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View Full Version : Bora Wheel spacers: useless



megasupermagnum
03-03-2022, 02:09 PM
I'm really disappointed to report this, but the as far as I can tell Bora is 1 of only 2 companies still making vehicle wheel spacers in the USA. To run a certain rim with different backspacing, I needed a spacer of 1 1/4" on a couple of my trucks. For now it is for my 1994 Mazda B4000, and in the future, my 1993 Ford Explorer. Simple enough... Nope.

I called Bora in mid November, and confirmed that they make spacers for Ford rangers and explorers, and said exactly what it was for. I was met with yes, yes, and yes. "We make them all the time". I quickly put in an order. Around Christmas time they finally showed up. A week later, I tried them, no fit. They have a huge lip inside that isn't even close to fitting over the hubs. I measure it, and it is the same exact size as a Jeep, which has the same bolt pattern, but smaller center hub. I call them imediately, and I'm met with denial. "No, it says here we shipped Ford Ranger spacers". I started emailing them, I sent them pictures and exact dimensions. Finally they accepted it, and said I could send them back. A week goes by, but no shipping label. I call, and the guy basically accused me of it being my fault for having "oversized hubs". These are WARN manual locking hubs. They came standard on all Ford Rangers and Explorers, probably even Bronco II, and maybe even the Aerostar from the late 1980's, to at least 1997, where they became an option vs the standard. That's HALF of the years stated by Bora for their Ranger spacers. Then he made some off the wall remark about thinking the spacers needed metric studs put in. No, Ford Rangers have had standard 1/2"-20 studs since the dawn of time. Finally the guy sent a shipping label. I made sure and sent an email specifying that the hubs were 2.765".

I got them back a couple weeks ago, and went to try them. I was going to start with a back wheel since I was rotating tires anyway. I went to put one on, and sure enough a lug nut did not fit. Not Bora's fault, most spacers need different nuts. Last week we were blasted with snow storms. Today I finally got back to it, with nuts that fit. The spacers do have M12 studs, even after I said they were 1/2", but whatever, the nut centers them anyway. Back goes on ok. I go to the front... and they dont ****ing fit!!! I measure them, and they bored them out to 2.715" ID. I double checked my emails, double checked both spacers, both hubs. Nope, Bora flat screwed up again. I called, no answer as typical. I left one of the most angry messages I've done in a while, and don't expect a response. How hard is it to make a dang spacer for a wheel? Well I got some cheap Chinese made ones online, and they fit right on. For all the screwing around I've done for 3 months, I should have just bought brand new rims in the first place.

So here's a fair warning. Bora doesn't have a clue, they don't listen, and they blame you when things don't fit. Clearly they have never made a spacer for a Ford Ranger or Explorer. Even when you give exact dimensions, including stud size, they will screw it all up. I'm going to have a machine shop open these up .050", but this is the last set I'm ever buying from Bora.

Misery-Whip
03-03-2022, 03:20 PM
Probably not the machinist. I blame the person in shipping.

Smoke4320
03-03-2022, 03:54 PM
occasional cortex called and said it was Trumps fault. Oh and wheel spacers cause Global Warming
Now that that is out of the way Thanks for the warning on Bora

Finster101
03-03-2022, 09:15 PM
Now all you have to do is keep extra wheel bearings around.

Frosty Boolit
03-03-2022, 09:17 PM
I can't believe you have vehicles that old for daily drivers. That year range of vehicles in Ohio are a pile of iron oxide that aren't worth a set of rims or spacers. Do they use sand and cinders in the Dakotas?

megasupermagnum
03-03-2022, 09:21 PM
I can't believe you have vehicles that old for daily drivers. That year range of vehicles in Ohio are a pile of iron oxide that aren't worth a set of rims or spacers. Do they use sand and cinders in the Dakotas?

Have you priced vehicles lately? You aren't likely to find even the biggest pile of junk for under $5000. The only thing on C list comparable right now to what I have is a 1989 F-150. They are asking $13,000.

Frosty Boolit
03-03-2022, 09:24 PM
I have seen used car prices are way high but still, ones that old are gone! Rusted to nothing usable and crushed years ago.

megasupermagnum
03-03-2022, 09:39 PM
I have seen used car prices are way high but still, ones that old are gone! Rusted to nothing usable and crushed years ago.

Some of us are capable mechanics. My 1993 Explorer spent most of its life in Oklahoma. I'm currently going through it, new fuel and brake lines, new fuel pump. I had big plans for it, but now I'm just going to rebuild it as a driver. New fluids all around, new bushings and body mounts.

My 1994 Mazda B4000 lived its entire life in Minnesota, plenty of salt there. Very little salt here in SD, mostly they just leave things be until they melt. The city streets get salt, and some of the outlier roads get some gavel at intersections, but mostly nothing. This truck is just about to hit 330,000 miles. Has some decent body rust. Nothing structural is in danger. I also have a 1994 Ford Explorer. It ran until I need its radiator. It's no accident I own these. They are some of the most heavy duty trucks ever built. These are where Jeep guys get their parts. Full frames, Super tough 31 spline 8.8" rear axles, Dana 35 front axles, indestructible engines, the auto tranny's aren't great, but the 5 speed manuals have no real issues. They hold up over time.

john.k
03-04-2022, 09:08 PM
The 80s and 90s Mazdas are great vehicles......my work supplied 86 Mazda 2200 diesel used to carry 2 ton bulker bags of garnet........so low to the ground ,the fuel tank got bumped up underneath.......thing had a reco motor at around 250k miles ......and when sold in 2008 ,the cab did not have a spot of rust in it ,but the head gasket was leaking again.

megasupermagnum
03-04-2022, 10:14 PM
Pre 1993 Mazda's were a whole different thing. They were purchased by Ford in the 70's, and in 1994, a Mazda B4000 is nothing but a Ford Ranger with a 4.0 OHV V6 engine. This was a gradual transition, but 1994 is the year the trucks became Rangers. The Mazda Navajo was never a Mazda. It was released in 1991 as a rebadged Explorer. They are identical to the then-new Explorers, which were based loosely on the older Bronco II, but were more or less a heavy-duty Ranger on a shortened frame. The Explorers and Rangers from 1991 to 1995 are almost identical, and they continued to be twins until about 2001. Those of us into the 90's fords call these Ranger based vehicles. The earlier Mazda's were good in their own right, but they suffered from the same problem 80's Toyota's did. You couldn't hardly fit in them. If you could fit in them, they went until the frames broke in half, which as it turns out is kind of early, as they are thin, and not super durable. But the engines, trannys, and other chassis parts were super tough. It's just the bodies and frames that were made of paper.

jonp
03-05-2022, 05:58 PM
I can't believe you have vehicles that old for daily drivers. That year range of vehicles in Ohio are a pile of iron oxide that aren't worth a set of rims or spacers. Do they use sand and cinders in the Dakotas?

My 97 CRV is hanging tough. Still waiting for it to die but it just wont stop