mx5cartalk.com

hello guys, i have a question, what offsets are you using, and how does it affect your handling compared to stock rims (ie under/over steer, characteristics etc)? i ask because i intend to buy volks racing te37v's but they are only available with 18+ in 15x7 or 25+ in 15x7.5, or even go to the te37's with 35 and 43+ offsets. I intend to track my car in the future.




I've researched this subject for a while, and all i can find are threads on something about "hell of flush wheels" or something like that.

If there is a guide on what the offsets do on different sized wheels do to our car, please link me the page.

Carl.

http://www.clubroadster.net

use the search, all questions answered 1000 times there

Dann

Yeah Dann, lots of opinions even there.

For a street car standard +40 off = best handling. The little Hiroshima elves designed it that way.

Even Goodwin Racing says +35 is a compromise for track/street use.

How people live with +0 I dunno, form over function.

i am afraid i tried club roadster, and always lead to some form of flush related topics which i am not interested in. heck there was supposed to be a thread to answer all my questions, and the thread was like 150 pages long and was about flush looks, when to roll guards on what sized wheels etc.

I think i will play it safe and stay with near stock offsets.

I think that was a cop out response dann for the following reasons.
A) the OP said they had searched and asked for specific links.
B) OP said they could only find "fitment" threads.
C) and most importantly I think you missed they are not looking for what fits advice but how does offset change the handling.

Now maybe I'm wrong (happens all the time) and that info is readily available on cr, but seeing as you didn't link it, and the OP couldn't find it with google......

Don't forget know the right search terms based on having already read something makes it hugely easier to find again.

To the OP. I can't really help much I have staggered wheels at 15 x 7 in + 23 front and + 15 rear ( I think from memory been a while). Car seems to handle ok, but I never really drove it any other way.

Increasing offset does things to your scrub radius for memory ( that might help as a search term) and I remember there was a thread on here that discussed it but I've got no ability to try and search easily. ( on a phone an hr from anywhere :p)

If you find the info please post it back, might make it easier for the next person!

I've never spent more than 5 minutes there, but it's always the recommended place for offset advice.

my apologies.

Dann

carlmx5 wrote:hello guys, i have a question, what offsets are you using, and how does it affect your handling compared to stock rims (ie under/over steer, characteristics etc)? i ask because i intend to buy volks racing te37v's but they are only available with 18+ in 15x7 or 25+ in 15x7.5, or even go to the te37's with 35 and 43+ offsets. I intend to track my car in the future.

I have 15x8 +25 on my track car and the 30mm wider track compared to std reduces weight transfer and makes the car corner better.
Minor downsides of increased scrub radius, minutely heavier steering go virtually unnoticed and are far outweighed by the improved cornering, for my usage..

Changing offset shouldnt affect the oversteer/understeer balance as long as you use the same offset front and rear..

just had a good read of scrub radius, so scrub radius just makes your steering heavier?

15x9 +25 just fits on my NB8B.

and i have no power steering.

in a sense yes it is the place to go to for offsets, but more for cosmetic reasons and not handling to the looks of it, so i found out.

it does make steering heavier because you're 'scrubbing' more tyre when turning, but it also changes steering geometry causing bump steer, tramlining, steering kick-back, etc.

i also found out the hard way that positive scrub radius also causes the car to turn INTO a puddle when aquaplaning...

I have/had (just sold them) 15x8 -6 with 205/50 tyres and found the car to handle fine. Mind you the guards are cut and i have flares (so no crazy camber etc). No powersteering, feels good to drive with. I noticed a big difference in long corners though. You can really put the foot down with the wider track and pick up a lot more speed without the car letting go. I street drive mine so i cant speak for tracks.

beavis wrote:15x9 +25 just fits on my NB8B.

and i have no power steering.

+25 in a 15x9? Great offset. What rims are these? (Varstoen?)

Appears awfully hard to find a 15x9 that either a) isnt a 6UL (looks crap imo) or b) isnt a boat anchor

So an offset of 25+ on say 15x7.5 would have similar effects like tramlining etc. i had a read and bump steering has more so to do with suspension.

just go 15x8 +0 like all the cool kids and you will get so much internet love.