Wheel offset, backspacing, etc

[dancam]

It's not so much about imminent failure as it is about longevity; at least not within the practical range of common wheel spacers and rim offsets.

For your extremely modest proposed offsets (1/4 to 1/2 inch) and your well over rated axle hubs/bearings, you will never have an offset related problem. Sure, if you don't grease them properly, or do it in a dirt bowl of a sand pit and fill your bearings full of junk (I exaggerate... maintaining cleanliness during service is paramount) you could still have bearing failures, but they won't be due to unreasonable offset forces.

There are lots of examples here on the forums of people using wheel spacers or non-std wheels, and I don't recall any failures that were directly attributed to non-zero offset.

Thanks. I went ahead and bought 3/8in thick spacers and installed them the other day. I have not driven it yet. Unfortunatly about a day after the wheel spacers shipped i realized that was a dumb idea and i should have spaced the hub away from the axle 3/8 instead. I wont be able to take this trailer for a test run this year so i may do that before our trip next year.
Before wheel spacer (top half of my trailer lifted up)


Wheel spacer


Spacer installed


Later today when it gets light out i will take a photo of it with the top down so you can see why i needed them and how the hub is still kinda close. Top half of the trailer comes to the outside of that angle iron.
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[rebar]

Didn't read the entire thread, but I just talked to a dude that ran truck wheels on his trailer and it quickly shelled out the bearings due to the truck rim offset. I wanted to do this and I believe my 17" dodge rims have 45mm of offset.

So now plan B for me is to use a centered trailer rim with LT tire as the only spare I carry while boondocking/glamping since it should fit the truck. Same lug spacing and center pilot hole size. Trailer 16" tire outside diameter is within 1/10" of the 17" truck tire.