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[hdrewh]

what exactly does "offset" mean, what does "ET" stand for, and how are these concepts used in making wheel decisions?

Thanks
<leaves apple on desk, takes seat, picks up pencil, opens notebook>

[info@VMRWheels]

Offset is just the distance from the hub/back pad of the wheel from the center of the wheel. This of course is represented in millimeters, and depending on the offset it'll help you determine how far in or out a wheel will sit. Whenever you see an "ET" it's just how many millimeters it is. Here's what it really actually means.

Wheels are usually stamped with their offset using the German prefix "ET", meaning "Einpresstiefe" or, literally, "press depth".

The higher the offset, the more INTO the fenders the wheel will be. The lower the offset, the more OUT towards the fenders the wheel will be. So for instance if you have a 19x9.5 ET45 and 19x9.5 ET33, the ET33 version will be sticking out 12mm more than the ET45 (or as some may say, it will be 12mm more aggressive). When calculating wheel sizing you need to consider how much inner and outer clearance you have, what tire size you'd like to run, brand, model, etc. It will all depend on how you set up your car. Different cars require different width and offsets. Just remember that width differences will affect the outer and inner clearance. So even if the wheels have the same offset but different widths they will fit slightly differently. Hope that helps!

Here's a visual representation of what the offset of the wheel is.

[img]http://www.**********s.com/images/Products/Wheels/WheelOffset.jpg[/img]

[hdrewh]

nice! thank you.

[info@VMRWheels]

You're welcome!

[nekky]

Perfect description. Good job

[info@VMRWheels]

Thanks!

[Gary@TireRack]

Here is a visual of it :

[drfrink24]

Is there a chart of the minimum clearances (inside and outside, caliper, strut, etc..) for various e9x setups?

[info@VMRWheels]

It really will vary on the wheel and the sizing it is offered in. Some wheels have better spoke clearance than others, some have better barrel clearance than others. Usually you could tell on fender/strut clearance easily. You can more or less measure how far the wheel is from your strut or from your fenders, but if you want to upgrade your brakes they usually have templates online that you cut out. You just fit these inside the wheels to make sure they will clear your components.