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View Full Version : n00b Q: Will running different offset wheels affect handling?


240sxfan6882
10-22-2014, 12:57 PM
I tried just about every word combo on google to find the answer that i'm looking for, but nothing comes up! All I get is running different sized rubber out back and it affecting handling.

Say I run +20 offset in the front, and I run +5 offset in the rear... will this affect handling the same way as say running a 225 tire up front, and a 265 tire out back?
Will it under-steer?

Thanks fellas!

tayloray
10-22-2014, 01:27 PM
http://www.rapid-racer.com/tyres-and-wheels.php

Offset is towards the bottom.

RalliartRsX
10-22-2014, 01:33 PM
http://www.rapid-racer.com/tyres-and-wheels.php

Offset is towards the bottom.

That link does not help in the least bit with the OP's question.......... :-/

The OP is not asking what offset is, but asking how it affects handling.

Suscribed because I am curious as well!

GabeS14
10-22-2014, 01:55 PM
I think if there is an extreme difference it could cause imbalance, oversteer maybe. when I tried to drift my old s14 with much bigger and more agressive rears it would understeer a lot.. and when I would run smaller rears it would drive much better. I think that's why most Fd cars are running setups that have stupid looking agressive front wheels. for better handling.

tayloray
10-22-2014, 02:04 PM
I think if there is an extreme difference it could cause imbalance, oversteer maybe. when I tried to drift my old s14 with much bigger and more agressive rears it would understeer a lot.. and when I would run smaller rears it would drive much better. I think that's why most Fd cars are running setups that have stupid looking agressive front wheels. for better handling.

FD cars run those because of the angle modifications. Those require a very low offset wheel that allows more clearance before it rubs because they have more lock than they can handle.

Most fd drivers run something like a 255 front tire with a much larger 285 or 295 rear tire. Their cars naturally understeer like crazy. Chelsea told me that steering does virtually nothing in drift due to the fact that the rear has so much more grip, some drivers run different setups. I believe JR uses a square 305 setup. but I digress.

Offset should not effect the corning anywhere near as much as tire size.

Chelsea " in the rear lower offset wheel, less side bite. higher offset more side bite"

Essentially it's two entirely different things. Suspension mechanical grip, and tire grip.

I think it would just be more about stability. for drifting you generally want a wider front track for more stability with a narrower rear track for more side bite. If you had a narrower front track the car would be rolling over on itself to gain traction.

GabeS14
10-22-2014, 02:10 PM
Offset should not effect the corning anywhere near as much as tire size.

Sorry yes I meant in my car where my rears were much larger along with being more agressive, so I naturally had much larger tires in the rear.



But I still wonder how offset can affect handling because it changes the position(how spaced out the front versus the rear)

!Zar!
10-22-2014, 04:49 PM
Short answer yes.

It will change your scrub radius.

You will also notice an increase in tram-lining.

nolandavid
10-22-2014, 11:48 PM
Are your lca extended at all? Sound like the ass end is way wider then your front, that alone would cause under steer.

240sxfan6882
10-23-2014, 07:22 AM
Are your lca extended at all? Sound like the ass end is way wider then your front, that alone would cause under steer.

Thank you all for the input!

My LCA is not extended and I considered running a 10mm spacer out back to fill up the fender gap better, but I might just be able to get away with 0 camber and have my 18x9.5 fill the wells that way.

Thanks again