Wheel Offset Explained

Wheel Offset Explained

There are many impressive used pickup trucks around Logan that can meet your needs right off the bat. However, there are also several ways you can add a distinctive touch to your truck that also increases your capabilities, like by lifting the truck or with offset truck wheels. If you’re considering changing your wheels, it’s essential to have backspacing and wheel offset explained to understand the that effects they could have on your pickup truck. Learn what wheel offset means and additional tips about offset truck wheels with the experts at Truck Ranch. 

What Does Wheel Offset Mean? 

If you’re researching some enhancements you can add to your truck, you may be wondering, what does wheel offset mean? The vehicle’s wheel offset refers to how the wheel is mounted in your wheel well. While the natural wheel offset can go unnoticed during your drives, a wrong wheel offset can lead to issues with your suspension, brakes, and even body parts, like fenders. 

Another related term to know when having wheel offset explained is backspacing, which refers to the amount of space needed to accommodate both offset and wheel width. 

Types of Wheel Offset

A deeper look at offset truck wheels comes when you decide to upgrade the factory tires on the truck, and there’s a difference in size. Finding the proper offset ensures nothing is rubbing against the suspension, brakes, or vehicle body. There are three different types of wheel offset:

• Zero wheel offset: The hub mounting surface is in line with the centerline of the wheel.
• Positive wheel offset: Commonly found on vehicles with front-wheel drive or newer vehicles with rear-wheel drive, a positive wheel offset is when the hub mounting surface is in front (more towards the street) of the centerline of the wheel.
• Negative offset: This refers to when the hub mounting surface is behind the wheel centerline. “Deep dish” wheels are typically a negative offset.

Wheel Offset Tips

Changing your wheel offset when upgrading your wheels ensures you have a better wheel fitment and more stable handling on the American Fork roads. Keep these tips in mind when considering offset truck wheels:

• Offset measurements can be tricky. The wrong offset can decrease car stability, which is usually with new wheels. The new offset shouldn’t be more than five millimeters different from the old offset.
• Consideration of the backspacing becomes essential when the new wheels are wider than the originals.
• Make sure your tire and wheel package fits by staying within the load capacity.

Get Additional Service Tips at Truck Ranch!

Get additional service tips at Truck Ranch, and make sure your pickup truck keeps performing at its best for years to come. We can also help you find your next used pickup truck to enhance your everyday needs or Twin Falls jobsite. Give us a call today!