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<x-flowed> On Apr 25, 2005, at 5:19 PM, Knut Yngve Willumsen wrote:
Hi!This has been posted before and is about the most comprehensive that has been put together (if i do say so myself <g>). so far. There are lots of options and combinations, but the 20mm offset is really set up for a bug more so than Type 3. They sound like they are very similar to the EMPI 8 spokes which have been shown to not work well on Type 3. Sorry.
I just bought the new "Rader" wheels from JGE
(http://www.javaglobalenterprises.com/raders.htm).
I now wonder what tire size I should put on my '65 notch. Today it is stock
height but I was planning a lowering job with just one spline at the front.
As far as I know the stock offset is 46mm on 4.5" wheel. The new Raders have
an offset of just 20mm. This means the whole wheels goes 26mm further out,
right? Has anyone experience with this wheel or simular offset?
I appreciate any suggestions of tire size and lowering!
OK, I did a little digging around on the web and in my CIP catalog and came up with some interesting numbers.
First, lets talk tire sizes. I made one assumption that our stock tire aspect ratio is 80%. We have discussed this before with 80%, 83%, and 85% as possible answers. I don't ever remember coming to a confident answer as to which was right. So for the sake of comparison I picked 80%. I have also ignored that fact the all tires bulge out some and am only comparing the tread width. So here we go.....
Tire Diameter Width Comments
165/80R15 25.4" (645mm) 6.5" (165mm) Stock tire size
185/65R15 24.5" (622mm) 7.3" (185mm) Jordan Wilks tire size
195/50R15 22.7" (576mm) 7.7" (195mm) Common aftermarket tire
195/55R15 23.5" (596mm) 7.7" (195mm) My front tire size
205/55R16 24.9" (632mm) 8.1" (205mm) My rear tire size
As you can see Jordan's tires are a full inch bigger in diameter and nearly as wide as my front tires. Still seems like they would be ok until you look at the wheels. I looked through my CIP catalog, which fortunately lists backspacing for most of the wheels they sell. I have made an assumption that the difference between the bead width and maximum width of the wheel is 1 inch since this is important in converting from backspacing to the more useful offset. This is where it gets more interesting....
Wheel Diameter Bead Width Offset Backspacing Frontspacing
Stock Type 3 15" 4-1/2" 1.8" (46mm) 4.56" (116mm) 0.95" (24mm)
EMPI 5-spoke 15" 5- 1/2" 0.44" (11mm) 3.7" (94mm) 2.8" (71mm)
EMPI 8-spoke 15" 5-1/2" 0.75"(19mm) 4.0" (102mm) 2.5" (64mm)
Chrome VW 15" 4-1/2" 1.8" (46mm) 4.5" (114mm) 1.0" (25mm)
Chrome VW 15" 5-1/2" 1.0" (25mm) 4.3" (108mm) 2.2" (56mm)
AR Aero 15" 7" 1.6" (40mm) 5.6"(142mm) 2.4" (61mm)
AR Aero 16" 7" 1.7" (42mm) 5.6" (142mm) 2.4" (61mm)
So if you look at the frontspacing (a term I made up to describe the distance from the mounting face of the wheel to the outside wheel lip (frontspacing + backspacing = beadwidth + 1")), the EMPI 5-spoke and 8-spoke both stick out more than the 7" wide rims that I have on Sophy! The 5-spoke sticks out nearly 2" more than the stock Type 3 wheel! Doesn't surprise me that you are getting fender rub with the nearly 1" wider tire moved outward nearly 2" and being lowered 2 notches.
Offset is important and most of the aftermarket VW wheels are not going to be right for a Type 3. That being said it looks like the Chrome 4-1/2" VW wheels are actually type 3 wheels! Of course that assumes that CIP did not make a typo in their catalog. I would be leary and call there tech support and have them measure one before ordering. Anyone have first hand experience with the aftermarket chrome 4-1/2" VW wheels? Are they really 46mm offset?
Hope this is helpful and not too confusing.
Later, John Jaranson '66 Square (Sophy) '70 Fasty (Jane 2 - Type 3 Lead Sled wannabe) '71 Fasty (Jane -parts car due to rust) various parts.....don't we all. http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jaransonT3/jaransonT3/ http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jaransonT3/2006Invasion/ http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jaransonT3/notavwclub/
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