Bro-Tec spacer install ? on B2601

VaGlock

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Equipment
B2601 FEL - BH
Jun 28, 2020
100
26
28
Central Va.
Installing my Bro-Tec spacers, and have a question. Is the spacer supposed to be concentric to the axle and the wheel? I have .110 thousands difference between spacer and axle hub flange (loose). The spacer is concentric to the wheel opening. I put a call into Richard at Bro-Tec but have not heard back yet. The instructions do not specify.
Thanks Kevin
 

85Hokie

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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
Jul 13, 2013
10,339
2,161
113
Bedford - VA
Installing my Bro-Tec spacers, and have a question. Is the spacer supposed to be concentric to the axle and the wheel? I have .110 thousands difference between spacer and axle hub flange (loose). The spacer is concentric to the wheel opening. I put a call into Richard at Bro-Tec but have not heard back yet. The instructions do not specify.
Thanks Kevin

I would think they should be concentric - but a 1/10 of an inch is a little bit too.


can you move the spacer a bit to split the difference all the way around?

YOU have picture of this difference?
 

VaGlock

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B2601 FEL - BH
Jun 28, 2020
100
26
28
Central Va.
I would think they should be concentric - but a 1/10 of an inch is a little bit too.


can you move the spacer a bit to split the difference all the way around?

YOU have picture of this difference?
Will get a pic, but yes it is a lot of play.
 

VaGlock

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B2601 FEL - BH
Jun 28, 2020
100
26
28
Central Va.
Just got this reply from Bro-Tec,


Yes, that the way we design them, the Wheel must be snug, the axle flange is done with the hardware taper lug bolt to properly center it to the axle.

Richard
 

VaGlock

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B2601 FEL - BH
Jun 28, 2020
100
26
28
Central Va.
Got them installed, worked out great tires are now exact same width as my bucket. Got old studs out without damaging them. Clear coated them before install to keep them from oxidizing.
20201021_134517.jpg
 

85Hokie

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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
Jul 13, 2013
10,339
2,161
113
Bedford - VA
Got them installed, worked out great tires are now exact same width as my bucket. Got old studs out without damaging them. Clear coated them before install to keep them from oxidizing.
Got old studs out????

When I placed mine on 7 years ago from Bro-Tec- they bolted right up, and then MORE nuts were supplied to bolt the wheels to the spacer ..

I did not need to take anything off other than the tire/rim.

Explain what you had to do!
 

VaGlock

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Equipment
B2601 FEL - BH
Jun 28, 2020
100
26
28
Central Va.
Had to remove factory studs, then Bro-tec spacers are bolted to the axle hub with new tapered shoulder bolts (provided), the studs you see in the pic are studs installed by Bro-tec that the wheel then goes on and original lug nuts and lock washers are used to hold the wheel on. These are 2 inch spacers.
 

85Hokie

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BX-25D ,PTB. Under Armor, '90&'92-B7100HST's, '06 BX1850 FEL
Jul 13, 2013
10,339
2,161
113
Bedford - VA
Had to remove factory studs, then Bro-tec spacers are bolted to the axle hub with new tapered shoulder bolts (provided), the studs you see in the pic are studs installed by Bro-tec that the wheel then goes on and original lug nuts and lock washers are used to hold the wheel on. These are 2 inch spacers.
they must have changed the design or the B and BX series are different by design.

You will feel the difference in the seat of your pants!
 

johnjk

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B3200 w/loader, Woods RC5 brush hog, 4' box blade, tooth bar, B1700 MMM,
Apr 13, 2017
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West Mansfield, OH
Must be a new design. I do not remember having to do that on my B3200 when I installed my set. Make sure you check the torque on your lug nuts after using it for a while. I had a few that worked loose. Now part of my pre use checks. As 85Hokie said, you will feel the difference in your pants. Much more stable.
 

VaGlock

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B2601 FEL - BH
Jun 28, 2020
100
26
28
Central Va.
In the install directions provided it suggested marking the backside of the provided studs at axle flange with a permanent marking pen so one could easily inspect for a stud(s) working loose. I used a white out marker.
For those that did not have to go through the stud removal when installing their spacers what was your installation procedure?
 

