Mark Doiron

You don't change them. You remove them. In factory they hold the rotor on during vehicle assembly. OEM wheels have a small recess to account for their presence. Aftermarket wheels often don't. So the wheel doesn't properly seat. Since you aren't an assembly line working on the clock, it is okay to remove and throw away. If the rotor slips, just nudge it back in place.

Baddkarmaracing

I'm in for pics and more info on this. I have no input but would like to see pics because this is crazy to me. I have never heard of something like this happening

ToolManTimTaylor

Oddly I am willing to bet that the lug nuts on that axle flange are either slightly longer for some reason or it is just plain luck that it is the same one it happens to. The longer lug stud theory is that instead of clamping down on the wheel the acorn lug nut is bottoming out on the stud first not allowing it to securely reach the wheel in turn reducing clamping force. Take a slight variation in thickness (unlikely) between your spare and other wheels could be the success you have with spare. Money is on stretched lug studs or length issue. He'll even teraflex recommends removing material from spacer lugs to ensure this is a non issue so maybe .....

JayswranglerX

I wouldn't think the retainer clips would cause a wheel fall off.
If anything maybe some wobbles while driving but if the wheels are torqued down the retainers shouldn't allow for the wheel to fall off.
I'd definitely be getting new lug bolts or hub

Sent from my LG-LS980 using JK-Forum

DJ1

^^ This definitely makes sense.

I've had the small retainers on before but really the only thing I found that it did was not allow the wheel to sit flush to the rotor. I drove like that for probably 1k miles before I finally got my lazy butt to take the wheels off again and clip them off. Never had problems with wheel(s) falling off.

Also, regarding the spacers are they just "plain" spacers therefore reducing the amount of available lug thread to clamp on to or would they be more like an adapter/spacer based on Teraflex's terminology?

Here's a link to a vid for reference...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z8oA9AZWJ4

s2kako

Well its a spidertrax spacer with built in studs. I'm going to take off the spacers and order new lug nuts and go from there. That's the only logical thing I can think of now.

Rob 12B1P

Man this is strange, I hope you figure it out.

jpn

I'd change studs and use non acorn ljgs one that allows the stud to pass through...as well as use spare tire...

That's nuts, man if the spare doesn't fly off and its the same wheel the. I'd say spacing of rim that flkes off has i perfectiln width where it bolts.
If the spare us slightly thinner ie pizza cutter on steelie then I'd think studs are too long or wheel is too thick. You can mic it...or use a depth gauge to check the rim....

The rim is probably a blem.....

BlackRockBurner

OP- so the spacers remained on the rotor but the wheel came off. Still take the time to remove those clips no matter what others say. If it wasn't important then stock wheels wouldn't have a recess . By chance, did you use an air impact wrench to tighten down the wheel to the spacer? This could make the stud spin if over torqued.

s2kako

All the original clips are removed. I personally put the spacers on originally and torqued them to spec. Both times the wheel came off, the spacer remained in place. I retorqued the spacer and it was tight. I'm removing the spacer and ordering different lugs. So I will post up what happens from there