Dealer installed wheel spacers?

On my search for a 4 runner looking at the service history it says wheel spacers have been installed by the dealer why would the dealer install wheel spacers on a 2023 SR5 with low miles.

Looks to have the stock tires with TRD rims.

 

Did you actually LOOK to see if there are wheel spacers installed?

 

No it’s in another state.

 

And, are they wheel spacers, or spring spacers? I can see a dealer doing those.

 

That i don't know it just says wheel spacers where added, it has the TRD 17 inch rims on it and 9,000 miles. I just wanted to be sure it's nothing to worry about before i go and drive 4 hours to look at it. I was more concerned as to why the wheel spacers where added at 8,000 miles since it has had the TRD 17" rims installed from the factory.

 

Do you have a copy of the document stating 'spacers were added'? It doesn't make sense for a dealer to put on wheel spacers, but knowing some dealers, they'd try anything to sell a vehicle.

If used, it may be the previous owner added wheel spacers. Like you, I don't get why they would be on there with the oem wheels, although some owners will add them for a 'better stance' (see this thread currently going on: https://www.4runners.com/threads/offroad-setup-use-spacers-or-offset-rims.31806/)

It seems wheel spacers would introduce rubbing issues with stock wheels & tires; most use wheel spacers when either changing wheels or going to a different tire.

The good news is, they can be easily removed, if these are not to your taste or are causing any tire rubbing issues. Shouldn't be a deal breaker. But if you don't care for them, I'd have the dealer remove them prior to the sale.

Is it possible for this dealer to remove a tire and send you a photo before you drive 4 hours to look at this 4R?

 

It's a used 4R. I have the 4runners service history from toyota assuming it is right. They added the wheel spacers on the second free toyota care service it just says ,tire, installed wheel spacers, oil filter changed, multi point inspection.

So maybe they got new tires, I can't tell from the pictures.

 

Wheel spacers are definitely not a good idea. Surprised a dealer would install.

 

Wheel spacers are a common modification to make the wheels sit more flush with the body. I wouldn't worry about it and it wouldn't cause me to not go look at a vehicle

 

Any pictures from straight ahead? That would make it easier to see if the wheels are poking out further than stock.

There's nothing in the video description suggesting that it was caused by spacers.

As I mentioned earlier, plenty of folks are using them without issues. Buy reputable products and install them properly and you should be fine.

 

There is this one.

 

Here's what a 2021 SR5 (mine) looks like with 1.25" Spydertrax spacers. I've run them for 2 years with zero problems.

 

Can you see the spacer without taking off the wheel? Looks nice and clean btw.

 

That black 4runner doesn't look like it has spacers. Yes you can see spacers without removing the wheels.

 

Yes, you can see the spacers if you look through the openings on the wheels.

 

I guess you didn't see how far those tires on the pickup were sticking out. Definitely not stock and not a small spacer.

 

How do you know it had spacers? Could have been some bro-dozer wheels with negative offset. And, even if it had spacers, that doesn't mean anything. Could have been cheap spacers, or maybe the guy didn't torque everything properly.

 

Why do you keep posting this video in multiple threads? You keep assuming it was caused by spacers but there is no evidence of that. You can even see what looks like the rotor still attached to the back of the wheel. It could have been spacers, lugs, ball joints, knuckle, etc.

 

I posted it twice on 2 threads discussing spacers and concerns.. Its not like I did it randomly, or dozens of times for no reason. Putting on big spacers or anything else widening a vehicles wheel span (like in the video) will put extra stress on components and potentially cause a failure.

And 100%, could have been cheap spacers, or maybe the guy didn't torque everything properly. Just a video showing some crazy wheel failure, likely due to the much wider than stock stance.

 

Looks to me like they didn’t tighten down the lug nuts.

 

Dealer sent a pic from the rear tire. Keep in mind it has 17" TRD rims.

 

I can’t tell what I’m looking at there. Spacer? Or parking brake drum?

 

Looks like a lift spacer was added to the front.

Front is not stock height.

Doesn't look like wheel spacers are installed from the front.

 

It's supposed to be showing the wheel spacer but i don't see it.

 

That picture doesn't really prove or disprove the existence of a spacer. A slightly different angle would help.

So what does a spacer look like? Here's a black anodized Spydertrax spacer installed on my T4R. It's the darker black ring between the rotor hat and the wheel.

 

There is NO spacer in that pic.

 

Putting negative offset wheels puts the same stress on components (even though some around here who are anti-spacer refuse to admit this).

Plenty of trucks around here with a lot of poke that are not running wheel spacers. Not sure how they're passing inspection since tires cannot extend beyond the fender (or flare) here but I see it all the time (and if they're swapping tires after passing inspection, that's another ticket for altering an inspected vehicle)

 

Seems like the various states are not consistent about tires extending beyond the fender. I checked my state's inspection checklist, and there's no prohibition on this.

On the spacer question, I am of the opinion that a quality spacer installed correctly adds only a negligible level of risk. I run spacers on my 4Runner and don't worry about it because I know I did everything right, and I check them every tire rotation.

 

Toyota dealer would not (should not) put wheel spacers on because there is no OEM spacer and aftermarket is your liability. I bet they are calling something else a "spacer"

 

There is no OEM lift either but yet some dealers install.