How does wheel offset effect handling?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: Edinburgh, Scotland
How does wheel offset effect handling?
Hi all,
I keep wondering how weel offset effects handling.
I have a nice set of deep dish wheels on my widebody 80' SC and its the first car I've owned that I have't wanted to change the wheels on. Personally I really like the deep-dish look
I've seen race cars with big offsets and ones with small offsets so I guess it must depend on the car, the length of the drive shafts being used, and the setup? but I've also seen people put on wheels with larger offsets and use spacers to make the wheels fill the arches.
what are the pros and cons? I know using spacers puts more stress on the (longer) studs, and must add unsprung weight, so is this in any way compensated for by having a different offset?
a bit of enlightenment would be much appreciated
cheers
Nick
I keep wondering how weel offset effects handling.
I have a nice set of deep dish wheels on my widebody 80' SC and its the first car I've owned that I have't wanted to change the wheels on. Personally I really like the deep-dish look
I've seen race cars with big offsets and ones with small offsets so I guess it must depend on the car, the length of the drive shafts being used, and the setup? but I've also seen people put on wheels with larger offsets and use spacers to make the wheels fill the arches.
what are the pros and cons? I know using spacers puts more stress on the (longer) studs, and must add unsprung weight, so is this in any way compensated for by having a different offset?
a bit of enlightenment would be much appreciated
cheers
Nick
Racer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 259
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Nick:
The off-set performs two functions: allows for tire size (wider tires) and gives a slightly 'outside' tire placement for better grip.
The most important thing to remember about offset and tire-size is rubbing. Tires rubbing on inside/underside of fenders; not good on tires . Tires rubbing on oil lines in rear fenderwell, REALLY not good because of oil spills.
Some drivers use the same size tires on wheels with more of an 'outer' offset to get maximum tire contact on the very outside of the car's fooprint. This give a slightly more stable, gripping ride than more "inner" offset, especially when cornering hard.
My 2-cents.
The off-set performs two functions: allows for tire size (wider tires) and gives a slightly 'outside' tire placement for better grip.
The most important thing to remember about offset and tire-size is rubbing. Tires rubbing on inside/underside of fenders; not good on tires . Tires rubbing on oil lines in rear fenderwell, REALLY not good because of oil spills.
Some drivers use the same size tires on wheels with more of an 'outer' offset to get maximum tire contact on the very outside of the car's fooprint. This give a slightly more stable, gripping ride than more "inner" offset, especially when cornering hard.
My 2-cents.
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Besides the above high (-) o/s(pushes the wheel out board) and affects the scrub radius, modern cars are designed to have zero or slightly negative scrub radius to make steering react nicely to road inputs. push the wheel outboard and scrub radius becomes (+) which does very bad things to steering response.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: Edinburgh, Scotland
thanks for the info chaps.
So having a lot of negative offset increases the cars footprint, and therefore the scrub raduis and grip, but can have a detrimental effect on steering response.
cheers
Nick
So having a lot of negative offset increases the cars footprint, and therefore the scrub raduis and grip, but can have a detrimental effect on steering response.
cheers
Nick
Rennlist Member
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 75
Likes: 2
From: Connecticut
I hvae the same question. I have a 74' widebody conversion that I purchased this way. Ive got 17" 50s on the front with 2 inch spacers and 40s on the rear with 2.5 inch spacers. Wheel rub not a problem because of the wide fenders front and rear. Car handles great and really sticks to the road except from around 60 - 70 miles mph I get this vibration in the steering any over or unde is fine. I can seem to get it rid of it.
