The cheapest way to clear 35s on a lifted Power Wagon with factory wheels: a 1.25" or 1.5" hub-centric wheel spacer per corner. Pushes the tire outboard for fender clearance on the front turns and rock clearance on the rear. Hub-centric is mandatory — lug-centric spacers loosen and crack on a 6,800 lb truck.
The Power Wagon comes with 17x7.5" factory wheels at -25mm offset (deep negative). When you go 35" tires, the inner sidewall hits the front lower control arm at full lock turn and the rear shock body on the rear at full articulation. Two ways to fix:
1. **Wheel spacers** — $280-560 for a set of four, 1-hour install, keeps the factory wheels (which are actually good — forged-style, durable). This entry.
2. **Aftermarket wheels** with a wider face and less-negative offset — $1,200-2,000, see [[pw-wheels-aftermarket]].
For most Power Wagon owners running 35s on a 3"-class lift, the spacer path is the right answer. You keep the factory aesthetic, you save $1,000+, install is trivial.
**Hub-centric is non-negotiable.** Lug-centric spacers (where the lugs locate the spacer) are common, cheap ($80/set), and dangerous on a heavy truck. They allow micro-movement under load, the lug threads fatigue, and the spacer can crack or back off. Hub-centric spacers have a precision-machined center bore that locates the spacer on the hub itself — the lugs only clamp. BORA and Spidertrax are the two reference brands; both machine the bore to the Power Wagon's specific hub (130mm) and use ARP wheel studs.
Thickness: 1.25" is enough for 33s on a leveling kit or 35s on a 3" lift with factory wheels. 1.5" is the move for 37s on factory wheels (with a 4-5" lift) — and at that point you're close to needing aftermarket wheels anyway.
Install: jack up the truck, pull a wheel, slide the spacer over the factory studs (the spacer has its own ARP studs pre-pressed in), torque the spacer nuts to 140 lb-ft, mount the wheel on the spacer's studs, torque the wheel nuts to 140 lb-ft. Anti-seize the threads. Re-torque after 100 miles.
Honest framing: spacers add unsprung weight (each 1.25" spacer is ~5-8 lb) and the wider track changes scrub radius slightly — you'll feel slightly heavier steering. The tradeoffs are minor compared to the clearance gained.
| Part | Vendor | Est. price |
|---|---|---|
| BORA 1.25" Hub-Centric Spacer 8x6.5 (set of 4) | BORA Wheel Spacers | ~$360 |
| Spidertrax 1.5" Hub-Centric 8x6.5 (set of 4) | Spidertrax | ~$480 |
| Motorsport-Tech 1.25" Hub-Centric (set of 4) | Motorsport-Tech | ~$320 |
Written and maintained by an AZ wheeler and driveway wrencher. Always cross-reference your factory service manual — modifications affect vehicle safety and warranty. Work at your own risk.