Offset check for 20" wheels -- Help from Wheel Whores, I mean Gurus ?
Here's a link defining offset -
http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/...jsp?techid=101
Lower offset does not always = bigger lips hence less clearance. I said "identical wheel" - no lips or even with lips but same size lips regardless of offset.
By going from Et34 to Et25 (by pushing wheels outside by 9mm) you're gaining 9mm clearance on the inside (including caliper clearance) not loosing it:
http://www.1010tires.com/WheelOffsetCalculator.asp
Plug in the numbers in the above link by going from 34 to 25 and you'll see what I mean. If you still have any doubts that lower offset (for identical wheel, that's the key) means more clearance and not less call/email Luke at TireRack. I'm confident he'll confirm what I said.
Look at it this way: stock wheels from W211 fit all W212, but not the other way around. Why? Because stock wheels from W211 have offset in mid to upper 30s say ET35-38, while wheels from W212 have offsets around 50 say ET48-ET54. Higher offset wheels from W212 do not have enough clearance for W211 calipers built for lower offsets. But lower offset wheels have no issues clearing any W212 car because it was built to accept a higher offset.
The lower the offset the more caliper clearance you have (identical wheels including lip size, if with lips) not less.
Last edited by threeMBs; Oct 1, 2010 at 01:37 PM.
Wheel spec...
19x8.5 (32mm or 45mm offset) <---My two front options
19x9.5 (35mm or 50mm offset) <---My two rear options
He recommend me to do 32 fronts and 35 rears.
the guy says it will sit flush with my fenders...Correct?
Can anyone give me an idea if they will sit right, look right and look wide but appropriate....its so hard to judge when people are running all sorts of combinations...
thanks,
Nick
Generally on W211's ET 32 front and rear on 20x8.5 and 20x10 wheels is fine but tires also play an important role sizewise. On my W211 E55 I ran HRE's 20x8.5 et 32 and 20x10 et 32 and the fitment while not super super aggressive was great for a lowered car. Tires were 245x35x19 and 275x30x19
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