offset rims vs wheel spacers

[midwestmadness775]

Offset rims are said to be easier on bearings. Looking at getting some for my max 2 for my tracks but they are pricey and id have to buy 6 tires too. Im willing to spend the cash if the offset rims are better but are they really any easier on things than wheel spacers?

[rodp]

When I was doing 4x4 trials we used to machine the centre out of the wheels and weld it back in where we wanted it. Not a big job and cheap to do.
Just a thought ?

[midwestmadness775]

If my buddy still had his lathe that would be an option. Though I dont think id really want to do that to my rims. If I could find used rims though itd be my best bet. Adair argo wants an arm and a leg for 6 offset rims and they are the only place you cab get them from as far as I know.

[rodp]

If you did your own rims you could always alter them back later. Time consuming ...............but cheap.

[mightymaxIV]

I had a custom set of 1 1/2 wheel spacers machined for my MaxIV and I believe I paid more for the spacers then you would pay for off set aluminum rims. The light weight of the aluminum rims is some thing you have to consider, the weight savings alone is like adding a few horsepower to your machine and you don't have to worry about all the extra nuts and bolts involved with wheel extensions..

[jerseybigfoot]

Most AATV wheels are not spools with a center but 2 halves and make it expensive to offset. It may be possible to weld a wider wheel half to a narrow wheel half

[Old Tucker]

Offset rims are said to be easier on bearings. Looking at getting some for my max 2 for my tracks but they are pricey and id have to buy 6 tires too. Im willing to spend the cash if the offset rims are better but are they really any easier on things than wheel spacers?

Offset rims may be cheeper. but you still are moving the tire out and it will put just as much stress on the outer bearing as a spacer will. There is no getting around that fact. Unless you move the bearing out too. But then you are looking at a big $.
I do like the light weight Aluminium rims to lighten the unit up. But you will only be saving a few Lbs.

[Old Tucker]

Lets put it this way. The stress on the outer bearing is determined by the distance between the outer bearing and the, ( let say the centre line of the tire). And what you have between the too is not a factor. Its that distance that will determined the leverage the axle has on the bearing.
If the bearing was almost right beside the axle flange, there would be no bent axles. And very few blown bearings do to the stress or the leverage put a pond them.

[Buzz]

there is definitely something to be said for having a lighter rim and not having to mess around with wheel spacers or additional lug nuts that have to be torqued down with little room for tools. Even a very well made wheel spacer will never be as "balanced" as an offset rim, and you always have the chance that things can work loose with a wheel spacer. The leverage on outer bearings and especially the hub flange might be the same, but the convenience and other benefits of an offset rim sound pretty cool to me.

[rodp]

Most AATV wheels are not spools with a center but 2 halves and make it expensive to offset. It may be possible to weld a wider wheel half to a narrow wheel half

Not going to be a major job to weld the two halves together though is it, and if you have a lathe it would be a two minute job. Well ................it would be once the tyre was off

[mightymaxIV]

I still believe you would be better off with the Aluminum bead lock, off set rims. Spacers are expensive, they have a lot of bolts, they weigh a lot and there are any number of things that can go wrong with them. You have to keep them tightened and check them from time to time. Wouldn't it be simpler to have a light bead lock rim that you could pre trip with a glance without worrying about all the other nonsense that goes along with spacers.