how do wheel spacers work? Could i just use some washers or something like that? Also have any of you turned your front wheels around? I did and it ripped out my valve stem out when it hit the brakes. Should of thought!! Do any of you guys know how to get around that?

 

Wheel spacers are a cheapa*s way of getting more width. To use them (properly) you have to knock out your wheel studs and use the new longer ones that come with the spacers.
If you want to turn your wheels around, you need to change your valve stem to a "shorty" to clear your brakes.
Using wheel spacers or turning your wheels around will give you more width and stability, but, doing so to the front end will increase your bumpsteer tremendously, and when you hit something (like that rock you didn't see on the side of the trail) it will try to tear the bars out of your hands even more than it did before. Hit something hard enough with wheel spacers on and you risk breaking them.

 

Sorry trapperb1 your are incorrect sir. You do not have to beat out your wheel studs. The spacers thread on to your exsisting studs. then you thread in the new studs that are supplied with the spacers and then bolt on your wheel. It is very easy, just remember to add lock tite to the new studs. by the way they are not cheap at $60 bucks a wheel. And I must add they are well worth it and very strong

 

I may ride Polaris but love going to my Honda dealer...they know more about mods. The guy there rides a 400ex with spacers and so do his riding buddies. They all love them and have never had problems with breaking parts. I am getting some soon too.

 

Hmmmm. Still learning.
The wheel spacers I used in the past (8-9 years ago) were made of a plastic composite and came with longer studs that I had to use to replace the factory studs. After catching some air several times, they broke and caused a nasty little crash and I had to be "trailered" back to camp. I have since refused to use them. I now think if I need more width, I'll get longer A-arms and a longer axle.

 

Trapper,
I had those same pieces of crap on my Blaster years ago. Did the same thing! I tried the aluminum ones on my 350X and bent the axle. Spacers are cheap width to start with, but expensive in the end.

 

I run wheel spacers on the rear of my bike. I used the durablue +5in spacers. They are made out of a composite material and you do have to knock out you original studs and replace them with longer bolts. I am a big guy, I ride MX, and I am not scaird to get some air, and I have yet to bend the axle. I am sure it will happen eventually but for right now I like the $60 spacers compared to the $400 axle.
I also fliped my front rims around. A shorty valve will not work. I had to drill a hole and put a valve in the other side of the rim. Pull the original valve out and put another one in backwards to fill the hole. This worked out great for me. The hardest part of the whole task was breaking the bead on the tires. Good luck