Does offset affect brake clearance?

Category: automotive auto parts
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Wheel offset will not affect brake clearance by itself. It is all about wheel design (which may or may not vary by wheel offset). Generally the easiest way to insure clearance is to make a template of your brake caliper and put it on the actual wheel you want to buy.



Thereof, does wheel offset affect performance?

On most OEM wheels, offset is positive (contact patch slightly inboard), and it can have a major effect on steering feel and stability during acceleration and braking. The distance between the center of the tire's contact patch and the point where that line touches the road is the scrub radius.

Subsequently, question is, is lower offset better? A lower positive wheel offset will typically result in the wheels being more flush to the fender, giving the vehicle a more aggressive look. A lot of people that choose a much lower offset end up modifying other components on their cars to compensate for fitment (i.e., rolling fenders, adjusting camber).

Keeping this in consideration, how much clearance do you need between brake calipers and wheels?

We recommend a 2mm minimum of clearance from our calipers to the wheel spokes. If you have 1.5mm without spacers you should be OK, but if your car exhibits any level of knockback or hub flex you might end up with contact if you autocross or track the car.

What happens if the wheel offset is wrong?

Too much positive offset (the wheel sits too far in towards the car) can cause damage to inner suspension and brake components from the inside lip. This can lead to poor handling making the car unstable at speed. Sometimes the rubbing will happen on the thin inner sidewall of the wheel causing a rupture of the tire.

30 Related Question Answers Found

Does negative offset stick out?

A negative offset gives an inset or deep-dish look: -44 is deeper than -12. The wheel will also stick out from the truck.

Is Rim offset important?

Wheel Offset
You can see that the suspension geometry intersects the centreline at the road surface for optimal handling. If you decide to change your wheels, offset is a very important factor to consider. If you select an aftermarket wheel with the exact same offset, you will always have the exact same scrub radius.

Does positive offset stick out more?

More positive offset means the wheel is closer to the body, while a more negative offset is the opposite, further away from the body. superlift123 wrote: Therefore, a rim with +38mm offset will stick out more than a +45mm offset.

How much wheel offset is too much?

In contrast, too much positive offset is a danger, as it will push the wheel farther in toward the suspension. Here's an extreme example: If you have to go from a 45 mm offset to a 20 mm, the wheels will protrude from the sides of the car.

Does negative offset move wheel out?


A negative offset is what can create a larger lip or concave style, which will push the tire out. A “positive” offset is where the mounting surface of the wheel is closer to the outside (fender side) of the wheel.

Do big rims damage suspension?

Putting larger wheels on a vehicle than the ones with which it left the factory can cause problems for a vehicle's suspension and brakes even if lower-profile tires keep the overall diameter the same. Bolting on larger metal wheels gives your vehicle's springs and shock absorbers more weight to contend with.

What does 10mm offset mean?

a lower offset means your wheel will stick out more. It all depends on the position of your wheels as a OEM setup. Go check it out. if you wheels are very into the wheel well, 10mm might make your car look better as the wheels will stick out a bit.

How do you measure brake clearance?

How to Measure Your Wheel for Proper Brake Clearance
  1. STEP 1: Remove a wheel.
  2. STEP 2: Place the wheel carefully on its face and measure out the A/B/C dimensions with a straight edge or create a template from the clearance diagram.

How do you measure brake caliper clearance?

From center of the top stud to center of the second stud directly across. Caliper Clearance - The amount of space available for a brake caliper, measured from the mounting surface to the backside of the wheel center. Backspace - Measured from the mounting surface of the wheel to the back edge of the rim.

What is wheel clearance?


Basically its the gap between the tyre and any non-wheel part of the bike frame. Static clearance is almost exactly the same as the clearances you have while riding, as long as the wheel axle bearings aren't sloppy and the wheel doesn't move laterally.

What is wheel offset?

The offset of a wheel is the distance from the hub mounting surface to the center line of the wheel. The wheel offset is measured in millimeters and results in a positive, negative, or zero offset. Negative offset is when the hub mounting surface is toward the back or brake side of the wheels centerline.

How do you measure a rotor offset?

The offset measurement (76mm & 78.6mm) is from the back of the rotor to the hat face. This is the more "normal" method of measuring offset.

How do I know if rims will fit my car?

The two easiest ways are to check the sticker plate in your car, it should be located inside the driver side door, or look online for the vehicle specifications for your exact make and model. That should tell you the standard rim size.

Do spacers increase or decrease offset?

Spacers do not lower offset, they increase the backspacing of the wheel which pushes it farther out or closer to the fender.

Does wheel width affect offset?


If the offset of the wheel is not correct for the vehicle, the handling can also be adversely affected. When the width of the wheel changes, the offset also changes numerically. If the offset were to stay the same while you added width, the additional width would be split evenly between the inside and outside.

What is a standard offset?

Millimeters are used as the standard unit to describe offset, which can be positive, zero, or negative. Zero offset means that the wheel's mounting surface lines up with the centerline. Positive offset refers to a mounting surface extending past the centerline and closer to the face of the wheel.

What does ET mean in wheel offset?

Offset is usually stamped or engraved into the wheel and is measured in millimetres of 'ET' [ET is the short form of the German word 'Einpresstiefe' which literally translates as 'insertion depth'] Positive Offset wheels have their mounting face toward the front face of the wheel.