Offset and Backspacing

coreylubahn · Post by **coreylubahn** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 5:13 am

Guys,

I was talking with someone at the wheel shop about wheels the other day and they mentioned that the S-10s are really particular about what wheel you put on them because of brake clearance issues (something about the caliper). They didn't mention anything about backspacing, only offset. They said that the S-series trucks take a FWD offset in order to clear the calipers or something. This didn't make much sense to me because as long as you get a wheel with a big enough diameter it will fit over the caliper regardless of anything else, right? What do they mean by offset anyway...I understand backspacing now, but this offset business has me confused. Thanks.

barch97 · Post by **barch97** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 5:34 am

I have no idea what they're talking about. Like you said, as long as the diameter of the wheel is large enough, it will clear the caliper. If they mean offset=backspacing, that doesn't make any sense either... as long as the backspace/offset is stock (6") or less on a stock rim width (7") there is no issue involving the brake caliper. In fact, reducing the backspace/offset will increase clearence at the caliper. I suspect that the person who told you this was not as familiar with s-series front ends (or any others for that matter) as they claim to be.

a2b · Post by **a2b** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 11:30 am

ya as far as the brakes go, they dont know what they are talking about.

backspacing and offset are different

backspacing is the meseaurement from the center plate to the back of the rim

offset is the meseasurement from the center plate to the center of the riim. so a 7" rim with 3.5" bs will have 0 offset.

its just 2 different ways to say the same thing