Technical question on reversing rims.

[MWS]

Does anyone know if there's a maximum legal offset allowed on wheel rims for use on the road? I'm aware that a much more extreme offset will put much greater cantilever stresses on the wheel bearings etc. I'm planning to reverse the rims on a set of two peice alloys. The first three pics are what I plan to do, and the last pic is one of the rims that I was hoping to reverse.... Thanks chaps. .

[MWS]

Anybody?

[muddle]

Aslong as the tyre dosent stick out of the arch, all is fine.

[BUSHWHACKER]

They'll look like this with 33"s on Mick...
http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/showpost....32&postcount=1

[MWS]

I've been tinkering about with one of the wheels, but sadly I'm afraid that although the offset looks good, the back spacing, at a mere 15mm, is so marginal that they may not even be legal to use on the road, hence my original question. Hope these pic's will explain.

[BUSHWHACKER]

Not good. They will kill the bearings in no time, plus the steering will be very, er, interesting.

[MWS]

Not good. They will kill the bearings in no time, plus the steering will be very, er, interesting.

Thanks Vince. I thought as much. Pity, cause they're a full set of five. Guess I'll just rebuild to standard and get rid of them. THE SEARCH FOR A MATCHING SET OF FIVE DECENT ALLOYS CONTINUES !

[BUSHWHACKER]

Thats a lot of back spacing on those wheels, are they from a front wheel drive vehicle?

[MWS]

Thats a lot of back spacing on those wheels, are they from a front wheel drive vehicle?

As far as I know, there aren't any FWD vehicles with 139.6 x 6 stud wheels. I don't know for certain, but I suspect that they may have been on a Mitsi Delica, or some such.

[dieselboy]

MWS I have -43 offset which had wheel spacers. I think they are 30mm? Which makes it -73 offset equivalent. Steering was a bit oo-err but it looked nice. Removing the spacers, truck drove completely different.
Also I got pulled over and I had to remove the spacers to be able to go back on the road.

[Rob5464]

I always thought a wider track would improve the handling characteristics. Especially if the truck had a suspension lift; would spacers not offset the higher centre of gravity?

[POPEYE]

For what it's worth i reversed my rims several years ago and have had np problems, However i dont do "off road" and am a pretty low milage user,
Personally i wouldn't reverse them if you do do off road a lot,
Since reversing them i have not fecked the bearrings (apart from my own fault for forgetting to re fit the big washer which destroyed the outer race and made a hell of a noise)

One think tho, if you either space them out or reverse the rims it will make steering and braking at the same time a bit of a "wet arse" moment
when their spaced the wheels actually need to rotate in order to turn the steering ans their no longer turning in their own center of gravity if you get what i mean,
Also the wider arc of turn will prob make the clearance on the wheel arches worse,
Only legal aspect i know of is the tyres sticking out, which is a "Cop" thing and not an MOT thing, mine stick out about 2" and so far (touch laminated chipboard) i had no problems, the mot guy felt the need to point it out on the first couple of times but he's gave up now,
mine are three piece rims so i dont know if the dish is shallower than the set you have there

[dieselboy]

To add to what POPEYE's just wrote, the first chance I had I refitted my spacers. I know you're referring to reversing the rims but if not for looks the idea is the same (although I don't think mine stuck out as far as yours).
I would still have the spacers fitted but me mum was driving it for a while and didn't want any kind of aggro for her.

[MWS]

For what it's worth i reversed my rims several years ago and have had np problems, However i dont do "off road" and am a pretty low milage user,
Personally i wouldn't reverse them if you do do off road a lot,
Since reversing them i have not fecked the bearrings (apart from my own fault for forgetting to re fit the big washer which destroyed the outer race and made a hell of a noise)

One think tho, if you either space them out or reverse the rims it will make steering and braking at the same time a bit of a "wet arse" moment
when their spaced the wheels actually need to rotate in order to turn the steering ans their no longer turning in their own center of gravity if you get what i mean,
Also the wider arc of turn will prob make the clearance on the wheel arches worse,
Only legal aspect i know of is the tyres sticking out, which is a "Cop" thing and not an MOT thing, mine stick out about 2" and so far (touch laminated chipboard) i had no problems, the mot guy felt the need to point it out on the first couple of times but he's gave up now,
mine are three piece rims so i dont know if the dish is shallower than the set you have there

Thanks Ian. I did read both yours and Vinces write ups on reversing rims. The problem with the ones that I tried to reverse was that there was virtually no back spacing at all, placing huge cantilever forces on the wheel bearings etc. I do like to go off road a bit, so they weren't worth risking. I'll just keep looking for a matching set of five 8x15's with a sensible offset and back spacing.