say a 16x8 rim with 3.75 BS were put on an 00 XLT, which came stock with 15" teardrops, how far out would the tires stick out from the fender? In other words, when viewed from the front, toward the rear of the car? Reason I ask is I bought a set of 16" rims taken from an 02 Sport Trac, and my tires currently sit about a 1/4" past the fender. I'd like to get them to stick out a bit more, and dont know if I should get some spacers, or new rims..
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3.75 BS = how far from fenders?
- Thread starter cifer
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j602
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You question is a tricky one. It depends on a lot of things. First, it depends on how much less backspacing the new rims have than the old ones did. Secondly, if you go from a 15" rim to a 16" rims, you'll need new tires and how much they stick out past the fender depends on which brand, type, and size you get. And lastly, every truck is different, and you won't really know till you do it. Hope this helps.
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Hello, may I suggest that you compare offsets, and not backspacing?
The offsets of most Explorer wheels should be very close, just like those of Mustangs or Cobras.
The offset is easily measured. It is half of the difference between the back spacing and the front spacing.
Offset=(BS-FS)/2
It is easier to use the offset figure, because it is based on the centerline of the wheel. Knowing the original offset, you can easily calculate in and out based on the difference of a new prospective wheel.
I have 96 Cobra 17x8's with 30mm of offset. I liked the fit and I am also about to need new tires. I looked at 18x8.5's, but wheel dealers wanted me to buy a 20mm or less offset. That 10mm+ of outward distance, plus 1/4" of a wider wheel, would have my wheels sticking out at least 16mm farther than tyhey are now. My next option was a 35mm offset, and that would require a spacer of about 1/4". Those wheels were not available now, so I will probably just get tires. I did get 1/4" spacers to possibly help with the slightly wider tires that I am looking at.
What I learned about my wheels and their offset allowed me to make good decisions about prospective wheels. If I relied on the "experts" of some wheel dealer, then the wheels would look the way they wanted them to, not my way.
Decide how you want your wheels to fit, find your offset information, then find wheels or make what you have fit the way you want it to fit.
Good luck,
DW
The offsets of most Explorer wheels should be very close, just like those of Mustangs or Cobras.
The offset is easily measured. It is half of the difference between the back spacing and the front spacing.
Offset=(BS-FS)/2
It is easier to use the offset figure, because it is based on the centerline of the wheel. Knowing the original offset, you can easily calculate in and out based on the difference of a new prospective wheel.
I have 96 Cobra 17x8's with 30mm of offset. I liked the fit and I am also about to need new tires. I looked at 18x8.5's, but wheel dealers wanted me to buy a 20mm or less offset. That 10mm+ of outward distance, plus 1/4" of a wider wheel, would have my wheels sticking out at least 16mm farther than tyhey are now. My next option was a 35mm offset, and that would require a spacer of about 1/4". Those wheels were not available now, so I will probably just get tires. I did get 1/4" spacers to possibly help with the slightly wider tires that I am looking at.
What I learned about my wheels and their offset allowed me to make good decisions about prospective wheels. If I relied on the "experts" of some wheel dealer, then the wheels would look the way they wanted them to, not my way.
Decide how you want your wheels to fit, find your offset information, then find wheels or make what you have fit the way you want it to fit.
Good luck,
DW
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