Date:         Sat, 26 Feb 2005 10:49:52 -0800
Reply-To:     BenT Syncro <syncro@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         BenT Syncro <syncro@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Mercedes rims ET48 - bad idea?
Comments: To: TJ Hannink <tjhannink@yahoo.com>
In-Reply-To:  <20050226150332.10011.qmail@web60303.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 07:03:31 -0800, TJ Hannink <tjhannink@yahoo.com> wrote:
> There is no 'ideal' ET, it's a meaningless measurement unless you know the width of the rim.  <SNIP>

Tim,

I beg to differ. ET is not a meaningless measurement. It may not be as
important for clearance purposes as I indicated in my original
response. However, the ideal ET is one close or at the same as the
factory set-up. That set-up was designed with various factors taken
into consideration. One of them being bearing life. The other is
something as fundamental as vehicle handling. Unless you have taken
great pains in reconfiguring your suspension to compensate for a
change in offset, you will have changed your vehicles handling either
for better or for worse depending on which ET you have selected. I say
chose carefully and not just for clearance. Correct ET is not only
important, it is absolutely essential. Who cares about wheels that
look good and clear all your suspension components but fail in the
handling department? Isn't that why most of us are changing wheels?

BenT