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Wheel offset

5K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  MI Smiley 
#1 ·
I'm new to this Jeep thing and I was wondering if someone could give me a simple explanation of wheel offset. Does anyone know the offset of the stock TJ wheels. I see this term whenever I look at new wheels. Thanks.
 
#2 ·
Offset is the measurement from the wheel centerline to the wheel mounting surface, but the term offset is not a term used with jeep wheels. The measurement you need to consider on wheels for your your jeep is "back space"... That is the distance from the back edge (inside edge) of the rim to the wheel mounting surface. The more back space there is, the closer the wheels are to the frame, and less back space sticks the wheels out more. Stock jeep wheels are 5.25 & 5.5" back space. Many running over sized tires will go from 3.75 to 4.5" back space depending on tire size and what they are trying to accomplish.
 
#3 ·
X2....Disregard offset but concentrate more on backspacing when it comes to buying wheels for our Jeeps. Running larger tire size such as a 33x12.5 would require a wheel with a bs of 3.5"-4" to prevent inner tire rubbing on suspension components. See pic to see how to measure BS on a wheel using a straight edge and tape measure. (Wheel in pic has a 5 inch BS)
 

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#4 ·
X2 on both comments above.

Backspace and Offset are related by 1/2 of the tire width + the rim lip width. Its really a simple formula but at the end of the day what matters is the net backspace from the tire to the mounting hub surface. That after all is what will rub.

All reputable wheel retailers will publish both the offset and the backspace.

Here is a link to a site that lets you see the relationship between the two. It will allow you to input your current tire and a different tire and see the effects on chassis and fender clearance

https://www.rimsntires.com/specspro.jsp
 
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