Tires rubbing on LCAs - guess I need spacers?

I have mixed emotions on spacers. I don't particularly LIKE them being there and would rather not have them, but I do like my Moab rims and stance so as I'm not planning on swapping axles yet or buying new rims, and want the tightest turning possible on my LJ, I run them. That said, I have 74-75K on my rig now and the great majority of that has been with Spydertrax 1.25" spacers. With the 5" BS on the Moabs, that brings me to the equivalent of 3.75" bs which is what was needed for my narrow 255's to clear the LCA's, swaybar and spring perch in the rear. What a lot of folks don't seem to understand is that sitting on level ground and being able to clear at full lock does not equate to ENOUGH clearance to not rub. Cross it up good and you'll likely rub. Most I've seen do, even the ones that folks say "no, no rubbing", when there's a clear paint rub/scuff mark on all parts in question.

With the mileage on my Spydertrax spacers, I have to report absolutely ZERO issues with them in any way. I do check torque on them every tire rotation but after using red loctite on them, have not had a single nut need re-torqued yet. I recently removed them and cleaned them up when I had to tear my front end apart to freshen it up and again, no issues found or noted. If you search, you'll find a decent split between those that run spacers with a love/hate relationship. Many will say they're great, many will say they suck, are dangerous and you'll die running them. I'm of the opinion that they're just fine and should provide years of trouble free worry-free use as long as you maintain them properly. By that I mean if you take care of your rig, it will take care of you.

If you think you need them, I'd recommend calling David and ordering two sets-one for front and one for rear. When you install them, clean the hub face thoroughly and be absolutely certain to remove any of the factory little spring washers that may still be on the lug studs. The PO may have already removed them so don't be surprised if they're gone already. They were used at the factory for assembly and serve no other purpose so discard them if they're there. With everything cleaned and the studs free as well, install your spacers and install lug nuts using red loctite and torque to 100 ft/lbs. Re-check torque again after a hundred miles or so then again at every tire rotation. This method has worked well for me on my rig and many other rigs I've helped install them on.

Best of Luck,

Mike