Question about Rim offset

[Webster3]

I'm looking at 15x8 RIMS for my "94 X Sport. I know from reading about Paul Sabin's Sport that he went with the AR 767's with a 4" offset.

With a 2 1/2" Duff lift kit and 32x11.5 tires would the 4" offset be a big advantage? I'm concerned about how it will affect the wheel bearings and turning radius, but will I be saving myself a lot of trimming by doing it?

Thanks!

Ed

 

[RangerX]

A big advantage compared to what?
Stock rims arre 4.5" BS. Most aftermarket rims are 3.25-3.75. A 4"BS is a safe, conservative compromise. I had it on my first set of rims.

 

[Webster3]

I have a stock truck, so yes I am comparing them to the stock rims.

Let me confirm that I understanding the offset measurment correctly. The higher the number the more the offset... right? So the stock rims don't have a 0 offset, they actually do have a minor offset.

So are you saying that the 4" offset is only a slight difference from stock... is it enough or are you saying that I should be going with more of an offset? I'd like to increase stability and reduce the chance of rubbing, but I don't want to kill my bearings. Also, will fender flares be a must? Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks!

Ed

 

[RangerX]

We're using two different terms here. Offset is measured from the center of the overall rim width. Backspace is measured from the inside edge of the rim.
An 8" wide rim with a 4" backspace would have an offset of 0, because the mounting plate is centered in the 8" width.
Your stock rims have a BS of 4.5" on a 7" rim. Your hubs and bearings are designed to work best with a 4.5" BS. the further you get from 4.5", the more stress and wear you get. If you get 8" rims with a 4" BS, you're only .5" away from ideal. Many of us run rims that are .75" to 1" away, and don't have problems.
The short answer is, 15x8's with a 4" BS would be a great choice for your lift and tire size.

 

[Webster3]

Thanks for clearing that up, I was using the "offset" and "backspacing" terms synonymously. Thanks for the advice!

Ed