A key measurement for wheel clearance on a 2wd Vanagon is the distance between the upper control arm and the inside edge of the wheel. This will change with offset and with wheel diameter. I have a set of 14" x 6.5" ET-22 wheels and I have 3/8" of clearance between the upper control arm and the inside edge of the wheel. My stock 14" x 5.5" ET-35 wheels had the same amount of clearance, as did my 14" x 6" ET-30 alloy wheels. A 14" x 6.5" ET-30 wheel would have close to "0" clearance between the control arm and the inside edge. A 14" x 7" wheel would need to have an offset of 15-18mm to provide enough upper control arm clearance. When you go to 15" or 16" wheels, the amount of distance between the upper control arm and the wheel increases so the amount of offset can also increase. Tim Hannink Winter Park, Florida Goldibox - 1987 Wolfsburg Edition Westfalia Camper
-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf Of Raul Cisneros Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2001 1:14 PM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Re: Ronal 16" Rims---Offset
In a message dated 3/27/01 5:14:54 PM, Jay.L.Snyder@USA.DUPONT.COM writes: << The "correct" ET will change with rim width. You can only add wheel width to the outside, so the ET will be less as the wheel gets wider. ET is the off-set from wheel center-line? I would agree 7 or 7.5" wheels are probably too wide for the Vanagon. Jay >> This is my understanding of offset as well, except that I think a 7 inch wide wheel will work fine. I figure if you use the VW approved rim from South Africa in a 6.5 inch width with an offset (in millimeters) of +30, the inside rim edge should be about 112.5mm (4.42 inches) inboard of the face of the rim where it contacts the wheel hub. (6.5 inches =165.10mm divided by 2 = 82.55mm gives centerline of wheel, PLUS offset of 30mm = 112.55) So assuming 112mm from the contact face to the inside edge of the rim is where you should be, then for a: 5.5 inch wide rim you should have an ET of +43 (what does it actually read on the stock 14 x 5.5 steel rims or who has a 16 x 5.5 steel Syncro rim to see?) 6 inch wide should be ET +36 (what does it say on the 14 x 6 carat alloys?) 6.5 inch wide should be ET +30 (this is what it is for VW SA Sunburst 6.5 x15 alloys) 7 inch wide should be ET +24 7.5 inch wide should be ET +17 8 inch wide should be ET +11 Any one else see it this way or does math differently?? Raul Nyack, NY 87 Syncro Westy |
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