general wheel offset question

[ScottyP]

not technically Seat related, but I know you guys will be able to advise me!

Looking at getting some new wheels for my Racing Puma, which are currently 28mm offset, the wheels I am looking at only come in standard 35mm offset (which sit way too far into the arch) or 15mm. There should be clearance in the mahoosive arches, and the fronts have 10mm spacers as standard which I can take off to make the front wheels 25mm? BUT will there be a problem with vibration or tramlining from running the wider offset? or is it the equivalent of whacking on a set of spacers?
Any help on this? don't want to fork out and then find I can't use them...

 

[Fl@pper]

are the wheels wider ? or running lower profiles ? positive or negative offset

positive at a guess and the wheel size is the same isnt it making the track width smaller and wouldnt removing the spacers make it worse ? which would probably induce less stability and more understeer i'd have guessed - think of a go kart compared to a skateboard

this may help http://www.rsracing.com/tech-wheel.html

im off to find a calculator and screw my head up a bit more

 

[ScottyP]

blimey - interesting, but complex!

Think the wheels are positive camber - ie wheels are being pushed further away from the car out into the arch. So if i'm right the 15mm offset will push the wheels further out from the car, not closer. (greater the offset no. narrower the track??)
The wheel width and tyres will be the same, but will pushing the wheels 13mm further out cause problems with the drivetrain,tracking etc?

the more I think about this the more complex it bocomes!

 

[WeeJase]

surely this is sacraledge(sp) in racing puma circles scotty?
further out you go the more stress you're going to be putting on hubs and bears etc

 

[ScottyP]

true - but its only really to protect the original wheels during winter.
I sort of thought it might stress them, but just wanted confirmation - guess i'll have to look for another style...