Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 23:20:16 -0800
Reply-To: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Subject: Re: Offset, was: Mercedes Wheels
In-Reply-To: <01BE0432.DBEBEB60@ip223.raleigh4.nc.pub-ip.psi.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Isn't it the smaller the number the farther the wheels are to the inside of
the van (assuming the same wheel width).
ET30 means that the flat surface where the bolt holes are are 30mm from the
dead centre of the wheel. A wheel with ET49 (again with the same width)
would be 14mm closer to the inside of the van.
At 18:19 10/30/98 -0500, Bulley-Hewlett & Associates wrote:
>Offset is simple to explain.
>
>Imagine you are lying on the ground behind your van. You roll over, and
>prop your head on your hand, look at the rear of the van, and sight in a
>straight line along the side of the van, looking forward at your LEFT REAR
>wheel. If the OFFSET of the wheel was INCREASED, the wheel would "stick
>out" from the side of the van more than normal. If the offset was
>DECREASED, the wheel would be tucked up into the wheel well more than
>normal. The offset is basically how "deep" the face (where the lug nuts
>attach) of the wheel is from the edge.
>
>The implications are changes in the handling and maneuverability; VW
>designed the vehicle to have a very specific offset. There is also the
>possibility of damage to the wheel bearings; increased offset creates more
>load on the bearings. Finally, an old seafarer's wives tale says it is bad
>luck to drive with incorrect offset, but the bad luck can be allayed by
>carrying a millstone in you shirt pocket. Happy Fried egg.
>
>G. Matthew Bulley
>Principal
>Bulley-Hewlett & Associates
>Communications for Organizational Development
>www.bulley-hewlett.com
>(888) 468-4880 toll free
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Wil Barker [SMTP:wbarker@NOTES.CC.BELLCORE.COM]
>Sent: Friday, October 30, 1998 4:06 PM
>To: vanagon@VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Mercedes Wheels
>
>Offset? Why what do you mean??
>
>Can some over smart type person please explain (300000 words or less)
>everything we allway wanted to know about offset and it's Vanagon
>implications but were afraid to ask. (now I am afraid)
>
>- Wil
>(address unknown)
>
>
>
>
>>| Mercedes uses a 5x112mm hole pattern.
>>| Are these wheels compatible with the Vanagon?
>
> I looked at a set of the stock Mercedes 15" wheels recently and
>they
>do work with a vanagon. However, they have an offset of 49 which was a
>little
>high for my blood...
>
>dave
>
>
-- David Marshall --
-- 78 1.8L VW Rabbit, 80 2.0L VW Caddy, 87 Audi 5KSQ --
-- 85 VW Cabriolet, 88 2.0L VW Syncro 16" Double Cab --
-- Volkswagen Homepage http://www.volkswagen.org --
-- Volkswagen/Audi Parts http://parts.volkswagen.org --
-- mailto:david@volkswagen.org - Quesnel, BC, Canada --
| 
