Offset headaches - a warning to others !

[craigr]

My phase 2 project FD has been ticking along for nearly 6 months now. I have got the Burnout kit installed, the new engine build is complete and installed, interior done, all of the ancilliary bits and bobs due to go on.

I decided on new wheels based on wanting to fill the arches nicely, and was looking to replace my Buddy Clubs (both on a +38mm offset). Having done a lot of research into what size/offsets were recommended for the KDI Burnout, I decided to go for what I thought was a relatively conservative spec.

KDI are running +9mm front and rear. When I calculated my numbers, I cocked up twice - and now I am having many problems

Cock up #1 involved me not considering the wheel width correctly when calculating what I needed. I went up from 9.5" to 10.5" rims and failed to correctly calculate where the offset is measured from. Consequently my rear wheels are stuck about 20mm further out than I had catered for in the rear arches. Look lovely and fat, but now I am having to do some further body mods to take the extra width into account.

Cock up #2 is more serious in that I wanted to move the front wheels 20mm further out (i.e. away from the suspension) in order to fill the new arches. So I calculated that I needed to move from the +38mm down to +17mm (both on 8.5" rim) which would shift the wheels out by 21mm (by the book). The wheels sit nicely in the arches, but on full lock, they now touch on the inner arches. I have been scratching my head trying to work out how moving the wheels 21mm outwards means they are able to now scuff where they didn\'t scuff before. Still confused :confused: .

My bodyshop is unable to suggest anything. They will not cut away any material from the inside as it will affect strength and therefore safety (fair enough). Given the wheels were special order from Japan, they cannot be returned. In my mind the only other option is to buy replacement fronts with a different offset, but then it is guesswork as to what is the perfect compromise between filling the arches and rubbing the insides - also there is only one other offset available between the new +17 and the old +38 which is +29. It\'s pure guesswork as the whether that extra 12mm would be enough.

I am pretty much stuck with nowhere to go - so any suggestions would be most appreciated !

Just really wanted to warn about the perils of choosing the wrong offsets.

Craig

[FD3SNuttah]

cut out the bit where it rubs on the front wheel arch liner.


so does this mean you have to widen the rear arches by another 20mm?! oh dear.. wouldnt want to be you mate!

[MikeLMR]

there are a lot of variations in rim width and tyres and not all are the same, for example rim width is the measurement between the beads where the tyre sits and not the outside edge of the rim, the outside edge of rim can vary in postition relative to the bead depending on the design of the indivdual wheel.

Why not use a small spacer on the front, if it is only out by a little.

[bin liner]

i have some brand new weds bvillens T8S 4 sale.  These are +14 all round

9 x 19 f
10 x 19 r

These should fit your perfectly.  These are the wheels on the KS auto demo car...was gonna fit these to my car but have now changed my rear arches so these are not big enough for my car..paid 1800 for them...want 1600.  Thanks Kal

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