct the tire contact patch stays in the same place when the steering is turned. wheel spacers exaggerate this arc. at least I think that is how it is supposed to work. google it before you spend time and money. not saying other methods are wrong and not saying anything against other guy's rides or methods, just saying be informed before you make the decision so you know what to expect when it is time to go for a drive.if you have access to somebody's ride with wheel spacers or extra long control arms etc ask them to turn the steering from lock to lock and watch how the tire makes an arc instead of pivotting on it's contact patch. also bounce the vehicle up and down and see if the toe out/in changes. if you plan on adding width in the cross member take a look at where the pivot points for the tie rods will end up as well. if they don't line up with the line drawn between the upper and lower control arm pivots then you will get wicked bump steer. heidts used to have a write up online about this problem. again, make an informed decision.

[dsraven]

when I said the second imaginary line would be drawn vertically on the wheel mounting flange I should have said vertically through the centreline of the tire. wheel offset and/or spacers play a part here. I also agree with the previous comment about extra strain on the wheel bearings when using spacers. remember to service/inspect the bearings and spacers often until you get a feel for their wear.

[Cautrell05]

I thought about airbags breifly but decided against them for several reasons. cost and simplicity for starters. I have been an alignment tech for 23 years now and have seen how much toe changes with rideheight. One height will be fine with me.

By widening the frame 4 inches it will essentialy be a leafspring G-body chassis. the front suspension(and faults) are identical to the G-bodys other than the 4 inch difference in the crossmember and center link. I am planning on using either a standard g-body center link or a narrowed 80s camaro center link. Both the G-body and s-10 suffer from horrible bump steer. Adding the impala spindles technically will make it worse due to the outer tierod being lower. The camaro center link moves the inner tierods down and out alot compared to the stock setup. There will be some trial and error along the way but I do have a plan.

And there will be lots of pictures.
Nick

[Cautrell05]

Crossmember is done. Lots of pics in my build thread.

Nick

[Wyattdog2]

Originally Posted by HUSSEY

Whats so wrong with spacers on the front? I know allot of other guys use them.

I currently have stock S10 wheels on mine with 2 in. hubcentric billet spacers. The spacing seem right to me.

I used red locktite and torqued them on to 100 ft/lb.

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[Wyattdog2]

Originally Posted by Wyattdog2

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Where did you find front wheel spacers?
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[aj6502]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/19257376419...IAAOSwfCpbKZQH

[joedoh]

be careful getting hubcentric for the front, those probably will not fit. in fact the vehicle guide on the ad says they wont. its the hubcentric part, the tall bearing of the brake rotors will interfere with the spacer, if you zoom in on the picture you can see a ridge inside the hub center, that wont go over the bearing hat.

you dont need hubcentric on an s10. usually its front wheel drive and 4x4 vehciles that need hubcentricity. get some with at least a 70.5 centerbore and you are done.

[mr48chev]

They aren't cheap compared to a lot of Ebay stuff but US Wheel Adapters in Lubbock makes billet wheel spacers in house and will make them to order. no risk of getting inferior made in Asia stuff.
https://www.uswheeladapters.com/

I'm not sure that I want to risk my life or my family's lives or those on the road around me with 2 for 69.95 wheel spacers. Those are for sure made in China out of who knows what stuff.

The ones from Lubbock are custom made to order for your hub and your specific wheels 244.50 for a pair of two inch spacers. https://www.uswheeladapters.com/shop...wheel-spacers/