Re: Rear tire size? Offset/backspacing

[Toby Erkson <Toby_Erkson@ccm2.hf.intel.com>]

I'm glad Jim mentioned the offset, also known as backspacing, of a rim as 
this can also make the difference between a wheel fitting under your fender 
or not.  Naturally, you should stay with a stock offset.  If you change the 
offset too much, like those $%@&! itty-bitty spoked low-rider rims that are 
wrapped in rubberbands (and I've seen some bone-heads use temporary-only 
tires), you'll have wheel bearing wear problems much sooner.

     Toby Erkson
     air_cooled_nut@pobox.com
     '72 VW Squareback 1.6L modified to 2.0L
     '75 Porsche 914 stock 1.8L


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Rear tire size?
Author:  type-3-errors@umich.edu at SMTPGATE
Date:    1/25/97 10:36 PM

...

The original tires were 6.00 x 15L bias ply with an option for 165SR15 that
started about the time your car was new.  I have had 185SR15s on OEM wheels
in the rear and the outside of the tire clears the inside of the lip of the
fender by about 1 cm or a little less.  This is about the largest size that
you should consider putting on 4-1/2" rims.  I think any other rims that you
find will have less offset, increasing the track and giving you less clearance.

Does anyone else have more data on what offsets are available in rims?  I'm
just guessing based on the fact that beetle rims all have less offset.

Jim
...