Contents
1-inch (25mm)A super-effective accessory to increase stability and give a noticeably aggressive stance. |
1.5-inch (40mm)By pushing out the wheels further out from the hub with 1.5-inch wheel spacers you gain in handling characteristics and get a catchy look. |
2-inch (50mm)Allow for significantly wider tires to improve road grip and traction when off-roading. |
3-inch (75mm) |
Wheel spacers are a very popular item in the tuning community, even for vehicles like the Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Chevy’s full-size truck is owned by people who want the image of owning a big truck, by people that need its workhorse capabilities, and some even use its off-road ability. That’s why it’s best to revisit your usage scenario before opting for wheel spacers on your Silverado 1500.
What does a wheel spacer do and why do I need one?
If you don’t know anything about wheel spacers, you’ll be probably fine without them in your Silverado. That said, they widen the track of the Silverado 1500, which brings several benefits. First and foremost, your vehicle will look much sportier thanks to the widened stance, which is the main reason people install them on their tracks. More importantly, though, wheel spacers offset the wheels, which brings better stability on the road, more grip and more uniform tire loading.
Some people install wheel spacers because they want to install bigger brakes in their vehicles, while others use them to change the bolt pattern on the hub. By changing the bolt pattern, owners could install even bigger wheels and tires. For example, the big and heavy off-road tires and wheels are usually installed with more bolts and they are very popular for the Silverado 1500.
How to install wheel spacers on Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
Installing a wheel spacer is a very easy process, even for a car with big wheels such as the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, but we recommend doing that in a garage with the proper equipment, like jacks, jack stands, and the required tools.
The process is as followed:
- Jack up the Silverado 1500
- Remove the wheels by unscrewing the lug nuts (remove the retaining clips if they are present on your vehicle)
- Install the wheel spacers first
- Put the wheels back on and tighten the lug nuts. For maximum safety, always tighten the lug nuts with torque wrench according to manufacturer specifications
What are hub centric wheel spacers and are they better?
Hubcentric wheel spacers are better for your vehicle because, with them, the weight of the car is carried by the hub and not by the bolts. This is especially true for heavy vehicles like the Silverado 1500, where you’ll experience a much smoother ride with a hub centric wheel spacer, compared to more vibrations and less stability with non hub centric wheel spacers.
How much wheel offset will my Silverado get?
It all depends on the size of the wheel spacer, but we wouldn’t recommend going for very big spacers, as they can change the geometry of your suspension very much. If you do that, the Silverado 1500 may require more steering effort, the tires may wear faster and the effective spring rate at the wheel will change as well.
Other than changing the performance of the vehicle, you may need longer bolts when using a wheel spacer. To find the right size of bolts, just add the thickness of the wheel spacer to the factory bolt and you’ll get the length of the new bolts.
Can I install bigger wheels after installing wheel spacers?
One of the reasons why people install wheel spacers is to install bigger wheels and wider tires, so they can easily fit into the wheel well. That said, wheel spacers will work just fine with the stock wheels of the Silverado 1500.
Do I need a leveling kit after installing wheel spacers on my Silverado 1500?
You don’t need a leveling kit if you install wheel spacers. That said, you may need wheel spacers if you install a leveling kit, especially if it’s a bigger leveling kit, as it may push the wheels a little bit inwards.
Chevy Silverado 1500 Wheel Spacers Before & After
Before: Stock Wheels
After: 2.5-inch BORA Wheel Spacers, 20×9 Rims
We’re not going to lie – wheel spacers tend to improve on the looks of almost any vehicle and that’s mostly true for the Silverado, with its big wheel wells and aggressive and muscular styling.
That said, don’t exaggerate, as it not only puts a strain on your suspension components, but it will hamper the driving dynamics and at the end of the day, make the Silverado 1500 look worse by comparison.
Appearance: Stretching the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 wheels out to revamp the position and more remarkable view.
Clearance: Lots of factory Chevrolet Silverado 1500 wheels are missing enough of spacing to clear with big brake kits.
Correction: The offset of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 wheel assembly appears to be too high, causing the wheels resting too far inward. This might cause the tire to scratch the inside Chevrolet Silverado 1500 caliper covers, or other elements. Wheel spacers adjust the offset issue.
Handling: by arranging your Chevrolet Silverado 1500 wheels further afield, this common change can enrich the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 automobile with more lateral balance and improved cornering.
