I agree with your logic! -- however, are you saying that Winkler, HA = Projekt, and Projektzwo are offering wheels that don't meet TUV? I thought they = were!! In fact, I was counting on their expertise.

While it does make = sense that, IN THEORY, all Vanagon wheels would always carry the same offset = regardless of width, even Volkswagen didn't follow this logic!! For = example, they use ET30 for their own 6" wheel and ET35 for their own 5 1/2" = rim. Now WHY would Volkswagen do this??? And WHY would Winkler, HA Projekt, and = Projektzwo offer 7" rims with ET23 and 6.6" rims with ET27??? It makes = one wonder...

I can only offer my own theory: That for the Vanagon, = there was too much chance of interference to allow the tire to move INWARDS = without undue the possiblity of problems with rubbing on the trailing arm and = other suspension components -- particularly with extra-wide tires and/or = chains. Obviously, VW engineers felt confident that moving the tire slightly = OUTWARD as you increased the width of the rim was desireable, without any = undue consequences to the engineering of the suspension components.
I = prefer to be conservative and trust people who are offering legitimate, = TUV-approved, equipment made specifically for our Vanagons. If it turns out that = either Audi or Mercedes ever made a wheel that was "proper" then we should = actively promote this as a viable solution. However, as has been noted = elsewhere, MOST (if not all) Audi/Mercedes wheels are designed for vehicles whose = suspension geometry is vastly different than the Vanagon. And this is = particularly true of all recent Audi/Mercedes = vehicles.

Cheers,
MJS


At 09:12 PM 3/6/00 +0100, Per Lindgren = wrote:
>Michael,
>
>YOu say that your rims have an offset of 23 mms, right? If so, you are way = off concerning safe offsets! I cant say I'm an engineer, cause I'm not. I = do know that rims with an offset of more or less than 7,5 mms than stock are = illegal to use here in Norway without TÜV approval, so that wont ever happen = for me.
>
>You also say to put in spacers, but there's more to = it. The spacers are made to make wheels with deeper offset fit with cars that = have less offset. E.g.: the 1996-2000 Eurovan have an offset of 60 mms, the = Vanagon have an offset of 38 mms. For these wheels, one must use a 20 mm = spacer for them to fit, and be within clearances and specifications over stock. A = rim with 23 mm offset can not be used
>with spacers, and is also not = good for the bearings. And that's what it all boils down to: The bearings! = The offset is set to fit the bearings on the car, too much or too little = will damage the bearings, as they will put excessive pressure on one of the = sides of the bearings. A Mercedes rim that is opened up 2 mms is much safer = than risking loosing a wheel because of ruined bearings, IMHO!!
>
>PerL
>87 Syncro 112i (soon with Audi rims)
>