Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2005 07:03:31 -0800
Reply-To: TJ Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: TJ Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: Mercedes rims ET48 - bad idea?
In-Reply-To: <ccafde0905022519577c059425@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
There is no 'ideal' ET, it's a meaningless measurement unless you know the width of the rim. The stock steel wheels that the Vanagon originally came with are 5.5'' wide and have an offset of 38mm. The optional 6" wide alloy wheels have ET of 30. The 6.5" wide BBS/'Benz wheels I have on my camper are ET23. The inside edge of all three wheels is the same distance away from the suspension, the additional rim width ends up on the outside of the wheel so it sticks further out of the fenderwell. As a rule, for every additional half-inch of wheel width, the backspacing needs to be reduced by 8mm to keep the inside of the wheel in the same relative position as a stock rim (at least thats what VW did to make the alloys fit on the Vanagon).
So if your 'Benz wheels are 7" wide, the offset would need to be 15mm in order to provide the same amount of suspension clearance as a stock wheel. You would need a 33mm (1.3") spacer plus longer lug bolts and studs in order to make them fit without hitting.
What I have stated above is for 14" diameter wheels on 2wd Vanagons. Increasing wheel diameter throws another variable into the calcuation since it will provide additional suspension clearance on the front of a 2wd Vanagon, so less change in offset (from stock) would be required. A 16" x 7" ET25 wheel might fit; finding tires of the correct RPM, sidewall and load rating would be your next hurdle.
Good luck,
Tim
BenT Syncro <syncro@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 14:57:25 -0800, Roger Donahe wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I have an opportunity to buy a set of Mercedes rims for my 87 Westy.
> I understand that my stock wheel is offset ET35. These are ET48. If
> I understand correctly this means these rims sit 13 mm inboard more
> than stock. Is that an excessive amount? Would I need spacers to
> move them outboard?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> -Roger Donahe
>
Roger,
I deal is ET30-ET32. ET48 will hit inside (on 2wd) unless these are 4
inch wide rims!!! You also need to consider width. Remember that each
inch adds 12.5mm on each side. Once you've factored in the cost of
spacers and longers studs or bolts, any savings on the wheels would
have evaporated.
BenT
TJ Hannink
Goldibox - 1987 Vanagon Camper, Wolfsburg Edition
1981 Bluebird Wanderlodge, FC-33
Winter Park, Florida
http://home.earthlink.net/~tjhannink/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wolfsburg_campers
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wanderlodge
FAVOR website: http://home.earthlink.net/~clubvanagon
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