Page 7 - Avis mars 2021

Wheel Offset vs Backspacing Explained

We all know that choosing the right wheel is an important part of any car project. A big part of what
makes a wheel "right" is the way it positions the tire in the wheel well. Too far in and it hits the frame,
too far out and it hits the fender. We've all been there.

There are two common ways to measure this, offset and backspacing. These two terms are often used
interchangeably to discuss the relationship between the rim and the hub where the wheel mounts to the

car, but they are definitely not the same thing. We're going to discuss this here, with some illustrations,
to help make sense of it all.

Backspacing

This is the one that most of us are probably used to seeing when looking at wheels for our hot

rods and muscle cars. Quite simply, it's the distance from the back of the rim to the mounting hub at
the center of the wheel. With the wheel face down, throw a straight edge across the back of the rim,
measure down to the center with a tape measure and you have your backspace.

Measuring backspacing is simple. Lay a straight edge across the back of the wheel, then measure

down to the face where the wheel bolts to the hub.