Wheel Offset

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Guenter Scholz - 23 Jul 2007 14:50 GMT

Hi All

probably stupid question, but I don't know exactly what a Wheel Offset is
all about. Most, if not all, MB wheels have a 5 bolt pattern at 112 mm. The bolt sizes vary, the older being a couple or so mm smaller than the newer so
that one has to be careful of the bolt 'seating' correctly. But what the
heck is this 'offset' about. I see 'spacers' for sale when adapting different
type of rims to vehicles... what do these do?

thanks for any pointers

cheers, guenter

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Tiger - 23 Jul 2007 15:08 GMT

Offset is how much distance between the center of the wheel widthwise to the
mounting flange of the wheel (where wheel sits on the brake).

It all depends on the manufacturer on how far their suspension sits in
relation to the body and what characteristics they want the car to perform.

Most E class are around 37mm offset (ET)... and the wider you go on the
wheel... the smaller the offset... like 34... otherwise, your wheel does not
sit in the wheelwell properly.

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Guenter Scholz - 23 Jul 2007 17:10 GMT

>Offset is how much distance between the center of the wheel widthwise to the
>mounting flange of the wheel (where wheel sits on the brake).
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>wheel... the smaller the offset... like 34... otherwise, your wheel does not
>sit in the wheelwell properly.

Thanks for that Tiger, makes sense now. In particular why it always
seems to come up in connection with putting on differing tire widths.

cheers, guenter

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Kurt - 23 Jul 2007 20:11 GMT

> In article <tD2pi.5$271.2@newsfe12.lga>, Tiger
> <tiger0002@hotmail.com> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> seems to come up in connection with putting on differing tire
> widths.

Hi Guenter,
I can tell you from sad experience that you need to check the offset
especially on the rear wheels. I bought a spare set of OEM wheels for
my '87 300SDL only to find that the lug bolts would extend into the
parking brakes when I put on a new set of tires. Apparently the fella
that I bought the SDL from had changed both wheels and lug bolts. Too
long a lug bolt for standard 25mm offset tends to destroy parking
brakes quickly if the operator has a brain fart.

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Cheers,
Kurt

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Richard Sexton - 27 Jul 2007 04:50 GMT

>Hi Guenter,
>I can tell you from sad experience that you need to check the offset
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>long a lug bolt for standard 25mm offset tends to destroy parking
>brakes quickly if the operator has a brain fart.

There are different length lug bolts for steel and alloy wheels.

Worse there are different types of alloy lug bolts.

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Kurt - 27 Jul 2007 12:10 GMT

>>Hi Guenter,
>>I can tell you from sad experience that you need to check the
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Worse there are different types of alloy lug bolts.

And as an aside to the wheels comment, there is also a slight
difference in the diameter of the wheel center holes between some alloy
and steel wheels. So the covers/caps/whatever-you-call-the-things may
not fit when you switch from one type of "stock" wheel to another.

Signature

Cheers,
Kurt

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Tiger - 23 Jul 2007 21:19 GMT

As Kurt mentioned about the bolt length... he is right. The right bolt is
about 3/4" sticking out of the rear of the wheel... That is while you wheel
is off the car... stick a bolt in... it should stick out 3/4"... too little,
you risk thread damage and wheel pops out... too long and you will damage
the parking brake immdiately.

I recently got a set of old Lorinser wheel and the guy gave me a set of
lugbolts... factory lugbolts on aftermarket wheel... In this case, the
lugbolt was only sticking out 1/2"... which means the first 1/8" is useless
and his life depended on 3/8" of threads... Isn't that scary?

In any case, make sure you got the right bolt... right seat on the bolt
(ball or cone) and the right length. I highly recommends this site for
replacement bolts.

http://www.radusadirect.com/

RAD lugbolts are made in Germany with high strength steel and at very
reasonable price.

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Guenter Scholz - 24 Jul 2007 01:19 GMT

Kurt, Tiger, many thanks, in particular for the link to the lug retailer

cheers, guenter

>As Kurt mentioned about the bolt length... he is right. The right bolt is
>about 3/4" sticking out of the rear of the wheel... That is while you wheel
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>RAD lugbolts are made in Germany with high strength steel and at very
>reasonable price.

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Richard Sexton - 27 Jul 2007 04:22 GMT

>Hi All
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
>cheers, guenter

This might help a bit:

http://articles.mbz.org/wheel/offsets/

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Guenter Scholz - 27 Jul 2007 18:55 GMT

Richard, perfect... many thanks for that. I actually go to that website
quite often but apperently I have not perused it thoroughly enough yet.

cheers, guenter

>>Hi All
>>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> http://articles.mbz.org/wheel/offsets/

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