Going from 35mm offset to 38mm

mydeathbynapalm

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2004
Location
Great Falls, VA (NoVA)
TDI
Golf GLS, 2002, Reflex Silver
Search feature is down on here...

What will going from a stock 35mm offset to 38mm offset on wheels do? I know what it physicially does to the wheel, but I'm curious to what negative, or positive impacts there could be by by going 'less dish' with aftermarket wheels: handling, rubbing impacts...

Wheels I'm looking at are 17x7" +38mm while I currently have 16x6.5" +35mm. I've gotten conflicting info...or at least not concise, saying that stock offset for 17" wheels for VW IS 38mm and for 16" it's 35mm...could be wrong though.

Any words?(been searching VWVortex as well).
thanks
 

blitzoid

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2003
Location
NYC
TDI
Blue '02 Golf GLS TDI
The stock offset for a 15x6" Wheel (Avus, for example) is +35.

The stock offset for a 16x6.5" wheel (Montreal II, in my case) is +42.

Note - wheels get wider, offsets rise. If I had to venture a guess, the offsets can vary quite a bit, to a point. You don't want to run too low an offset, because the suspension wasn't designed for the wider track. Too high an offset, and you have brake clearance problems.

Subarus are notorious for requiring ridiculously high offsets - my WRX's stock wheels were 16x6.5, +52, IIRC. anything lower than +48 was considered risky.

I think you're well within the safe range for +38. If you're really worried, either stick with OEM wheels, or give the folks at tire rack a call. They're great for this sort of thing.

Good luck.
 

mydeathbynapalm

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2004
Location
Great Falls, VA (NoVA)
TDI
Golf GLS, 2002, Reflex Silver
Thanks all...yeah, I've plowed through responses that basically match up with what you all are saying. I'm on the fence about whether to go with light 17" (@ 16lb) or way light 16" (@ 11lb) wheels. My 16" VW Raves look good but fall in at about 22lb.(will keep them for winter use)

Was figuring a too large offset would give me brake clearance issues. 38 isn't drastic...just reduces the track a little, and I wasn't sure if that would impact the handling at all...not enough for me to notice
 
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