VaGlock

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Equipment
B2601 FEL - BH
Jun 28, 2020
100
26
28
Central Va.
Here is the pdf for the BX series:

nothing has changed here.

https://bro-tek.com/files/BX-Rear Wheel Spacer Instruction PDF.pdf
I think I see the difference, some models like BX use lug nuts with the cone part inward against the wheel the B models use the lug nuts with lock washers and the flat size of the nut facing the wheel. The BX style spacers come with the second set of lug nuts where as the B spacer comes with replacement Bolts to replace the factory studs and reuse the lug nuts / lock washers.
 
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MINICUP28

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Equipment
B7610, KX-018, RTV-500, JD X758
Feb 21, 2019
90
44
18
COBLESKILL, NY
Watch your turning radius for the tire hitting on the inside if you have a loader. Wish I had know about it first. It took one half turn out of my steering wheel and there is no stop bolt to limit the steering. I deflated a tire in 18: of snow because I couldn't see the wheel.
 

Henro

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Equipment
B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini Ex.
May 24, 2019
5,149
2,364
113
North of Pittsburgh PA
I think I see the difference, some models like BX use lug nuts with the cone part inward against the wheel the B models use the lug nuts with lock washers and the flat size of the nut facing the wheel. The BX style spacers come with the second set of lug nuts where as the B spacer comes with replacement Bolts to replace the factory studs and reuse the lug nuts / lock washers.
Except my B2910 uses a hubcentric design, with a pilot on the hub that extends into the wheel. Do not think I would like Brotek or any other vendor changing the design.
 

VaGlock

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Equipment
B2601 FEL - BH
Jun 28, 2020
100
26
28
Central Va.
Except my B2910 uses a hubcentric design, with a pilot on the hub that extends into the wheel. Do not think I would like Brotek or any other vendor changing the design.
The Bro-Tec spacers are hub centric to the wheel and the bolts that mount the spacer to the axle hub have a oversized or large cone /shoulder that centers the spacer. I understand your concern, but I also have never heard or read of any failures.
 

VaGlock

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Equipment
B2601 FEL - BH
Jun 28, 2020
100
26
28
Central Va.
Watch your turning radius for the tire hitting on the inside if you have a loader. Wish I had know about it first. It took one half turn out of my steering wheel and there is no stop bolt to limit the steering. I deflated a tire in 18: of snow because I couldn't see the wheel.
I am only running the rear spacers, have heard about steering issues from others running front spacers.
 

Henro

Well-known member

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B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini Ex.
May 24, 2019
5,149
2,364
113
North of Pittsburgh PA
Had to remove factory studs, then Bro-tec spacers are bolted to the axle hub with new tapered shoulder bolts (provided), the studs you see in the pic are studs installed by Bro-tec that the wheel then goes on and original lug nuts and lock washers are used to hold the wheel on. These are 2 inch spacers.
I have failed to understand how this would work, unless the threaded portion of the new wheel studs are smaller in diameter than the original studs, or if the original studs had a larger diameter than their threaded parts. (hole in wheel flange larger than threaded stud diameter)

Can you explain further what the studs looked like, and if the nuts/studs holding the spacers to the wheel flange are the same size as the originals?

I suppose I must be missing something obvious...
 

VaGlock

Active member

Equipment
B2601 FEL - BH
Jun 28, 2020
100
26
28
Central Va.
I have failed to understand how this would work, unless the threaded portion of the new wheel studs are smaller in diameter than the original studs, or if the original studs had a larger diameter than their threaded parts. (hole in wheel flange larger than threaded stud diameter)

Can you explain further what the studs looked like, and if the nuts/studs holding the spacers to the wheel flange are the same size as the originals?

I suppose I must be missing something obvious...
I will try, the factory studs are threaded into the axle housing and the wheel then is installed onto the axle and is hub centric on the axle, the new spacer requires removal of studs as I mentioned. The spacer is then installed (not hub centric) using provided tapered bolts that center the spacer to the axle. The spacer has preinstalled studs that hold the wheel to the spacer with the factory nuts and washers. The spacer has 6 holes for the tapered bolts to axle and six studs for the wheel.

tapered bolt.jpg
 

PNWBXer

Member

Equipment
BX2380
Feb 24, 2020
134
11
18
Washington
Had to remove factory studs, then Bro-tec spacers are bolted to the axle hub with new tapered shoulder bolts (provided), the studs you see in the pic are studs installed by Bro-tec that the wheel then goes on and original lug nuts and lock washers are used to hold the wheel on. These are 2 inch spacers.

How exactly did you take factory studs out? I have a need to do it ...but Ima little scurd to try and get them off.....and afraid of damaging them.