Wheel offset is a critical aspect of your vehicle's wheel setup and most people do not fully understand the relations between wheel width and offset. Both dimensions must be looked at together to determine if the wheels are suitable for your car. In this article, we will go over the basics of wheel offset, why it's important, and how it affects your vehicle's performance and appearance
Imagine a wheel is split in half right from the middle. And you measure the front facing half from the edge of where it’s split to the mounting surface. That measurement is wheel offset. This distance can either be positive, negative, or zero. Wheel offset is measured in a metric unit: Millimeters (mm).
- Positive offset: the mounting surface is in between the front face of the wheel and its center line.
- negative offset: the mounting surface is in between the back side of the wheel and its center line.
- zero offset means the mounting surface is on the centerline of the wheel.
1. Vehicle Handling: Wider track width increases cornering stability. Same width wheels with lower offset widens a car’s track width.
2. Aesthetics: Wheel offset can also affect the appearance of your vehicle, as a high offset makes the wheels appear tucked in, and a low offset makes the wheels poke out. At Forgelite Wheels, we build the wheels with an offset that will make the wheel face flush with fenders.
3. Suspension Component Clearance: Wheel offset affects the amount of clearance between the tire and the suspension components, on a same width wheel, lower offset (i.e a 10” wide wheel going from ET+40 to ET+20) creates more distance between back side of the wheel and car suspension.
4. Brake Clearance: Different cars have different brake calipers and brake sizes. A wheel that works on another car might not work on yours. Wheel spokes may hit brake calipers if the wheel offset is not correct.
5. Fender Clearance: Offset is too low can cause tire rubbing against fenders because the wheels got pushed too far outwards.
Choosing the right wheel offset can be challenging, as it depends on several factors, including the make and model of your vehicle, wheel size, and the size of the tires. The safest way is sticking with the factory wheel width and offset. However, that defeats the purpose of running aftermarket wheels. Looking up what other people have done is a good way to get an idea of different wheel width and offset combos for your car. You can also measure on your car if you know how to convert between different offset and width. Or if you order wheels from us, our fitment expert at Forgelite Wheels can help you select the best wheel and tires sizes, and offset to achieve the best wheel fitment.
In conclusion, wheel offset is an important aspect of your vehicle's wheel and tire setup that can impact the way your vehicle handles, the amount of clearance, and appearance. Understanding the basics of wheel offset, why it matters, and how to choose the right offset is essential to ensure that your vehicle performs at its best and looks great.
