Confused about offset and wheels. Even after I've searched!!

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Landrovernewbie

New Member
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100
Location
Harlow Essex
Bracing for the abuse here, but I just can't work this out.

I have no idea if I need to be checking my new wheels have the right offset for my vehicle. In fact I can't get my head around how offset can be worked out for my wheels :doh:

Having got my disco 300 through the mot, I fancied getting some new wheels and rubber. The current tyres that came with it are 255/65 on 16 alloys. I've never liked them. They are a mix of part worn the previous owner put on after the previous MOT advised on tread depth.

I found that wheel spacers were fitted to the hubs, and have left them in place. Not had any probs since last Oct.
I picked up these BF Goodrich A/T's fitted to alloys, for just over 100 quid today and couldn't resist. They are fitted to the same type of alloys I currently have, just a different colour.

These are bigger, being 266/75's. My vehicle is lifted 2inches, and I understand the camel cut etc. I just can't work out whether I need to lose the spacers, so the wheels don't protrude to much, or keep the spacers in place. I'm getting the new wheels re-balanced, before fitting so they are in my mates garage at the mo. Is it a case of just fit em and see? I read some horror stories about spacers when I searched! I don't want to mash my bearings or anything!

Sorry for sounding like a doofus. I've been trawling g@@gle and this site and I'm just not getting it!
 
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I've had a wide variety of spacers on every LR I've had in the past ten years. My Disco has been on spacers since about 2008 and I've only replaced two bearings; both in the last six months.

I guess it's suck it and see. Fit the wheels, see how it feels. Remove the spacers, see how it feels. Choose the best option. That's what I did as I my tyres went up in size in three stages.
 
Cheers Rob, ill try out the different set ups. Nice to hear you've had no real issues with your spacers. I do about 12 miles on the motorway to work every day so panic about things falling off! Lol
 
Offset wheels can have a negative offset or a positive offset. The offset refers to the part of the wheel that bolts to the vehicle. If you think of the standard wheels as zero offset. For a negative offset that part of the wheel is moved in towards the vehicle meaning the the whole of the wheel is pushing away from the hub.
I run 265/75/16 on a negative 35 steel wheels I have had no problems with wheel bearings and no rubbing. The only thing I've had to do is fit wheel arch extensions. Because you don't what the wheel and tyre protruding past the body MoT fail.
 
Offset wheels can have a negative offset or a positive offset. The offset refers to the part of the wheel that bolts to the vehicle. If you think of the standard wheels as zero offset. For a negative offset that part of the wheel is moved in towards the vehicle meaning the the whole of the wheel is pushing away from the hub.
I run 265/75/16 on a negative 35 steel wheels I have had no problems with wheel bearings and no rubbing. The only thing I've had to do is fit wheel arch extensions. Because you don't what the wheel and tyre protruding past the body MoT fail.[/QUOTE

Hi Rog, thanks for replying.

Ok, I get what you are saying there. So in respect of my standard alloys. How would I find out the offset? Is it related to the code stamped on the edge? I think my current alloys are 7J something? And I guess that the wheel spacers have the effect of giving the alloy more of a negative offset by pushing the wheel away from the vehicle even though the hub part is not being pushed towards the vehicle? Or do they purely just make the tyre track wider ?? :confused2:
 
Like I said your stand wheel is zero offset. Yes a spacer will have the same effect as negative offset wheels. I would go with 30 mm spacers.
 
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