wheel spacers for BX23S

[scaredychicken]

Some time ago I read a thread that discussed wheel spacers for the BX23S units. I can't locate that thread anymore, but what I do recall is that someone had noted that a specific automotive wheel spacer was identical, for a lot less money than from the tractor dealerships. I'm just wanting to know what those wheel spacers were so that I could look into it further and possibly order them. Thanks for any details

 

[Massey convert]

My brother is running chains on his Kubota, I don't know the model. The chains were kllunking on the fenders, I suggested spacers, we checked into it and had some major sticker shock! We went to a local steel yard and bought two chunks of cast iron, then took them to a local guy with a lathe and milling machine to turn them and drill holes for the lug bolts. With the material, machining, and new bolts, he had around $150 invested. No more kllunking.

 

[Henro]

Some time ago I read a thread that discussed wheel spacers for the BX23S units. I can't locate that thread anymore, but what I do recall is that someone had noted that a specific automotive wheel spacer was identical, for a lot less money than from the tractor dealerships. I'm just wanting to know what those wheel spacers were so that I could look into it further and possibly order them. Thanks for any details

Not here, but a thread that should answer your question:

BX2370 wheel spacers

Hello all I'm new to your forum family. I've been looking at it for a while but joined today. I've been looking at wheel spacers for my BX for A while. Found these on eBay just wanted to share Put them on today fit is perfect

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[Henro]

Not sure what the wheel spacers go for today (which I referred to in the link I posted today) but a couple years ago I bought 2" spacers like mentioned in that link, for both my BX2200 and my Son in law's BX23S, and they work perfectly. Mine were actually not 2" as I had to go thinner having a MMM. His were 2" since he has no MMM.

In both cases they were well made and included the hardware needed. I think they cost under 60 dollars per set, with shipping, which might have been included in the price as free shipping.

Also, although the BX does not use hubcentric wheels, those spacers were hubcentric, so they could be stacked one upon another to get double the spacing if one wanted to.

 

[Johnkn]

Bro-Tek. Made in USA. Guaranteed for life. Do not run cheap Chinese spacers on your tractor....

 

[Henro]

Bro-Tek. Made in USA. Guaranteed for life. Do not run cheap Chinese spacers on your tractor....

Using spacers designed for use on a Jeep at highway speeds, on a BX tractor, doesn’t sound risky to me. Quality seemed excellent. Price was right. Why wouldn’t I use them?

 

[Johnkn]

Using spacers designed for use on a Jeep at highway speeds, on a BX tractor, doesn’t sound risky to me. Quality seemed excellent. Price was right. Why wouldn’t I use them?

LOL

Weren't those spacers priced at like $42 a set to include shipping? Just exactly how much 'quality' do you expect for $42 a set (including shipping)?

Running some POS cheap, untested, no warranty Chinese spacers is your choice. My life is worth more than $42 and I'll stick with U.S. tested/trusted/warranted products.

.

 

[Massey convert]

If those "Chinese" spacers are made out of any kind of metal, I'd use them. All they do is take up space, the lug bolts clamp the axle, spacer, and wheel together. They won't wear if they don't move. The clamping force is not going to crush them. What is the concern?

 

[Johnkn]

If those "Chinese" spacers are made out of any kind of metal, I'd use them. All they do is take up space, the lug bolts clamp the axle, spacer, and wheel together. They won't wear if they don't move. The clamping force is not going to crush them. What is the concern?

LOL, you can't be serious, right? Have you even looked at the picture above of the spacers "that you would use"?

'All they do is take up space'? No, they are ~2" Chinese $35 a set spacers with studs pressed in.

"The lug bolts clamp the axle, spacer, and wheel together". No, the spacers bolt to the tractor hub and the wheels bolt to the spacers.

Do you realize the spacers hold your wheels on your tractor and take up 100% of the vertical and horizontal load? Not only do they accept all normal wheel loads, they accept a greater load as the wheel is then spaced further from the hub than stock.

They don't wear if they don't move? Do yourself a favor and google pics of failed wheel spacers where the studs are pulled out resulting in a catastrophic failure.

I know someone who died when his tractor rolled over on him. My life and health are worth more than $35.

.

.
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[Massey convert]

Mea Culpa
I have not seen pictures of the wheel spacers you described. Your concerns are valid, I wouldn't use something designed and built like them.
The spacers I am familiar with are just a chunk of iron with an appropriately sized hole for the axle hub and having correctly sized and spaced holes for the lug bolts. I don't know why someone would complicate the design in the manner you describe.

 

[Henro]

Mea Culpa
I have not seen pictures of the wheel spacers you described. Your concerns are valid, I wouldn't use something designed and built like them.
The spacers I am familiar with are just a chunk of iron with an appropriately sized hole for the axle hub and having correctly sized and spaced holes for the lug bolts. I don't know why someone would complicate the design in the manner you describe.

