Wheel offset

[FilW]

Can anyone tell me how wheel offset affects handling? What is the effect of more or less offset and how do you find the ideal offset for your car? Is it trial and error or is it a bit more scientific than that? :confused:

[boyracer]

Not sure how to explain this so bear with me.
If you take a look at a mac-p suspension setup.
The line of action comes fromthe top swivel mount of the shock thru the bottom ball joint and intersects the road.
The distance from where this line intersects the road to the center (in reality, more the contact patch of the tyre than the actual geometric centre) of the tyre tread is the scrub radius.
If you change the offset of your wheels you change scrub radius, has a few effects though mostly minor as I understand (other's may think different) and of course changes the track. Increased scrub radius will lead to slightly heavier steering but, at least as far as I am aware, there is not a huge difference.

Does that help ?

[Revracing]

Phill, is wheel offset legal in Formuls Vee?

[THR]

im not sure how u would make it illegal.
if ya look closely at a f3 car the front is about 200mm wider at the front that the rear, this is wot ya can also call offset!

making the back narrower makes it load up quicker when u turn in, i think, anyway, its to do with handling!!

in the Frenault we had, we had two sets of wheels, with 30mm difference in the offset, it didnt seem to make a huge amount of difference. its fine tuning i was told.
altho its more practiced on karts. as a little on them makes a big diff!