negative wheel offset

[sambb]

Is it true that the early polo gti's had a slightly different standard wheel offset to the later models? If so, anyone know which of the gti wheels had the greatest negative offset and what model years they were from?

[dylan8]

No 9n would have had had negative offsets regardless of width

[Stuwey]

I think there was a change by about 5mm somewhere along the piece, but in any case they're still very 'positive'

[sambb]

ok I thought they were near zero for some reason - and only 5mm difference - that sucks. Any ideas which model years had the wheels with the least positive offset then?thanks

[nightphotographer]

Are you sure this is 9N and not 6R? 6R's added optioned wheels from Denvers to Detroits. - 9Ns stayed the same through production. The only way to find out is to get every 9N owner to post they're build date and offsets. I'm 2006 and I'm pretty sure ET43.

[sambb]

no I'm certain of nothing. I just remember reading somewhere on here when people were discussing how gearbox changes were made throughout the model years and which years had the best boxes, that it was mentioned that wheel offsets had varied too. Can't find it again though.

[noone]

Get some 8" Enkei's, 35 is a nice stance.

[sambb]

ha ha. No I don't have the dosh for that. Just thought that if there was a fair amount more neg. offset to be had which could potentially benefit the steering, that someone might want to swap wheels for the wider stance ones. From the sound of it though its doubtful whether there is any offset variation anyway let alone a big enough one to be felt at the wheel.

[Catfish]

I think there was a change by about 5mm somewhere along the piece, but in any case they're still very 'positive'

GTI - up to early 06 had ET 43, later 06 to 09 had ET 38. Best aftermarket wheels are ET 35.

[sambb]

sorry sorry. my shift worker brain gets muddy sometimes. When I was talking negative offsets what I meant to ask was which of the standard wheels offsets would give the most favourable scrub radius for ideal steering geometry (usually slight neg.). So you guys say that the ET35's are the best. Is that because it creates the closets thing to ideal scrub radius or because of aesthetics?

thanks

[kaanage]

From the sound of it though its doubtful whether there is any offset variation anyway let alone a big enough one to be felt at the wheel.

I prefer the steering feel of my stock 43mm offset rims to my 38mm offset track rims. I'd hate to go to a lower offset.

[dylan8]

Can't just say et35 is the best. Its based on width.
8et35 will have the same outside position as 7.5et29

[sambb]

kaanage that's what I was kind of thinking. In your case possibly the stock rims (having more positive offset) sit the rim further inboard and get the tyre contact patch in a better spot ie a better scrub radius/offset.
That was the deal with Mk2 escorts. They had terrible positive scrub and putting on wheels with less positive offset (for a wider stance/track) would make this situation even worse.
For me I'm happy staying on stock gti wheels for the street but if there is a stock wheel offset out there that gives the best scrub radius/offset then I want that one.
Any track guys or techs know the scrub offset/steering geometry on our cars?

[noone]

the lower the ET (keep in mind the wheel width affects how this sits) the further out. More poke / more stance / wider contact patch / less roll in a corner (debatable / relative).

I'm running a 37 on an 8"

[sambb]

my car is a dec 06' and has standard ET43's. Sounds like compared to the other Gti model years I have the ones with the most positive offset which I'm willing to bet would give the better scrub radius of the two offsets although not the wider stance. I'm happy with that.