Well, all I can say is that the spacers that both my son in law and I use are perfect.

No failures and none expected.

So take speculation for what it is worth.

Happy users here with actual experience posting.

Make your own decision and spend your own money.

Makes no difference to anybody else...

 

[Johnkn]

I don't know why someone would complicate the design in the manner you describe.

How else would a wheel spacer be employed?

Tractor/car/truck stock wheel studs are generally only long enough to accommodate the stock wheels.

You can't just add a ~2" spacer (without its own studs) , there would be no original stud left to bolt the wheel to.

 

[frogpond]

Another endorsement for Bro-Tek spacers . I installed a pair of the 3" ones on the rear of my BX25D a couple of years ago. Well machined, precise fit, easy to install, good instructions. They have increased stability amazingly, and show no signs of loosening, cracking, or otherwise failing. And I work that tractor hard on hilly, rough land. Buy the real thing, and work your tractor with confidence.

 

[Massey convert]

Ok, enough is enough. If you replace the original studs, or lug bolts with longer ones, you don't need the extra complication of adding a stud into the spacer. Keep It Simple.

 

[rScotty]

Ok, enough is enough. If you replace the original studs, or lug bolts with longer ones, you don't need the extra complication of adding a stud into the spacer. Keep It Simple.

No. It may seem right to you, but it doesn't work like that. Longer bolts are not the answer. Wheel spacers are expensive for a reason.

 

[Garandman]

Bro-Tek. Made in USA. Guaranteed for life. Do not run cheap Chinese spacers on your tractor....

Made in Canada. They faked me out too.

 

[Henro]

Acceptable quality for the application is all that matters.

Spend more for acceptable quality, be my guest.

Just my opinion as far as specers for a BX tractor goes.

IF I were driving on highways at 70 MPH plus, would probably think differently.

But my BX and the son in law's BX do not approach those speeds or the mechanical loads that hitting a pot hole at those speeds might apply.

In any event, we are happy users of the cheap alternative.

 

[rScotty]

Acceptable quality for the application is all that matters....... SNIP.....

I disagree, but there's enough room in this for everyone to find their own comfort zone. My own feeling is that if I am going to do something I do it as well as I possibly can. It's craftsmanship vs currency.

My feeling is we all are born with limited time. And I like it that Bro-Tek boys would rather compete on quality than on price. It isn't the most popular way to look at the world. I bet they know that.

A lot of people would agree with you that acceptable quality is what matters.
All day long I hear people saying, "Time is money".

I don't think that way myself, but it's fine with me when others do.

It's good that we aren't all the same.
rScotty

 

[Henro]

I disagree, but there's enough room in this for everyone to find their own comfort zone. My own feeling is that if I am going to do something I do it as well as I possibly can. It's craftsmanship vs currency.
rScotty

We may actually be on the same page. Acceptable quality for me means something that will work without normal possible failures.

A normal mode failure would be when using the tractor in its normal fashion.

An abnormal failure would be something like the tractor falling off the trailer when being transported, and having a wheel spacer break when the tractor is hit by an 18 wheeler coming from the opposite direction...

In my mind, making something stronger than standard mechanical design safety margins, and charging more for it has no value in reality as far as safe use goes, for the application the product was designed for.

But at the end of the day, how can we know for sure? Price does not tell the tale, because the product just might cost more but be the same. Difficult to figure out really. Maybe impossible.

Craftsmanship VS currency(price) is not a given relationship. Both sets of spacers we got, the 2" and the 1.5"(or 1.25" don't remember) looked to be excellent products as far as fit and appearance goes. Analysis of the metal they are made from? Does not exist, and I don't expect that it is available for the higher priced spacers either.

One thing that struck me is in the literature for the higher priced American made spacers was their saying they used "American Sourced" material. Buying imported metal from an American supplier would make the material American sourced. They DO NOT say "American Made material".

Anyway, Chevy, Mercedes, Rolls Royce...price is different but they all will get you where you are going safely. Kind of like that with the wheel spacers for the BX...I think.

It's only money though...

 

[PILOON]

I've wanted spacers for my Mitsubishi CUT and even have the rim designations but every shop I tried wanted me to send them a rim to machine me a set.
Sure, with shipping costs both ways they'd cost a fortune plus my rims have tires mounted.
Shucks I know the rim designations but I suspect the shops do not have them and only measure and copy.

I'm thinking my best bet now is to simply buy suitable aluminum stock and drill and machine my own. I do have a small lathe and my rims would actually serve as a template so just add longer graded bolts.
Meanwhile I simply trust my pucker meter and keep my rt hand on the 'dump valve'.